215

Isabella

“No, Isabella. We still need Cassandra to come out. We need her to show her cards. I'm sure it's not going to take long, but... you have to hang tight, Mia Bella," Damon said, shaking his head.

He raised his hand and began to caress my belly before leaning in and pressing a kiss on my swollen abdomen. As if in response, the baby kicked where his hand was.

"He's saying hello to me," Damon said with a smile as he leaned forward and then pulled open the robe I wore to reveal my naked belly.

"So perfect," he said as he pressed another kiss on the pale skin. "So damn perfect," he said again as he met my eyes. I could see the expression there, his eyes flashing red before returning back to their normal hazel color.

 He spread open my legs and slowly removed the outer robe to reveal my naked pussy. Slowly, he kissed his way from my belly button down to my weeping  pussy.

***

The extra wait was grueling, but I didn't mind it. I filled my days with walking, with Paula up and down the stairs, and even around the property on occasion.

 "What do you think about me going out incognito?" I asked my friend, who looked at me as though I had grown a second head.

"Why do you want to go outside that bad?" she questioned.

"Because I feel cooped up in here. It feels like I'm a princess stuck in a castle with a dragon protecting her."

 "That is exactly what is happening, Isabella," Paula said with a smile.

"That's the problem. I don't want to be cooped up in a castle. I want to go outside and watch a freaking Oprah show. Do you know how long it's been since I've been in one of those?"

"I don't know," Paula responded.

"Exactly. Right after I introduced myself to everyone, I was in three, and that was it. The stupid plan of Julio is not letting me see my city.

But it's not like he's doing it for a bad reason. It's all for a good cause, and I'm sure you'll be very happy once the results come out."

Unfortunately, I had to go along with everything my friend and my husband told me. She, however, was also nursing a pregnancy and was mostly sick.

The days she was up and about were few and far between. In essence, I was left to look like a homeless person.

"Get better," I told her as I sat beside her bed, rubbing her slightly swollen belly. Ted opened the door and peeked in. He flashed a smile at me and then walked over to his wife.

"Here you go," he said as he pulled out a bowl of grapes, specifically the red ones. Paula smiled weakly as she pushed herself to a sitting position with my help.

"I don't like this," I said as I watched her pop a grape into her mouth.

"You don't like what?" she asked as she chewed elegantly. I squinted my eyes at her and stole a grape from her bowl.

 "I don't like that you're here, and I get to look like a hobo all the time. Hurry up and get better so that you can make me look pretty again. Remember, it's all about the results, right?”

***

The result was only obvious in another four weeks. I rolled my eyes as I had to listen to another round of lectures from Donatella on why we should stop the development in the lower city and focus on consolidating our funds to find better treatment for me and my infertility.

 At this point, it felt like she was rubbing it in so deep.

"I don't think it's that necessary," I said in opposition to her.

"Besides, we don't need that much money. Millions of euros are not going to solve my problem," I added, rubbing my belly.

"You are not a problem," I told my child in my mind, but there was no way to tell. We cannot... Damon slammed his hand on the table.

 "I will not have this discussion be turned into your attempt at siphoning funds for your own personal pet project. Your wife's health is not a pet project."

"My wife's health is my business. Her reproductive health is none of yours," Damon retorted. Donatella shook her head.

"I don't agree. She is the one who is meant to sit on the throne. Her health is the entire city's business, and it's imperative that it's the city's business to ensure she has the best access to healthcare!"

 I wanted so badly to speak out or at least stand up and show that I was pregnant, but I restrained myself.

"I'm sure the Mafia King has more than enough money to take care of his wife's health," Andrew said silently, toning down the heated temperature of the room.

I saw Julio's mouth about to open when the room suddenly fell silent as the door opened and Cassandra stepped in, but instead of walking, she waddled like a whale, just as I did.

Her large empire-waistline dress did very little to hide the obvious baby bump underneath.

"It feels so wonderful to be back," she said as she met my eyes through the screen.

"Lovely to see you, cousin. I heard about your unfortunate mishap with RJ. I shouldn't forget. I would like to send him a letter of thank you for helping me."

 "What are you doing here?" Nicholas asked as he got to his feet.

"Isn't that obvious?" Cassandra asked with a smile. "I'm here to challenge my cousin. Since she is infertile and would never have children... that is so sad, by the way," she said as she rubbed her belly to gloat to me.

 "Since she's infertile, that would leave her with me as the next in line after her. And being the one that is carrying a child, I've come to petition that she be removed from her position as the house head.”