Bound by Shadows

The Fake Pregnancy

Olivia Scarlatti had always known how to get what she wanted. She had been taught from a young age that in the world of the mafia, manipulation was as vital as loyalty and strength. The power of persuasion could make or break a person, and Olivia had mastered the art. Her beauty, her charm, her intellect—everything she had was a weapon, and she used it with precision.

Her latest weapon, however, was something far more dangerous: a lie.

A pregnancy.

It had been weeks since Olivia had made her move, planting the seed of doubt in Emily’s heart. Now, it was time to bring her plan to fruition. Olivia had always been patient, but there was a part of her that enjoyed the sick thrill of watching everything fall into place.

She knew that Damian’s heart still ached for Emily, that his feelings for the girl from the wrong side of the tracks hadn’t completely disappeared. But Olivia also knew that Damian Moretti was a man bound by duty, and family loyalty came before anything else. If she could make him believe that he was the father of her child—if she could trap him in the inescapable bond of responsibility—he would have no choice but to stay with her.

And when he did, Emily would be out of the picture for good.

Olivia had never been one to back down from a challenge, especially not when it meant securing her place at the top. She had already carefully staged the perfect scenario. The pregnancy test, the carefully timed announcement, the quiet phone call to Damian to ensure he would hear the news first, before anyone else. Everything had been planned down to the smallest detail.

Damian sat in his office, his fingers pressing into his temple as the weight of his family’s empire bore down on him. The Moretti family’s business had been more volatile than usual lately, and with the Scarlatti family’s growing influence, he couldn’t afford to show any signs of weakness. But despite all the chaos swirling around him, his mind kept drifting back to Emily.

The distance between them had grown unbearable, but it was for her safety, wasn’t it? He had convinced himself that pushing her away was the only way to protect her from the dangers of his world. Yet, even now, every fiber of his being screamed out for her.

His phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts. The caller ID read “Olivia Scarlatti.”

He hesitated for a moment before answering. He hadn’t been expecting to hear from her, but their families were intertwined, and sometimes, business couldn’t wait.

“Damian,” Olivia’s voice was smooth, almost too sweet. “I need to talk to you. It’s important.”

His gut twisted. He could tell from the tone in her voice that this wasn’t about business. Something in her words sounded off, but he wasn’t sure why.

“Olivia, what is it?” he asked, leaning back in his chair, trying to steady his thoughts.

“I… I don’t know how to say this, but… I need you to come over. I have something I need to tell you. Something I don’t think you can hear over the phone.”

Damian’s heart skipped a beat. He could feel the tension building in his chest. What could be so urgent?

“Alright,” he said after a moment, his voice betraying none of the anxiety gnawing at him. “I’ll be there soon.”

When Damian arrived at Olivia’s penthouse, his mind was already racing. He had been to this building countless times, but tonight felt different—he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. As he entered, he was greeted by Olivia, who seemed unusually calm for someone who had sounded so frantic over the phone.

“Olivia, what’s going on?” he asked, his voice low, laced with concern. “You said you had something to tell me.”

She smiled, her eyes glistening with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. “I do, Damian,” she said softly, her voice barely a whisper. She reached into her bag, pulling out a small envelope and handing it to him. “I’m pregnant.”

Damian froze, his grip tightening around the envelope as he stared at her, confusion and disbelief washing over him.

“You… You’re pregnant?” he repeated, his voice strained. The words didn’t seem real, couldn’t possibly be real. This wasn’t happening.

Olivia nodded, her expression genuine, but there was a glint in her eye that he couldn’t quite place. “Yes, Damian. I took the test this morning. I’m having your child.”

A thousand thoughts raced through Damian’s mind, but one thing stood out above the rest—he couldn’t breathe.

“How… How do you know?” he asked, his mind struggling to catch up with the situation.

“I just know,” Olivia said, her tone softening. “I thought I should tell you right away. I know this isn’t how we planned it, but I didn’t want you to hear it from anyone else.”

Damian’s mind spun, but somewhere deep inside, something in him wanted to believe her. He had been around Olivia long enough to know that she wasn’t a woman who would make accusations lightly. She had always been calculating, careful, and this—this was the last thing he would have ever expected from her.

“You’re sure?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, as if hoping to hear something that might change everything.

Olivia reached out, her fingers brushing against his hand. “Damian,” she whispered, her voice full of emotion. “I’m sure. I wouldn’t lie about this.”

Damian’s heart raced. If this was true, then everything had changed. He couldn’t ignore the consequences of what this would mean—especially for Emily.

Hours later, Damian found himself standing in front of Emily’s apartment, the weight of the world on his shoulders. He had to tell her. He couldn’t keep running from the truth.

But how could he? How could he explain to Emily that he had let another woman manipulate him, let himself be dragged into something that threatened to tear them apart?

When Emily opened the door, her face lit up with a smile, but that smile faltered when she saw his expression.

“Damian?” she whispered, worry creeping into her voice. “What’s wrong?”

“I… I need to talk to you, Emily,” Damian said, his voice rough. “I’ve made a mistake.”

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean? You haven’t—”

Before she could finish, he cut her off. “Olivia’s pregnant, Emily. She’s having my child.”

The words hung in the air between them, heavy and suffocating. Emily took a step back, her hand flying to her mouth as if to stop the sob that was about to break free.

“No… no, Damian, please…” Her voice cracked, and she shook her head. “You’re joking. This can’t be true.”

“I wish it wasn’t,” Damian said, his voice breaking. “But it is. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want this… but I can’t deny the truth.”

Emily’s face turned pale, her eyes brimming with tears. “I thought you loved me.”

“I do,” Damian choked out. “I do love you, Emily. But this is something I can’t change.”

Emily shook her head in disbelief. “Then why didn’t you tell me sooner? Why didn’t you trust me?”

The pain in her voice cut him deeper than he could have imagined. He had never wanted to hurt her, and yet, here they were—two people torn apart by lies and betrayals, a future that seemed so certain now hanging in the balance.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his words breaking as he looked at her one last time. “I’m so sorry.”

But as Emily closed the door in his face, Damian realized that no apology could ever undo the damage that had been done. Olivia had won.