Page 47 of Baby Surprise for my Brother's Best Friend

“If this backfires—”

“Then we burn together.” He shrugs.

It shouldn’t make me smile.

But it does, because part of me wants to believe that maybe this version of Alessio, the one showing up, lowering his walls, offering his trust, is real.

After Alessio leaves, the silence in my office presses in.

I stare at the blank screen in front of me, my fingers hovering over the keys.

This isn’t just another crisis brief. It’s not some clever pitch to spin a scandal or distract the board with a shiny PR campaign.

This one’s personal.

If we get it right, maybe he proves he’s more than his past. Maybe I prove I’m more than the woman who keeps getting burned.

But if we get it wrong?

The merger collapses. My career implodes. Who knows how the Bratva will retaliate. And whatever fragile thing is starting toform between us, this pull, this spark, this whatever it is, goes up in smoke.

I grip the pen tighter, heart thudding loud in my ears.

Then, I start to write, slow, deliberate.

My pulse ticks in my ears, fingers hovering for a beat too long before they press into the keys. Each word I type feels like a dare. One wrong question, and we’re both done.

But if there’s even a sliver of truth to what I saw in his eyes, then we’ve got a shot at rewriting the ending.

“Alessio Marchetti, who are you when the cameras stop rolling?”

And I realize I’m not just asking for them.

I’m asking for me.

12

ALESSIO

I stand at the window of the apartment, coffee cooling in my hand, untouched.

The skyline doesn't blink. But I do.

Too much rides on today to pretend this is just another morning.

The city blurs beneath a haze of early morning fog.

My suit’s pressed and perfect, but it doesn’t matter. I wore one just like it at the gala, and that night still spiraled out of control.

Today isn’t about appearance. It’s about redemption. Survival.

If I screw this up, one wrong word, we don’t just lose the merger. We lose the investors, the reputation, the momentum.

I lose Sophie's trust.

And she's the only person that’s ever made me want to be better.

For myself. For her. So I can deserve her.

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