PREGNANT FOR THE WRONG MORETTI

CHAPTER FOUR: THE DEAL

Claret Valenti, though visible in her office, but her mind had not stopped roaming for a second, the events of two nights ago had really taken a toll on her, but she remained Claret Valenti, unmatched and unshaken, Marie's moistened eyes flashed back to her memories.

“You got pregnant, and by a married man, you met in a bar!” Claret had hissed, stretching out every part of the sentence,

Marie had sobbed, “I didn’t mean for this to happen, Mom!”

“Of course! You never meant for anything to happen, Marie! You just float through life and leave me to clean up the mess, clean up after you!” she had flared up, both hands going up and coming down, her extravagant silk material flowing in unison.

“Do you know what this foolish mistake of yours would cost this family? What it would cost the Valenti name and the business?”

Marie had stood up, wiped her eyes furiously with the back of her hand “Of course, it’s always about the company! The money! The business!… Nothing else ever mattered to you, Claret Valenti! Maybe you should start by being a mother for once!”

“Every night, I cried to bed, every time I wanted to talk to you, but all you do is push me away, and then you blame me for the choices I make? You blame me for listening to the people that seem to care, Do you know how many times I've tried to speak with you?”

The next morning Marie had dragged a suitcase into the hallway, eyes red, mouth set. Ready to disappear again, this time, alone.

Claret had rushed to her, grabbing the handle of the largest suitcase, holding her daughter’s wrists.

“I’m sorry Marie. I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I’m sorry I’m a terrible mother, I'm sorry you and Jessie had to grow up on your own. Just… don’t leave. Let me fix this, please Marie.” She had cupped Marie’s chin in her left hand.

Claret’s heart was relieved as she watched Marie move her luggage back in.

Now Claret couldn’t sit still. Papers on her desk blurred. Numbers meant nothing, all she could imagine was the possible headlines from hungry bloggers “VALENTI HEIRESS PREGNANT BY MYSTERY MARRIED LOVER”.

At the thought of that, she hit both palms on the huge desk and sprang to her feet, rubbing her forehead with two manicured fingers.

She remembered the last time Marie ran away, nineteen, stupid, in love with that garage mechanic Angelo. That low-life who had no name, no family.

Claret had hired private investigators to search till they found her, it took months, by the time they found her, Marie already had Nathan, he was two months old,

Claret paid men to grab the baby from Angelo one afternoon, they had spied on the small apartment where Angelo and Marie stayed, just as Marie stepped out, they accosted Angelo, took the baby from him and framed him for illegal possession of arms, and got him arrested.

Her gaze drifted back to the wall before her like an art. The Valenti name was built on power, respect, money, and silence. No scandal had ever touched them…not in public. Not under her watch.

Marie thought Angelo had made away with the baby, Claret shipped the boy to a trusted family in Switzerland. Clean. Simple. Necessary.

Marie still hid what happened 9 years ago from everyone, if only she knew her Mother was aware of everything!

Claret’s lips curved into an ugly little smile. She had warned him to stay away from her daughter, he is rotting away in jail. She had buried bigger scandals than this. She would bury this one too.

The intercom buzzed.

“Mrs. Valenti, Mrs. Elena Moretti is here to see you.” It was her secretary on the other end.

Claret froze. Then the smile widened, slow and wolf-like. Elena, her oldest frenemy.

The woman who smiled at charity galas while sharpening knives behind her back.

Claret pressed the button. “Send her in.”

She sat back on her desk, sprayed two quick bursts of her favorite perfume on her neck and wrists, she had someone to impress coming in.

Showtime!

The door opened. Elena Moretti swept in, blonde, diamonds flashing at her throat, perfume strong enough to kill small animals. Same age as Claret but fighting every year and wrinkle with fillers and vengeance.

“Claret, darling!” Elena air-kissed both cheeks, lips barely touching the skin. “You look tired. Everything all right?”

Claret’s smile could cut glass. “Never better. Sit. Coffee? Vodka?”

Elena laughed, sat, crossed her endless legs. “It’s eleven in the morning.”

“Exactly.” Claret had agreed.

Elena waved it away. “I’ll get to the point. My family’s company is… drowning. Quietly. We need cash fast or the banks eat us alive next quarter.”

Claret raised one perfect eyebrow. “And you’re telling me this, why?” She knew Elena too well to want to wash her dirty linens in public, especially not before her, Claret Valenti.

“Because you have cash, Claret” her laughter erupting in the room “I see the news, the Valenti empire is loaded… And I have something you need even more.”

Claret leaned back, fingers clicking on the desk. “Go on.”

Elena took out a brown envelope from her bag and slid it across the desk to Claret.

Claret opened it. Inside it were photographs of Din Moretti, Elena’s thirty-two-year-old son, tall, dark, ruthless, and single.

Elena’s voice dropped. “Marry your daughter to my son. Fast. We merge the companies, your cash keeps us afloat, and my name gives Marie an instant perfect husband. The baby becomes legitimate overnight. No one ever has to know it wasn’t Din’s.”

Claret stared at the photos, the young man in the pictures was exactly the kind of man society would expect for a Valenti heiress; rich, handsome, cold enough to keep Marie in line.

She tapped a nail on the desk, eyebrows furrowed. “Elena with the tricks…And if I say no?”

Elena’s smile turned shark-sharp. “Then I walk out, and by tonight every gossip site in the country runs the story of your pregnant, unwed daughter and the married mystery lover. Your stock will bleed out by morning, I wouldn't want that for you my friend.”

Silence stretched like a wire about to snap.

Claret laughed first, low and delighted. “You ruthless bitch.”

“Learned from the best,” Elena purred.

Claret stood, walked to the window, and looked down at the ant-like cars below.

Marie would hate it. She would scream but would have no choice, after all, she's grown enough for marriage.

Claret turned, extended her hand. “We will announce the engagement next week. Wedding in six weeks. You get your money. I keep my name spotless.”

Elena took the hand, grip like iron. “Pleasure doing business, darling.”

They smiled at each other the way two cobras smile right before one strikes.

Claret pressed the intercom again. “Cancel my afternoon. I have somewhere to be”

She released the button, looked at Elena, and for the first time in days, Claret Valenti felt in control.

The Valenti name would survive, whatever it cost her daughter.

Elena had left, Claret sat back into her leather seat, tilted her head to the side, eyes fixed to the ceiling, finally a smile of reassurance played on her lips,

Elena's proposal was going to cost her, but it brought relief and answers to her troubled heart, there's no way Elena would do anything to benefit others with no personal interest, and the Moretti name is good enough to be in-laws with the Valentis.

But one thing bothered her, the whole pregnancy topic happened only two days ago,

“Who told Elena Moretti about the pregnancy”