Chapter Twenty-Two

Slipping my dress off, I get into bed in my underwear. I'm quite sure that I won't have Luca sneaking into my room tonight, like he would have done a few weeks ago, but sleeping in the room next to him feels almost as good.

The room is dark, and my thoughts land on how easy tonight was.

The Baldinis are so good at separating their emotions from their work. Even Grazia was nothing but a picture of politeness tonight. No one messed up with their story, and the Mexicans were oblivious to the drama that was going on behind the scenes.

Plus, any conflict that may have arisen was quickly squashed by the festive mood that was at the table.

I know that my own performance was just as good, considering how hard it was to pretend things were fine while I could feel the resentment from Luca and Grazia on either side of me.

Their bitterness hardly bothered me now, though, because I knew that I was helping the family, and when all of this blew over, that is what would matter the most.

I wanted to try and speak to Grazia tonight, but she disappeared before any of the Mexican men and their wives went to bed, so there was no chance. It's probably for the best, though, since Luca did ask me–no, told me–not to speak to her while Carlos was here.

Typically, I am against taking orders from anyone, but I do want to see this deal go through successfully for Luca, and I'm willing to do my part in making that happen.

There is no humility in me tonight. I know I can be proud of how I handled things. I was nothing if not the perfect partner tonight, perhaps even better than when we were in Mexico.

Since I know this mansion so well, I easily took over the role of lady of the house. It was actually nice to pretend, and imagine how it will be in the near future.

After tonight, I have no more doubts that Luca and I will figure things out and be the family that our baby deserves.

I think back to sitting at the table tonight, laughing at Luca's jokes, making sure the Mexicans knew what a fantastic man he is. One of the wives even leaned in to whisper to me that she was jealous of our relationship, and she wished her husband paid as much attention to her as Luca did to me. Her husband heard this, and replied, saying that he wished she spoke as highly of him as I do of Luca. I have no idea if Luca heard any of this, but I did see Grazia listening in.

I think about the first time I helped Luca with these associates, and how he had rewarded me. Lying alone in my bed now, it feels like a lifetime ago. I rub my belly, where the reward was still growing.

I can't wait to tell people about the baby, and send out announcements that a little Baldini is on its way.

I just need Luca to be happier about this before we bring the world in.

I'm glad that Luca asked me to come this weekend, even if he felt forced by the Mexican's expectations. It's opened a door of communication that wouldn't have been available otherwise.

***

I make sure that I'm awake an hour before breakfast is supposed to be served, so that I can get ready slowly, and fetch Luca before any of the Mexicans leave their rooms.

Keeping up appearances is taking a lot of planning and preparation.

I shower, do my skincare, and dress in a frilly sundress with tiny daisies on it. The dress is nowhere near as revealing as the one I wore last night, but it's still flattering—just better-suited for a breakfast affair.

I slide on a pair of white sandals and leave my hair down in beachy waves. Looking in the mirror, I feel like this is exactly how a Baldini wife would dress to greet business associates for breakfast.

I only hope that as a Baldini wife, I won't be banished to a separate room from my husband's.

I leave my room and knock on Luca's door. He opens it, dressed and ready as well.

"Buongiorno." I smile. He doesn't reply, and instead walks past me and starts heading towards the stairs. I follow him. As we reach the stairs, he takes a deep breath and reaches back for my hand.

We walk down to the dining room, meeting up with Grazia and Enzo at the table. The room is filled with an awkward silence until Carlos, Raul, and Pedro come bouncing in, their wives following behind them.

Despite the amount of alcohol they all consumed last night, they all look fresh-faced and happy this morning.

If anything, the cheer that this group has brought into the house is so very needed right now. It feels like there's been a heavy cloud over the mansion since Ginny died, but the Mexican party has brought loud laughter back.

Ginny was always laughing and insisting that we all have fun, and besides Luca's always-serious face, we all usually complied. But without her here, and with everything that has happened since she left, it seemed almost impossible to find the laughter again.

"Morning, morning," Carlos greets everyone as the rest of his party starts to join us. We all sit down and tuck into the breakfast feast that Luca has organized, again prepared by a chef and served to us.

I feel like I'm sleeping over at the Royals" home, rather than my lifelong friends' house. I've never seen the Baldini home this lavishly decked out.

Breakfast lasts for over an hour and there is just as much laughing and joking as there was during supper. Carlos' wife gives a toast to us all for having them, and for convincing her husband to bring her on vacation for a change.

When all of the food is gone, and the mimosas have run dry, the Mexicans get their bags together and say goodbye.

I know from our conversation that their arrival here had been because of Luca being angry and throwing a bit of a fit. But they all look like they're very happy with how things worked out, even Carlos. That was good news for Luca.

Luca holds onto me again, and I slide my own arm around his waist, enjoying the feeling too much to let it slip away too fast. As soon as Carlos and his men have left, though, Luca lets go and walks away to his office.

I go after him, calling out, "Luca, can we talk?"

His strides are so much longer than mine, and I almost have to run to keep up. He walks into his office, and I follow him in, closing the door behind me to avoid any awkwardness with Grazia.

I just need to get Luca to listen to me for a minute.

He walks over to his desk and picks up an envelope. I see my name written on it, and guess that it's the money he promised me. He hands it to me, but I ignore him.

"I just want to talk to you, please. We need to figure things out, if not for ourselves than for this baby." He's still holding the envelope, and I cross my arms to show that I won't be taking it.

"Emelia, I don't have time. Here is your pay. Thank you for keeping your side of the bargain this weekend." He pushes the envelope at me again and I fight the tears that want to come.

"I don't want the money," I say. "I came because I love you and I care about this family and this business. All I want is to see you successful and happy, and if me pretending to be your lover for a weekend is going to help with that, I'll do it gladly."

He puts the envelope down. "You don't want the money?"

"No. Luca, I love you. This baby is not a pawn I"m using to try to get into your family. It's a link to how I feel about you. I want nothing more than to have a family with you. To raise this child—and maybe more of them—in this house, just as Ginny would have wanted." My voice sounds like a plea, but I am so desperate for him to hear and understand me.

"I'll admit that before you and I spent so much time together, what I felt was nothing but a crush, and lots of lust. But we got to know each other and I fell in love with you. When my father told me that you came over to ask for his blessing before you proposed to me, I couldn't deny what I felt anymore. I wasn't sure that what you felt was real, but after hearing that, I know it is. We love each other, and that love created this baby." A single tear does escape from my eye, and I wipe it away quickly.

"I'm just not sure I can trust you," is all he says, his tone flat, his steel eyes looking past me and not at me.

I feel a sharp pain in my chest as I hear his words, and I wonder if this is what a broken heart feels like. He picks up the envelope again.

"I'd feel better if you take this, Emelia. You earned it, and I like to keep my word."

"I understand," I reply to him, not fully understanding, but knowing I can't force him to feel the same way I do.

"But I'm not going to take any of your money. You have kept your word, so you don't need to feel guilty about that. I'll let you have your time and space. I do hope we can work this out, for the baby, and so that we don't waste what we have. You just let me know if you ever feel the same as I do, Luca Baldini."

I give him a sad smile and leave the office. I grab my keys from my room and head straight to my car, leaving the bags I brought with me yesterday.

I need to get home, away from this house, and away from the man who was currently breaking my heart.