My Son In The House;

My Son In The House;
Isabella's POV
I froze the moment I stepped into the living room.

There they were—my mother, standing tall in a crisp blouse, and Ricardo, smiling faintly, unaware of the storm swirling in my chest. My heart caught. Seeing him here, in Giovanni’s house, in Giovanni’s world… it made my pulse hammer with dread.

Before I could speak, Giovanni appeared from the hallway. His presence was immediate, commanding. He moved between me and them, a silent wall of control. “I thought it was what you wanted,” he said calmly. “To see your family.”

I opened my mouth, but no words came. My mind raced. Ricardo. My secret. My son. If Giovanni ever knew the truth… if he realized who he really was… everything would shatter.

My mother, oblivious to my panic, stepped forward with a wide smile. “Isabella, darling! I’ve missed you so much!” She reached for me, arms wide.

I flinched instinctively, stepping back. “Mom—wait,” I whispered sharply, grabbing her arm and pulling her aside into the nearest hallway. “Why would you bring him here? Do you have any idea what kind of man… what kind of world this is?”

She blinked at me, confused. “Isabella, he’s your brother. Nothing more. I wanted him to see you. You asked about your family. This is what you wanted, isn’t it?”

I pressed my hands to my face, trying to steady my racing heart. “Brother? Mom, you can’t just—he’s not my brother. He’s… never mind. You should not bring him into Giovanni’s house. Not here. Not now. What if he finds out?”

She placed a hand gently on my shoulder. “Isabella, he’s fine. You’ve been distant. I thought you’d like to see someone from home. He’s just a boy. He’ll be safe. Please, take it as I said. He’s your brother. That’s all.”

I swallowed hard, fear and frustration mingling into a tight knot in my stomach. “Brother or not, this isn’t a safe place for him. You don’t know what it’s like here. You don’t know what Giovanni is capable of. Or what he might think. You can’t just… bring him here!”

She sighed, her eyes softening. “I wanted you to have this moment. That’s all. I never meant—”

I shook my head. “You have to listen to me. He thinks Ricardo is your son. He can’t know the truth, Mom. Not yet. Not ever.”

Meanwhile, Giovanni’s voice called from the living room. “Isabella?” It was calm, measured, but there was an edge to it. His intuition always noticed when something was off.

I exhaled slowly, taking a deep breath to steady my nerves. “Mom, stay calm,” I whispered. “If he asks… just say what you said. He’s my brother. Nothing more. Do not—do not make this worse.”

She nodded, eyes wide, and I guided her back toward the living room. I tried to act casual, hiding the tension coiling inside me. Giovanni was standing by the table, watching us, alert and poised as ever.

“This is good, right?” he said softly, scanning the room. “Seeing family is good for you.”

“Yes,” I said, forcing a smile. My chest ached. I wanted to tell him everything, to explain the truth about Ricardo, but the words would destroy us both.

Ricardo sat quietly beside my mother, polite, smiling faintly. He looked at me as if sensing my tension, but he said nothing. Innocence always makes the danger worse. I wanted to warn him, protect him, but the secret had to remain buried.

What if he called me mom?

Surely not, Mama had always instilled that he had to call her mother and not grandma in public.

“Breakfast is ready,” Giovanni announced finally, his voice slicing through the tension. “Shall we eat?”

I nodded, and we moved toward the table. Conversation was strained but civil. My mother tried to keep the discussion light, telling stories about my childhood and family memories, and I responded in measured tones, careful not to betray my panic. Giovanni watched me constantly, protective, controlled, every glance sharp with awareness.

At one point, he leaned closer, voice soft. “You’re tense,” he said. “Something’s bothering you. Do you want to talk?”

I shook my head quickly. “No, nothing at all.”

He nodded, eyes softening slightly but never leaving me. “Whenever you’re ready. You can trust me.”

After breakfast, I lingered near the window, watching the rain streak the glass. Giovanni moved behind me, brushing against my shoulder. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s walk in the garden. Get some air.”

I followed reluctantly, thoughts still on Ricardo. My mother had been so casual, so insistent that he was just a brother… but I could see the faint sparks of curiosity in his eyes, the way he glanced at the house, the garden, and especially Ricardo. Like he was studying the boy.

He must not know.

We walked in silence at first. The rain had stopped, leaving the scent of wet earth and flowers. Giovanni’s hand brushed mine once, tentative but firm, grounding me. I didn’t pull away, though my heart pounded.

“Isabella,” he said quietly, voice low. “I can tell something is wrong. You’re hiding it from me.”

I shook my head again. “It’s nothing,” I said, though the lie tasted bitter.

“No,” he said firmly. “It’s not nothing. I know you. I can see it in your eyes. You’re trying to protect someone.”

My throat tightened. “It’s… complicated,” I whispered. “More than you can know.”

He reached out, lifting my chin gently. “Try me. I can handle more than you think. Still about the note?”

I swallowed, my chest tight. “I… I can’t,” I admitted finally. “I will sometime but I don't know when..”

He studied me, the intensity in his gaze deepening. “Whenever you’re ready,” he murmured. “I’ll be here.”

We walked slowly back toward the house. I stole glances at Ricardo, watching him laugh quietly with my mother. Innocent, naive, safe—for now. The weight of the secret pressed down heavier than ever.

As we entered the house, I paused. Someone was moving in the hallway. Giovanni’s posture stiffened instantly, alert. My heart raced. Who else could be here?

A figure emerged from the shadows, and Giovanni’s eyes locked on them. I didn’t recognize the visitor, but the intensity in Giovanni’s stance made it clear—they were unexpected.

I froze, dread coiling in my stomach. Whatever was about to happen next, I knew it would change everything.