Chapter 3 - The Threat at the Hospital and The Protection of a Fierro
I stood my ground on the pavement, clutching my nurse's bag. “I have nothing to say to you, Mrs. Fierro. And I don’t get into cars with strangers.”
Victoria’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Listen to me, you little leech. You think because you caught Giovanni at a weak moment you’ve secured your future? The Fierro family controls half the shipping ports in the Midwest. We don't allow pediatric nurses with illegitimate children to pollute our bloodline. I will give you one million dollars to sign an annulment paper right now.”
“She won’t be signing anything, Aunt Victoria.”
The deep, rumbling voice came from behind me. I turned to see Giovanni walking toward us, his long coat billowing in the cold October wind. His expression was terrifying. There was no warmth, no civility—only pure, predatory malice directed at his own aunt.
Victoria flinched slightly but maintained her posture. “Giovanni, you are making a grave mistake. Your father is waking up from his illness in Italy. When he hears about this—”
“He already knows,” Giovanni interrupted, standing right beside me and placing a heavy, protective arm around my shoulders. “And he reminded me that a Fierro man protects his wife. If I see you near Jessica again, Aunt Victoria, I will audit the offshore accounts you’ve been using to fund your daughter’s fashion line. Let’s see how Elena likes living on a budget.”
Victoria’s jaw dropped. She rolled up her window immediately, and the SUV sped away into the Chicago traffic.
Giovanni looked down at me, his eyes searching my face. “Are you alright?”
“She called Lily an illegitimate child,” I whispered, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and hurt. “Tyler is trying to take her, and now your family is targeting her.”
“Nobody touches your daughter,” Giovanni said fiercely. “Marcus is already at your apartment moving your things. You and Lily are moving to my estate today. It’s the only place where Tyler’s lawyers and my aunt’s thugs can't reach you.”
When we arrived at my apartment, Lily was already packed, holding her favorite stuffed bear. She looked up at Giovanni with wide, innocent five-year-old eyes.
“Are you the prince from Mommy’s story?” Lily asked naively.
Giovanni knelt down on the dusty linoleum floor, completely disregarding his multi-thousand-dollar suit. He looked at Lily with a gentleness that shocked me.
“No, Lily,” Giovanni said softly, offering her his hand. “I’m not a prince. But I am the man who is going to make sure nobody ever makes your mommy cry again. Would you like to see your new room? It has a window that looks at the river.”
May you like
Lily looked at me, and when I nodded, she wrapped her small hand around his thumb. “Okay. But only if Mommy comes too.”
“Mommy is coming,” Giovanni murmured, looking up at me with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. “Mommy is never leaving.”
