Chapter 3 - Twenty-One Days as a Family
By the twenty-fifth day after Julian’s birth, the Moretti mansion had developed a rhythm no one had planned.
Melissa woke before sunrise, usually moments before Julian began to stir. Adrian appeared soon afterward, pretending he had been passing the nursery on his way to conduct business.
Breakfast arrived on a silver cart.
Melissa ate fruit and toast while Adrian reviewed security reports. Julian slept between them in a portable cradle, one tiny fist resting beside his face.
By midmorning, Melissa called her mother.
Evelyn always asked about the baby before asking about herself.
“Does he still have that dark hair?” she said during one call.
“Yes.”
“And Adrian?”
“What about him?”
“Does he still stare at you like you’re a question he can’t answer?”
Melissa looked across the library.
Adrian sat behind his desk speaking quietly into a phone. He wore a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing tattoos and the strong muscles of his forearms. Even seated, he dominated the room.
“He doesn’t stare at me.”
Evelyn laughed weakly.
“You were never a convincing liar.”
“I learned from you.”
Silence followed.
Melissa regretted the words immediately.
Her mother had lied to protect them. New names, false histories, sudden moves in the middle of the night—every deception had kept Melissa alive.
“How are you feeling?” Melissa asked.
“Better. The doctors say my blood counts improved.”
Relief moved through her.
“Adrian sent another specialist.”
“I told him it wasn’t necessary.”
“What did he say?”
“That necessity was his decision.”
Melissa smiled despite herself.
“That sounds like him.”
“He came to see me yesterday.”
Melissa sat upright.
“What?”
Adrian looked up from his desk.
“He didn’t tell you?” Evelyn asked.
“No.”
“He stayed for almost an hour.”
“What did he want?”
“To know whether I needed anything.”
“And?”
“I told him I needed my daughter to stop looking frightened every time she talked about leaving his house.”
Melissa lowered her voice.
“Mom.”
“He cares for you.”
“He cares for Julian.”
“Those things are not separate anymore.”
Melissa glanced at Adrian again.
His attention had returned to the call, but she knew he could sense when she watched him.
“The contract ends in five days,” she said.
“Do you want it to?”
Melissa had no answer.
Her mother sighed.
“Your father used to say fear and truth can live in the same heart, but only one should make the decisions.”
“Dad made decisions that got him killed.”
“He made one decision that saved a child.”
“And left us alone.”
Evelyn was quiet.
Melissa closed her eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
“No. You have the right to be angry. I was angry for years.”
“Do you know who the boy was?”
“No.”
“Did Dad ever mention the Moretti family?”
A longer silence.
“Why?”
“Adrian’s enemies are the Vescaris.”
Evelyn inhaled sharply.
Melissa stood and walked toward the window, lowering her voice further.
“You recognize the name.”
“Yes.”
“Were they responsible for the massacre?”
“I don’t know.”
“You told me they were.”
“I told you what I believed.”
“What changed?”
“Nothing changed. I simply learned that certainty is dangerous.”
Melissa gripped the phone.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
Across the room, Adrian ended his call.
Evelyn said, “Not over the phone.”
“When, then?”
“When I’m strong enough to leave the clinic.”
“That could be weeks.”
“Then wait.”
“I’ve waited sixteen years.”
“Melissa.”
The fear in her mother’s voice stopped her.
“Do not show anyone the ring.”
Melissa’s hand moved instinctively to the chain beneath her dress.
“Why?”
“Because the Romano name still has enemies.”
The line went quiet.
“Mom?”
A nurse spoke in the background.
“I have to go,” Evelyn said. “Promise me.”
“I promise.”
The call ended.
Melissa lowered the phone.
Adrian watched her from behind the desk.
“What did Evelyn say?”
“That you visited her.”
“I did.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wasn’t aware I required permission.”
“She’s my mother.”
“And my responsibility while she is under my protection.”
“Why do you keep saying that?”
“Because it is true.”
Melissa approached the desk.
“Why did you choose me?”
Adrian’s expression did not change.
“We discussed this.”
“No. You avoided it.”
“My physician recommended you.”
“There were other candidates.”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Eleven.”
“And you selected me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Adrian closed the file before him.
“You were healthy. Educated. You had no criminal record, no history of drug use, and no desire for public attention.”
“Eleven women met those requirements.”
“You needed the money.”
“So did all of them.”
“Not like you.”
The words landed with unexpected force.
Melissa’s face warmed.
“You chose me because I was desperate?”
“I chose you because you would not change your mind.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“No.”
“It sounds the same.”
Adrian moved around the desk.
“You think I exploited you.”
“Didn’t you?”
“I offered a contract. Your lawyer reviewed it.”
“A lawyer your family paid for.”
“You could have refused.”
“My mother would have died.”
His face tightened.
“I did not cause her illness.”
“No. You only benefited from it.”
The room fell silent.
Melissa immediately wished she could take the accusation back.
Adrian rolled away from her.
“You’re right.”
She blinked.
“I knew the circumstances. I knew you would accept because you had no better option.”
“Adrian—”
“I told myself the money would save her. That made it fair.”
He stopped near the fireplace.
“It wasn’t fair.”
Melissa stared at his rigid back.
For the first time, he sounded ashamed.
“Why did you need an heir so urgently?” she asked.
“My father’s will.”
She waited.
“If I died without a legal heir,” Adrian continued, “control of several family trusts would pass to my cousin Matteo.”
“Is that bad?”
“Matteo has spent ten years waiting for my death.”
Melissa’s skin chilled.
“Did he arrange the accident?”
“I have never proven it.”
“But you suspect him.”
“Yes.”
“And Julian prevents him from inheriting?”
“Julian changes the line of succession.”
“So your son was protection.”
“At first.”
Melissa heard the unspoken truth.
“And now?”
Adrian looked toward the cradle near the window.
“Now I would burn every trust, business, and account before allowing anyone to use him.”
The library door opened.
Marco entered carrying a sealed envelope.
“We found the intermediary who paid the nurse.”
Adrian’s gaze sharpened.
“Name.”
“Victor Salerno.”
Melissa stopped breathing.
The room seemed to tilt.
Adrian noticed.
“Do you know him?”
“No.”
The answer came too quickly.
Marco looked at her.
Adrian’s stare became focused and dangerous.
“Leave us,” he told Marco.
When the door closed, Melissa turned away.
“Who is Victor Salerno?” Adrian asked.
“I don’t know.”
“You reacted to his name.”
“I was surprised.”
“You were afraid.”
She folded her arms, fighting the instinct to touch the ring.
“Maybe I’m afraid because someone paid for information about my child.”
“Look at me.”
She did.
Adrian moved closer.
“Victor Salerno controls what remains of the Romano family’s territory.”
“I’ve heard of him.”
“You said you didn’t know him.”
“I don’t know him personally.”
“Why would his name frighten you?”
“It didn’t.”
“You’re lying.”
Melissa’s pulse pounded.
She had survived for sixteen years by keeping the Romano name hidden. Revealing it could place her mother in greater danger. It could also destroy the fragile trust growing between her and Adrian.
“I’m tired,” she said.
“You don’t get to walk away from this.”
“The contract says I do.”
His expression darkened.
“The contract does not permit you to conceal a threat to Julian.”
“I would never endanger him.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
“I don’t have one that belongs to you.”
Pain flashed across his face before anger covered it.
“You live in my house. Your mother is protected by my men. You gave birth to my son.”
“Our son.”
The correction escaped her.
Both went still.
Adrian’s voice softened.
“Yes.”
Melissa looked toward Julian.
His eyelids fluttered in sleep.
“I need time,” she whispered.
“Time for what?”
“To decide whether trusting you will get my mother killed.”
Adrian studied her.
Then he said, “You have until tonight.”
“And after that?”
“I will find the truth without your permission.”
He left the library.
Melissa remained motionless until the door closed.
Her body began trembling.
Victor Salerno knew Julian existed.
That could not be coincidence.
After Gabriel Romano’s death, Victor had taken the family businesses and declared himself acting head. Months later, men came searching for Evelyn and Melissa. Their apartment was burned. A family friend who helped them escape was found dead.
Victor had wanted the last Romano heir erased.
Now he had found her.
Melissa hurried to the nursery and lifted Julian from the cradle.
She held him against her chest, breathing in the warm scent of his hair.
Five days remained before she was supposed to leave.
Leaving now might draw danger away from him.
But Victor had already connected her to the Morettis. If she ran, he could follow. If she stayed, she might bring a war to Adrian’s home.
Julian opened his eyes.
Melissa touched his cheek.
“I thought I could save one person,” she whispered. “I didn’t know I’d find two more I couldn’t lose.”
That evening, she went to Adrian’s private rehabilitation room.
He was gripping parallel bars, forcing his legs to bear a fraction of his weight. Sweat darkened his shirt. A physical therapist stood nearby, but Adrian waved him away when Melissa entered.
“Leave us.”
The therapist hesitated, then exited.
Adrian lowered himself into the wheelchair.
“Have you decided?”
Melissa closed the door.
“My mother’s name isn’t Evelyn Hart.”
His expression remained still.
“Neither is mine.”
She reached beneath her dress.
But before she could pull out the ring, an alarm sounded throughout the mansion.
Red lights flashed above the doors.
Adrian seized the radio attached to his chair.
“Report.”
Marco’s voice answered through static.
“Three vehicles breached the outer gate. Armed men approaching from the east.”
Gunfire erupted outside.
Melissa rushed toward the window.
Adrian grabbed her wrist.
“Take Julian and go to the safe room.”
“The safe room is beneath the west staircase.”
His eyes narrowed.
“How do you know?”
Another explosion shook the glass.
Melissa pulled free.
“Because this mansion belonged to my grandfather before the Moretti family bought it.”
Adrian stared at her.
“What did you say?”
“Get the baby.”
She ran into the corridor.
Guards moved toward the front hall while servants hurried in the opposite direction. Smoke drifted from the eastern wing.
Melissa reached the library and pushed aside a row of books. Her fingers found a metal lever hidden behind the shelf.
A section of wall opened.
Adrian arrived with Julian secured against his chest.
His face had gone pale.
“How do you know about this passage?”
Melissa pulled the silver ring from beneath her dress.
The Romano crest glinted beneath the emergency lights.
“My name isn’t Melissa Hart,” she said.
Gunfire thundered closer.
May you like
“My name is Melissa Romano.”
And for the first time since she had met him, Adrian Moretti looked truly afraid.
