Page 47 of Secrets of the Brother
I looked her over as she weaved her way through the chairs and tables.
Especially since we looked to be about the same clothing size.
Alfonso rose and stepped forward, intending to run interference.
“It’s fine.”
He looked down at me. “Cesare won’t like it.”
“Since when has that ever stopped me?”
I was still on ordered rest and not allowed back in the office yet.
Although I was sneaking some work in when Cesare wasn’t around, between being cooped up in the villa and the round-the-clock nursing staff he insisted on hiring to watch over me, the excursion to the cafe had been a welcomed relief.
Alfonso was acting as a guard for my safety while we waited for Cesare to join us.
An expert physician was traveling in from Rome to Dr. Pontano’s offices to examine me.
We were finally going to learn if my pregnancy was still viable.
Cesare wanted the best doctor in the country to run his tests and write up his reports. And that was fine. That was what he needed to get past the trauma and guilt over what happened.
I placed a hand over my stomach.
I knew my baby was alive.
There was no rationale. No science. No medical tests.I just knew.
I had struggled and fought for too long to finally find happiness for it to be taken away. Besides, there was no way a baby of mine didn’t inherit at least some of my stubbornness.
Alfonso shook his head. He nodded toward a seat one table over. “I’ll be right over there if you need me.”
I stood to greet Bianca.
We clasped hands as we gave each other a kiss on each cheek. I then gestured toward the nearest chair. “Please, sit. Did you want a caffe?”
She set her Saint Laurent Sac De Jour Nano crocodile purse to the side. “Yes, that would be wonderful,” she agreed as she took off her brown suede gloves.
I gestured for the waiter, and she ordered.
Bianca looked at me. “You look beautiful, Milana. Is that Valentino? It’s made for you. How have you been?”
I clasped the charm around my neck. This wasn’t awkward at all. Totally normal to be sitting at a cafe enjoying a drink on a chilly autumn morning with the sister of the person who tried to murder you.
Nope. Not awkward. At. All.
Especially since I was fairly certain poor Bianca was absolutely clueless as to her sister’s crime.
Although Barone and Cesare had said they would leave the final decision up to me, the family wanted everything kept quiet to avoid any suspicion or scandal. In the end, I agreed.
It wasn’t like my own family name was spotless. I didn’t want malicious gossip any more than they did.
It was driving me crazy that I couldn’t remember anything from the afternoon Renata locked me in the wine cave.
It was pretty obvious now, though, that she must have been the female from that horrible day back in school. It would have been nice to have closure, but in the end, it didn’t really matter. She was dead. Did I really need to hear from her the twisted, jealous reasons for why she targeted me?
I knew why. She wanted Cesare.
