Chapter 4 - The Secrets of the Estate
The guest suite Alessandro assigned to me on the second floor of the Lake Forest estate was larger than Liam’s entire apartment.
It featured floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the grey, churning waters of Lake Michigan, a king-sized bed draped in Egyptian cotton, a private marble bathroom, and a walk-in closet already stocked with cashmere sweaters, silk dresses, and comfortable maternity wear in my exact size.
It was a luxurious prison.
For three days, I was kept under strict, invisible surveillance. A team of private female obstetricians visited the estate, performing full ultrasound scans and blood panels in a high-tech medical room located in the mansion's east wing.
Alessandro was present for every single test.
I remembered standing in the dim medical room two days ago, the cold gel on my lower abdomen, as the doctor pointed to a tiny, flickering dot on the monitor.
A heartbeat.
Alessandro had stood beside the exam table, his hand resting firmly on my shoulder. When the sound of the rapid, rhythmic heartbeat filled the quiet room, I felt his hand tighten slightly. I looked up to see him staring at the screen, his harsh, stoic features softening into an expression of awe so raw it made my breath catch.
In those moments, it was easy to forget that he was a billionaire ruthless enough to threaten my roommate's career. In those moments, he was just a man looking at his future.
On the fourth evening, unable to bear the quiet confinement of my suite any longer, I slipped out into the long, carpeted hallway. It was late—past eleven at night. The mansion was quiet, lit only by soft wall sconces casting warm gold light against oil paintings of past Vitali ancestors.
I padded silently down the grand staircase, wearing a cozy oversized grey sweater and leggings. I was looking for the kitchen to grab a glass of water, but as I passed the grand library on the ground floor, I noticed the heavy mahogany doors were slightly ajar.
A sliver of light spilled onto the parquet floor, along with the deep, hushed voices of men speaking in urgent tones.
I paused, my instincts taking over. I pressed my back against the wall beside the door, holding my breath to listen.
"...the regulatory board is pressing for a full audit of the 2022 land acquisitions in the West Loop, Mr. Vitali," Marco’s voice said quietly. "If the state prosecutor uncovers the old Vance filings, it could cause serious damage to the family’s holding portfolio."
My heart stopped. The Vance filings. My father's court documents.
"The Vance filings were sealed four years ago after Richard Vance died," Alessandro’s cold, authoritative voice replied. "The prosecutor has no legal leverage unless someone produces the original physical ledgers from the old West Loop office."
"There's rumor that Richard Vance had a daughter who survived," Marco continued. "Elizabeth Vance. She disappeared from the state registry shortly after his death. If the prosecutor finds her, she could challenge the estate transfer."
A long silence followed inside the library. I leaned closer to the crack in the door, my knuckles white as I gripped my sweater.
"Find her," Alessandro commanded, his voice dropping into a dark, lethal register. "Locate Elizabeth Vance before the prosecutor does. If she possesses those ledgers, I want them secured. No one threatens the stability of this empire, Marco. No one."
"Understood, sir," Marco replied. "And what about the girl upstairs? Emma?"
"Emma is carrying my child," Alessandro said firmly. "Her only focus is her health and safety. She knows nothing of our corporate affairs, and it will stay that way. Keep her away from the news feeds and monitor her phone calls."
I pulled back from the door, horror cold as ice flooding my veins.
My hands shook so violently I could barely keep my footing as I backed away down the hallway.
They were looking for me. Alessandro—the man who held my hand while listening to our baby's heartbeat—was actively hunting Elizabeth Vance. He wanted the ledgers. The very ledgers that were currently hidden inside an old, rusted metal safety deposit box under a false name in a bank downtown—the ledgers my father had died trying to protect.
If Alessandro discovered that "Emma" was Elizabeth Vance, he wouldn't just see me as the mother of his child. He would see me as the ultimate threat to his family’s empire—a girl living in his house under a false name, carrying his heir, holding the power to bring his business down.
Suddenly, a floorboard beneath my foot gave a quiet creak.
The voices inside the library stopped instantly.
"Who's there?" Marco’s voice barked out.
Panic surged through me. I turned to sprint back toward the grand staircase, but before I could take three steps, the heavy library door swung open wide.
May you like
Alessandro stepped into the hallway, his jacket off, his white dress shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms. His amber eyes locked onto me as I stood frozen like a deer caught in headlights.
"Emma?" Alessandro said, his brow furrowing as he walked toward me. "What are you doing down here at this hour?"
