THE DON’S INNOCENT BRIDE: the queen he never knew

The Test

DANTE'S POV

I genuinely do not believe this is how everything will continue to be. Four months of searching and I was nowhere near finding her. Every lead went cold, every top led nowhere. Every night, I stared at that f*****g cardigan and wondered if I'd ever see her again.

The penthouse felt like a mausoleum. All I did was sit in my office, review documents,or leave for the company. Not like I care about all I was doing.

ThenMarco'so knock came through.

“Come in”

He entered carefully, shutting the door behind him with almost no sound. He was holding an envelope, his reaction strange.

"What is it?" I asked, dropping the pen.

“A mail from four months ago, it got misrouted….. just arrived today.” He set the envelope on my desk, sliding it forward towards me. “ I was addressed to you and Bella” I stared at it, a medical facility letterhead. The clinic we used for Bella's gynecology routine check-up.

Four months ago. That was right before she left. My hands were steady as I opened it, but they tightened as I saw the contents. My chest tightened. Inside was a single page of lab results.

Bella is pregnant. Was pregnant when she left. The paper slipped out of my hands.

Bella was pregnant. When she left.

"Dante?" Marco's voice seemed distant, I couldn't focus on when it was happening,and my vision was slightly blurred. I picked the paper again, staring at the positive status over and over again. The word didn't change.

My wife had been pregnant when she walked out of my life and my life

"She didn't know." The words came out hoarse.

"What?"

"She didn't know." I stood, pacing. "The results came four months late. She left before she could find out. She doesn't know she's pregnant."

Marco was quiet.

My mind was racing. Four months ago plus two weeks of gestation meant….

"She's almost five months pregnant now." I turned to Marco. " And she doesn't f*****g know."

This cannot be happening again. My wife, I squeezed my eyes tightly, finding support. At this point,I might lose my mind. Just like my dad did years ago.

"Dante…."

"She's out there. Running. Fighting. Hiding. God knows what." My hands clenched into fists, my knuckles turning white "And she's four months pregnant."

The doctor's words from years ago echoed in my head. When we'd been trying. When we'd talked about starting a family.

"If Bella becomes pregnant, she'll need strict monitoring. Her medical history suggests high risk. Bed rest. Minimal stress. The pregnancy would be delicate."

My woman is delicate, not just about the pregnancy, the outside world is too harsh for her.

He was out there with Lorenzo hunting her. Withwhomeverr the f**k else was after her. Stressed. Running for her life.

Tesor,o please come back to me, I would be a better husband. I can't leave like this, I might just die. She is carrying my child, she has always wanted a family.

"We need to find her." I moved to the window, I could barely recognize my own voice, it was hollow and shaky. "Now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Now."

"We've been trying…."

"Try harder!" I spun around, at this point I could shoot Marco if hetrieds to antagonize me

"She's pregnant. She needs medical care. She needs bed rest. She needs….." My voice broke. "She needs the father of her baby"

"What if she does know? What if she's hiding it from you?"

"She wouldn't." I shook my head. "Not this. If Bella knew she was pregnant, especially with her medical history, she'd... she'd prioritize the baby. Even if she hates me. Even if she thinks I'm a monster. She'd protect the child."

Marco studied me. "So what do you want to do?"

"Everything." I pulled out my phone. "Call everyone. Every contact. Every family. Every informant."

"Dante…." Marco called carefully, staring at my shaky hands and my trembling body. I can't do this anymore.

"Put out a bounty. Ten million euros. For information leading to her location. Alive and unharmed." I met his eyes. "Make it clear. Anyone who hurts her, who puts her in danger ... .they answer me."

"That's going to make a lot of noise. Draw attention."

"Who cares?." I looked at the test results again. "My wife is pregnant and doesn't know it. She's in danger. The baby is in danger. I'm done being subtle."

Marco nodded slowly. "I'll make the calls."

After he left, I dropped my chair. I stared at the paper,and the air around me was thick and it was getting harder to breathe.

I'd wanted this. For years, I'd wanted to be a father. I wanted to see Bella pregnant with our child. I wanted to build a family.

And now she was. Had been..

And she had no idea.

The thought of her out there, unaware, doing dangerous things while pregnant…. It made my blood run cold.

She needed bed rest. Monitoring. Medical care.

Instead, she was probably fighting. Running. Putting stress on her body that could….

I couldn't think about it.

Did she feel sick? Tired? Did she wonder why?

Or had the stress of whatever she thought I'd done overshadowed everything else?

My phone rang. Marco.

"The bounty is out. Every family in Italy knows."

"Good."

"Dante... Take it easy…. This was how your dad died, don't repeat history"

“Let me find her first”

"And then?"

"Then we figure out the rest." I looked out at Rome. "But the baby comes first. My child. Our child. Nothing else matters."

I ended the call.

Pulled out the cardigan I'd taken from her room at the compound. I brought it to my face.

Jasmine and vanilla.

My wife.

Somewhere out there. Unaware. In danger.

"I'm coming, Tesoro," I whispered. "I'm going to find you. I'm going to keep you safe. Both of you."

I looked at the test results one more time. Feeling more powerless and useless than ever.

I'd burn down every city in Italy if I had to.

But I'd find h

er.

And when I did, I'd make sure she and our baby never faced danger again.

Even if she hated me for it.

I hope she doesn't.