Vanessa let out a shaky breath, her fingers brushing against Vincenzo's hand as it rested on her stomach. The vulnerability in his eyes was something she rarely saw, and it broke through the walls she had tried so hard to build.
"You should have been here," she whispered, her voice carrying both pain and hope. "I fought every day to protect him, to protect us... but I couldn't shield him from wondering why his father wasn't there."
Vincenzo's jaw tightened as guilt and anger warred within him. "I never wanted to leave you, Vanessa. I had no choice. If I stayed, I would have put you both in danger."
She shook her head, her tears falling faster. "And yet, here we are, still in danger. Did it matter? Did your absence really make us safer, Vincenzo?"
His silence was deafening, his gaze dropping as her words struck deep. For a man who commanded armies and instilled fear in the underworld, he had no defense against the truth she spoke.
Vanessa's hand covered his, grounding him in the present. "If you mean what you say—if I'm yours—then you fight for us now. No more hiding, no more lies. Our son deserves that."
Vincenzo nodded slowly, his resolve hardening. "I'll protect you both with everything I have," he vowed, his voice low and steady. "But you have to trust me, Vanessa. Even when it feels impossible."
She searched his eyes for a long moment before finally nodding. "Then prove it," she said, her voice trembling but determined. "Find the traitor. End this nightmare. And come back to us."
Vincenzo cupped her face, his thumb brushing away a tear. "I will. For you. For him." He leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers in a rare display of tenderness.
But as Vanessa closed her eyes, allowing herself a moment of fragile hope, a sharp knock at the door shattered the moment.
"Boss," a voice called from the other side. "We have a problem."
Vincenzo's expression darkened, his hand falling away as he straightened. "Stay here," he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Vanessa watched him go, her heart pounding. She had just given him a piece of her trust—but could she survive if he broke it again?