Chapter Three

I got a house overlooking the beautiful city, nothing serious, just a three-bedroom house and I had already begun decorating the nursery for my baby boy.

Yep! You heard right. I'm expecting a boy.

I had also gotten a job, well, my résumé was pretty impressive, so I was given a job on the spot. All in all, things are looking up.

I've been hearing about Vincenzo and my father on the news, they're doing well. He doesn't seem to be missing me as he is always seen with one hot supermodel or another.

I was about seven months along now, I waddle around, and well, my boss decided that it would be best for me to work from home and not drop a baby at the office.

Although there are days like today that I need to go in because some clients are too important to attend via skype.

I looked at myself in the mirror again before slipping my feet into flats, man I missed my heels. I rubbed my bump lovingly.

"You need to come out quick okay, mommy needs her shoes."

He must have heard me because he gave me a soft kick.

I picked up my bags and headed off to work, I parked close to the entrance. I must look like a whale because the CEO himself reserved space close to the entrance to make moving easier for me.

So I got my very own parking space...that isn't in the parking lot.

I wrestled my bags out of the car and walked into the building, I bumped into someone as I made the turn for the elevator.

"Christ!!!"

My bags all fell from my hand and picking them was almost out of the option because well...I'm quite heavy.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am."

I looked up at the man and he had the brightest blues I've ever seen, they looked familiar, but I couldn't place where I've seen them before. He kept looking at me, at my bump and it was giving me the creeps.

I placed my hand on my bump and that seemed to snap him out of whatever daze he was in.

"Is everything okay sir?"

"What...um...yeah. Sorry, yes, it is. Have a good day."

And with that, he strolled out of the building in a hurried state.

Weirdo.

Anyways, I went up to my office and did the needful. Work isn't difficult for me because the ideas that come into my head and the numerous business ventures and challenges give me a good time.

I was rounding up to go for lunch when there was a knock on my door, I looked up to see blue eyes from this morning and another pair of blues that I'd rather never see again. Now I know why he looked so familiar.

Familiar blues must have known he wasn't going to be needed in this conversation because he turned and left.

"What are you doing here, Vincenzo?"

He looked at me and then his eyes trailed down to my tummy then he came into my office and shut the door.

"You look good."

"That wasn't what I asked you."

"Okay, Matteo told me he saw you and you looked quite...pregnant."

So that was his name.

"Okay, and you're here because?"

"Because I know the child is mine."

I sat in my chair and stretched my legs out. I wasn't going to let myself be bothered by this piece of shit.

"You cannot prove MY child is yours. Maybe while you were out fucking my friends and God knows who else, I found refuge in some hunk."

At least he had the good grace to look ashamed.

"You were not supposed to see that."

"Of course. By the way, how is Teko Corp? You run it to the ground yet?"

He mumbled something under his breath and righted himself in his seat.

"Teko Corp is great, so is your father..."

"I didn't ask about that piece of shit, I asked about my inheritance which you stole."

"You're never going to let this go?"

He already knew the answer to that question.

"It's time for my lunch, see yourself out. My delivery would soon be here, and I want to eat in peace."

Just on time, a knock sounded on my door and my secretary poked her head in.

"Is this a good time, your lunch is here?"

I waved her in and cleared up part of my table. Vincenzo just sat there.

"I want to be a part of my child's life."

I knew there was no use for me to keep arguing the paternity, we both knew this baby was his.

"And if I don't want this?"

"You leave me no choice but to take you to court. We don't want that."

"I'll think about it."

He nodded and left my office. I know that wasn't the last I'd be hearing from him.

It has been two months since Vincenzo's surprise visit to my workplace. I should have left Italy. I decided that it would be best for me to just integrate him into my life for the baby's sake, he accompanies me to antenatal and ultrasound. I try to be civil.

Besides if I had gone to war with him over parentage, I know I was going to lose because well, he's a national sweetheart and employs a sizeable percentage of the youthful population. I would have gone to court four years ago when I was the beloved daughter of Mr. Henry Matthews.

The baby was due anytime soon, I already had my bag packed and have set up its permanent position by the front door. I wasn't about to stress myself involuntarily.

I was watching SpongeBob with a bowl of popcorn, a glass of yogurt, and a handkerchief because this episode is so emotional. At least from the perspective of a pregnant woman, SpongeBob just broke a finger and fresh tears came to my eyes. A knock sounded on my door and my eyes immediately located my clock. 7:45 pm, who would come knocking by this time?

Who would come knocking at all?

I made sure that I have no friends, not even my neighbors are allowed to come to my house. I struggled out of my seat anyway and made my way to the door, sniffing all the way.

I opened the door and there in all his glory, stood Vincenzo with flowers and a box of chocolates and something else in a plastic bag. But what the actual fuck was he doing here?

"Are you crying? Are you in pain? Is something wrong? Does your tummy hurt?"

"No, I'm okay. I was watching SpongeBob."

I saw the look of shock on his face, but it was replaced by amusement. Or maybe it was both?

"You are crying over SpongeBob?"

"I'm a 9 months pregnant woman, if you're going to make fun of me then maybe you should leave."

I began shutting the door, but he pushed it back with his foot.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Can I come in?"

I just stood there looking at him, throughout the last two months, I've avoided situations that will lead him into my very personal and very private space. My house. I'm not yet sure why but I'm sure it's because I might kill him or fuck him.

Both of them are bad ideas.

"I brought food and chocolates."

I shouldn't let him in... but he brought food...and I think I'm hungry.

I'm not sure considering that I just devoured a family-sized Pizza some forty-five minutes ago and I was munching on popcorn. But I want more.

"Okay..."

He smiled and I moved out of the way to let him in. He's still as tall as I remembered but he has gotten more muscle in the last months.

The moment we both settled on the couch, I took the plastic bag from him without as much as a thank you. I opened it up and found two plates.

Both plates contained my favorite dishes, the first one had spaghetti and meatballs and the other had rice and oyster stew. I closed my eyes and picked a dish because well...it was a difficult decision.

I picked up the rice and oyster stew and began to do justice to it. It tasted amazing.

"I had Marie prepare that just for you."

I smiled at him, I had to thank Marie for this. I needed it.

Marie is an African who works as a cook for Vincenzo here in Italy, she's a sweet old lady who makes the beat African and Italian delicacies your taste buds could ever have the pleasure of experiencing.

"Elena, I'm sorry."

"For what exactly?"

"For everything...for Amanda and the company..."

"Alisha."

"What?"

"Her name is Alisha, not Amanda."

"Oh, okay. I'm truly sorry...you were nothing but nice to me and I wish that..."

"Shut up!"

"I'm just..."

"I said shut the fuck up! My water just broke!!!"

It took him a moment to realize what I meant and then he sprung from his seat and ran around the couch a few times.

"What are we going to do now?!"

"Well for starters, you could get your shit together and stop panicking."

"Okay."

"Then you grab your car keys and the bag by the door, take it to the car and then come take me to the hospital. Is that too much for your brain to comprehend?"

He sprung into action doing what I asked him to do and soon enough he was maneuvering the smooth roads of Italy. I was immediately rushed into the labor room and encouraged to take deep breaths to aid contractions.

When I was properly dilated, it was time for the real action.

"On my word, you push as hard as you can, okay?"

I nodded my head and gripped on to Vincenzo's arm, I hate to admit it, but I am really happy that he's here. I would rather be with him than be alone, I also hate to admit that I'm scared but I'm just trying to be strong because there is honestly no other option.

"Ready or not, here we go. Push!!!"

I took a deep breath and pushed, gripping Vincenzo's hand tighter. I heard him mutter a curse and something about having a broken hand, but I couldn't be bothered, I was fighting a much harder battle.

"You're doing great, give me one last one."

I inhaled deeply, ignored the pain, and pushed as hard as my tired body would allow, and I was rewarded with the cry of my baby. I took a deep breath and slumped on the bed as the nurse brought him over to me. I cuddled him close, he is the most beautiful baby in the history of babies...and he was mine.

I let the tears drop as he latched on to a nipple and began to suckle, I looked over at Vincenzo and he wasn't doing much better either. Imagine a grown man in a ruffled and expensive three-piece Armani suit and an even more expensive Rolex wristwatch crying like a baby.

Epic!!!

I laughed despite myself and when the baby has had enough, I stretched my hands to Vincenzo, but he moved back. I rolled my eyes.

"Hold your son."

"What if I drop him?"

"Then I'll kill you"

He looked from me to the boy and then finally carried him, he is quite a natural seeing as he held him just right on a first try.

"What's his name?"

"Antonio...Antonio Mikel Rossi."

Vincenzo snapped his head to mine and fresh tears gathered in his eyes.

"Thank you."

After all the cleanup and everything, we were cleared to leave by morning. Doctors said mine was an easy labor and that it didn't take any time and there were no complications.

There was nothing easy about that labor to me, and that makes me wonder what women in hard labor go through to bring that perfect baby into the world. They encouraged me to get some rest before heading home and that was exactly what I did, I didn't know how long I slept but when I woke, I felt like a new being.

When we got home, the first thing I noticed was that my house looked different, my lawn was mowed...and my door was open.

"Vincenzo...there's someone in the house."

"Yes, I called Marie and some of the house staff over to help clean and cook. Figured you wouldn't want to do anything once you got back."

"When did you make this call?"

"When you and the baby fell asleep."

Oh, that makes sense then. And he was right, the only thing this body needs is to fall on the bed and remain there.