Chapter 4
“It was me.”
At the height of the standoff, Vincent finally spoke.
He stepped to my side, shielding me behind him as he faced every accusation alone.
“I’m the one who forced this.”
“This is all my fault.”
“I’m the one who went after Elena. I’m the one who wronged Leon. I’m the one who wronged you.”
His voice wasn’t loud.
But it carried through the entire room.
Everyone froze.
Including me.
I hadn’t expected him to take all the blame on himself.
Sophia was the first to react.
She laughed in fury.
“Vincent, have you lost your mind?”
“You’d tell a lie like that just to protect this bitch?”
“I was married to you for over twenty years. Do you think I don’t know what kind of man you are?”
“You’d chase after a girl younger than your own son?”
Vincent ignored her hysteria completely.
He looked only at Leon.
“Leon, I’m sorry.”
“You can ask me for anything. Whatever compensation you want, I’ll give it to you.”
Leon slowly raised his head.
His eyes were hollow.
“Compensation?”
He laughed, and the sound was uglier than crying.
“The only thing I want is for none of this to have ever happened.”
He looked at his father.
“Can you do that?”
Vincent said nothing.
“Right.”
“Of course.”
Leon got to his feet and wiped his tears away. What was left in his eyes was colder and more final than anything I had ever seen.
“Vincent. Elena.”
“From this day on, I want nothing to do with either of you.”
He turned to Sophia.
“Mom. Let’s go.”
Sophia helped him up, shot me one last venomous glare, and followed him out of the house that disgusted her.
The two family enforcers stood like statues from beginning to end, silent as stone.
I supposed none of this was shocking to men who lived inside mafia bloodlines.
When the doors closed, the vast living room was left with only Vincent and me.
And the wreckage.
“Happy now?” he asked at last, exhaustion heavy in his voice.
I looked at him, and all at once I felt wronged.
“I’m pregnant.”
My hand moved to my lower abdomen as tears spilled down my cheeks.
“It’s yours.”
Vincent froze.
Then he turned sharply and crossed the room in a few quick strides, stopping right in front of me.
I had never seen that look in his eyes before.
Shock.
And joy so fierce it almost looked like pain.
“What did you say?”
“I’m pregnant,” I repeated. “A little over a month.”
He lifted a hand, trembling, like he wanted to touch my stomach but was afraid he’d disturb something sacred.
“Really?”
“Really.”
The next second, he pulled me into his arms.
Held me so tightly it felt like he was trying to press me into his bones.
“Elena. My Elena.”
He kept saying my name, over and over, his voice thick with relief, joy, and something like terror at how close he had come to losing this.
I leaned against his chest and listened to the pounding of his heart.
In that moment, every grievance, every fear, dissolved.
I knew then that I had won.
This child was my final trump card.
The one thing that would bind us forever.
“Vincent... Leon...”
“Don’t worry about him,” he cut in. “One day he’ll understand.”
“Right now, all that matters is you and the baby.”
He guided me carefully to the couch and helped me sit.
“No more reckless behavior. No more saying cruel things in anger.”
He meant what I had said to Leon.
“I was scared.” I clutched his hand. “Scared you’d throw me away. Scared you’d reject our child.”
“You foolish girl.”
He brushed the tip of my nose, indulgent and tender.
“How could I ever not want you?”
“I would never give up either of you.”
Then he said the words that settled everything inside me.
“For you, I could even give up my son.”
And just like that, all my fears disappeared.
Leon’s departure. Sophia’s threats.
None of it mattered anymore.
As long as Vincent was beside me—
as long as he loved me—
I was afraid of nothing.
The days that followed were sweeter than a dream.
Vincent spoiled me beyond reason.
He cooked for me himself.
Canceled every unnecessary banquet just to get home earlier and spend more time with me.
He even hired a private nutritionist and a family doctor to monitor my every need around the clock.
I became the treasure in his hands, cherished and protected.
The Johnson household staff looked at me with awe and careful flattery.
They all knew the truth.
I, and the baby in my belly were Vincent’s most precious possession.
And I, Elena, was about to become the Johnson family’s rightful Donna.
Sometimes I caught myself wishing it could stay this way forever.
But I had forgotten one thing.
Sophia and Leon were not the only ones cornered by all of this.
