Vanessa closed the door with trembling hands, her mind still reeling from Luca's ominous words. The room felt too quiet, and her breath came in shallow bursts, trying to steady her pulse. But then, an unfamiliar, sharp pain shot through her stomach, making her gasp in shock.
"Ahh…" she cried out, the pain seizing her entire body. Her knees buckled, and she fell heavily onto the bed, clutching her stomach. The cold sweat already forming on her forehead turned into droplets trickling down her temples as waves of pain surged through her.
She needed Vincenzo. She needed him now.
With shaking hands, she grabbed her phone from the nightstand and dialed his number. As the phone rang, her thoughts spiraled out of control, the pain intensifying with each passing second. The tightness in her chest felt suffocating, and she tried to steady her breathing.
Please pick up… please, she thought desperately.
It felt like an eternity before Vincenzo's voice finally came through the phone.
"Vanessa?" His tone was sharp, urgent. "What's wrong?"
"I… I—Vincenzo…" She could barely get the words out, her voice trembling. "I'm in pain… it's so bad…"
Her words cracked like glass, and she felt her world spinning. She needed him to be here, to make it stop.
Vincenzo's heart immediately clenched as panic flared inside him. "Stay where you are. I'm coming right now."
He hung up the phone without waiting for her reply.
As he ended the call, Vincenzo stood up abruptly, startling his colleagues. "This meeting has come to an end," he said, his voice clipped and urgent. His eyes were filled with worry, and he didn't give them another glance before heading for the door.
The sound of his footsteps echoed down the hallway as he briskly walked toward Vanessa's room. Each step made his chest tighten with unbearable anxiety. Something was wrong—he could feel it deep in his gut.
As he neared the door, he heard her painful groans, the unmistakable sound of someone in agony. His heart skipped a beat, and he pushed open the door with one forceful motion, his pulse racing.
"Vanessa!" he shouted, his voice full of concern as he rushed to her side.
She lay on the bed, her body trembling with pain, her face pale and drenched in sweat. The sight of her in such distress made his chest tighten with fear.
Without a word, he knelt beside her, his hand gently reaching out to touch her forehead, feeling the heat of her skin.
"Stay with me, Vanessa. I'm here. I'm here now," Vincenzo whispered, his voice thick with emotion as he helped her sit up, his strong arms supporting her.
She tried to breathe through the pain, her eyes watering as she looked up at him. "Vincenzo... I don't know what's happening to me..."
The pain was unbearable, and for a moment, she thought she might lose herself to it.
Vincenzo's expression darkened, his mind racing as he assessed the situation. He couldn't let her suffer like this, not when he was so close. He needed to act quickly.
"I'm calling the doctor," he said firmly, already pulling out his phone to dial.
But before he could place the call, Vanessa's hand shot out to stop him. "No... don't... it's just... the baby... I think it's... the pregnancy..." Her voice was weak, fragile, but she managed to get the words out, trying to make sense of the overwhelming sensation in her body.
Vincenzo froze, the words sinking in. He placed the phone down, his hands steadying her. "The baby?"
Vanessa nodded faintly, her lips trembling. "It feels... different. I think it's moving... but it hurts so much."
Realization dawned on him. His eyes softened, and he placed a hand gently over her stomach, feeling the faint, fluttering movement beneath his palm. It wasn't the violent pain he'd feared—it was their child stirring for the first time.
"Vanessa," he whispered, his voice a mix of awe and tenderness. "It's the baby."
She blinked at him, confusion and pain etched across her face. "But why does it hurt like this?"
He let out a breath, his thumb brushing her cheek. "Sometimes... the first movements can be intense. Your body isn't used to it yet. But it's okay. The baby's okay."
His reassurance worked like a balm to her frayed nerves. Vanessa's tears slipped freely now, not just from the pain but from the overwhelming realization that their child was alive and active inside her.
"You're sure?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
He nodded, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I'm sure. But we'll have the doctor check, just to be safe."
Vanessa relaxed slightly, the intensity of the moment giving way to a sense of wonder. Even through the pain, she felt a flicker of connection to the life growing inside her—a feeling that filled her heart despite the fear.
Vincenzo stayed close, his hand never leaving hers. "We're going to be okay," he whispered, his voice steady and calm. "You're not alone in this. Not now no t ever