Chapter 02:
After a week had passed since the unforgettable night with Luca, I started having memoring of our connection lingering on my head like forbidden dreams.
My thoughts were haunted in a quiet moment, making me feel uncomfortable.
The only way I could resolve this was to throw myself to family duties like attending endless meetings and social gatherings, hoping the routine will erase the taste of freedom I had longed for.
The painful part is no matter how hard I try to stop this act the memory of Luca keeps playing on my head. His eyes, touched and whispering, stayed with me.
Everytime I layed in bed I replayed our moment together which resulted in a throbbing headache.
I could feel the weight of pain on my head soothed by the luxurious trapping of life.
The Same thing repeated itself again. At first I ignored it as stress but one thing kept me in a cold panic was my period which failed to arrive. I felt a sharp pain in my chest.
"Hope is not what I'm thinking, I can't afford to be pregnant, not now, not ever".
I said to myself In distress but the realization hit me up like a freight train leaving me breathless and terrified.
"This can't be possible, I'm not pregnant, I need to be sure".
My suspicion left me in doubt but the very thought filled me with thread which I needed to confirm.
This was a complication I never anticipated but a twist in my carefully controlled life could unravel everything.
The only way out is to visit the clinic to be sure if I'm pregnant or not.
The visit to the doctor was a private discussion between us. I wear a wig and sunglasses, my heart pounding with every step I take towards the small private clinic.
The doctor was an older woman with kind eyes, she confirmed my worst fear with a single sentence.
"You're pregnant". The room spun around me, my world collapsing in an instant, I clutched the edge of the examination table trying to steady myself.
"What will I do now? How would my father feel if he discovered I'm pregnant? I've to keep this as secret In other to escape his wrath". I mumbled beneath my breath.
The reality of my situation was overwhelming. I was carrying Luca's child, and the implications were terrifying.
I left the clinic in a daze, my mind racing with thoughts of how to keep these secrets, keeping this secret from my family became my utmost priority.
As I arrived home my father confronted me with his cold and calculating nature.
"Where are you coming from?".
"I went to see a friend of mine who is actually I'll".. I stuttered In fear as he gaze at me for some moment before uttering a word.
"A friend! You've never told me about this friend and have never set my eyes on him or her, what kind of friend do you keep?".
"I keep good friends around me".
He moved close to me and whispered to my ears.
"I got my eyes on you Alessia let it not be what I am thinking if that friend could be a secret lover".
His words brought back memories of Luca. I couldn't bear the thought of what he might do if he found out.
My pregnancy became a secret home, a life I could protect from the dark world I was born into.
I found solace in my private life as I picture the future of my unborn child growing up to be free from the mafia's shadow.
But each time I thought about that my burden and fear grew heavier to my constant discoveries.
As weeks passed on, my body began to change. My right fitting clothes became looser, and I started to avoid my father's sharp gaze.
I was about to go out when I saw my father in the living room with his laptop and ipad. He was probably doing some illegal business online.
"Good morning Dad".
I greeted in a quiet voice but he stopped what he was doing, looked at his watch and corrected me that it was afternoon.
I apologize for greeting him for the second time.
"Good afternoon Dad". His eyes gazed at me suspiciously.
"What have you been eating, you're adding more weight I guess you need to burn down some calories".
He made a funny remark and we both laughed together. There was something strange which I observed.
He stopped laughing and started staring at me suspiciously.
This made me realize that something was wrong but I acted like I didn't notice anything.
His eyes linger on me longer than usual. I knew it was only a matter of time before he discovered the truth.
I began wearing baggy clothes hoping to hit the growing bumps. Every meal I skipped and every event I avoided, this added to my tension.
I couldn't let my guard down for a second. The lie was growing harder to maintain and the walls felt like they were closing in around me.
My father is a man of instincts, with years of experience handling a treacherous world of organized crime as a Mafia boss.
My father noticed the subtle change in my gaze and the gathering I once attended without complaint.
One evening he confronted me in his office his eyes boring with a mix of suspicious and anger.
"What are you hidding, Alessia?". He asked, his voice low and dangerous.
"Nothing, Dad, maybe it might be due to work load, that kept me acting strange". I stuttered trying to maintain my composure.
My heart pounded in my chest fear gripped me I intended forcing a smile to fein my ignorance but his gaze didn't waver.
The tension between us was visible and I knew I was running out of time.
The inevitable revelation was like a storm on the horizon. I could feel the pressure mounting on my father as he became more intense in each passing day.
The lie I had constructed was fragile and one mistake could crashed down everything.
I spent sleepless night contemplating my next move knowing that when the truth comes out the consequences would be dire.