Page 66 of Punishing His Runaway Bride
My world stopped.
"Cute, right?" Bianca looked up, eyes full of triumph.
I stared at her, at that gentle, elegant, perfect face, barely breathing.
"You—"
"Margaret." She called. The maid stepped out from behind the gazebo. "Take Miss Juliet back. Nap time."
The maid took Juliet from her.
Juliet looked at Bianca, tiny hand reaching out, like begging to stay.
"Gulu," she said, small voice.
"Be good, sweetie." Bianca kissed her forehead. "Mommy'll be there soon."
The maid carried Juliet away.
I wanted to chase.
But Bianca blocked me.
"Move," I said.
"No." She smiled. "We need to talk."
I glared.
"You know who I am?" she said. "Mrs. Visconti, do you?"
"Colonna family," I said.
She laughed, not happy, something else.
"Bianca Colonna," she said. "The one Ezio knew since we were kids. The one he planned to marry." Pause. "If you hadn't shown up—if you hadn't set him up that night, made him slip, got yourself knocked up—I'd be here with a different name."
"I didn't—"
"He married you for the kid," she cut in, voice light, soft. "That's it. You know that."
I stared, silent.
She eyed my face, lips curving. Then she placed a hand on her belly.
That curve.
The pale pink robe hid it, but it was there. My gaze dropped to her hand, to that curve. Something snapped in my head.
"These six months," she said, tone flat, "Ezio's been coming to me."
Wind rustled the manor trees, grass stirred, and went still.
"He's always loved me. From the start."
Something sank in my throat, slow, into a bottomless dark.
"Juliet'll grow up with me," she went on, voice casual, like it was set. "Call me mommy. Kids forget quick. She's so young—won't be long till she forgets some Olivia ever existed."
