Mia Figlia

Chapter 44 ✔️

PoV Riccardo

I jumped out of the car and slammed the door. I walked quickly toward the casino. My father was panting behind me like an old asthmatic steam engine. Had I been in a coma for weeks, or had he?

As for the meeting thing, I did not like it in the least. Floyd was an idiot and an absolute pig towards women. How could they put my angel through that? Especially since they now knew what she had experienced. The only good thing was that she had Romano and Lucius with her as her protectors. They would take the greatest pleasure in keeping the idiot at bay.

Just before the entrance, I slowed my steps and smoothed out my suit. My father caught up to me, gulping for breath. "You do not have to rush like that. The conversation started a long time ago," he gasped, patting me on the shoulder. "Stella is a smart woman; she can handle it without you. Barging into the middle of a meeting is not proper. You know that."

I growled indignantly. The mere thought of her being in the same room with that obnoxious guy made my stomach churn.

"You can't rush in there now." My father yanked me back by the arm. For such an old man, he still had amazing strength. "Let's go into the surveillance room and watch the conversation from there. If it proves necessary, we can easily intervene then."

Gritting my teeth, I followed him, checking the fit of my weapon. Together we walked along the corridor, at the end of which was the room of our security service. As we entered, two of the security guards stared transfixed at a large screen. It was new, I noticed, frowning. So were the cameras in my office, which showed what was happening there on the screen. I assumed it was a protection measure taken by my father to ensure that nothing happened to Stella. Only slowly did it filter through to me that she had continued to conduct legitimate business for most of my time in the coma. Yes, of course, I knew from the beginning that she was a smart woman. But not everyone was capable of managing multiple casinos, clubs, restaurants and other things. Many men despaired of it.

I stepped closer to the screen and looked at the different camera angles. Stella sat relaxed at my desk, with Romano and Lucius standing diagonally behind her. She propped her elbows on the edge of the table, leaned forward slightly, and tapped her index fingers together. Over the rim of her glasses, she fixed her conversational partner, who stuck out his chest and tried to pull in his fat belly. Well, he must have wanted to impress my fiancée. I laughed softly to myself. From the look on her face, he was on a lost cause.

I continued to look at my angel. Her face was a little softer than I remembered. I let my gaze glide over her body, as far as the camera perspective allowed. Her breasts seemed to have grown a little. In all probability thanks to Francesca's good food. I stepped closer to the screen. What was that? Was it my imagination or was her otherwise flat belly bulging outward? Puzzled, I looked at my father, whose lips flashed a slight smile.

"You can't be serious!" I growled at him. "How can you subject her to this stress in that condition?"

I clenched my hands into fists until my knuckles stood out white. Had the pigs raped her? Was the child from one of them? Was that why she had withdrawn from me? I did not care who the baby was from. It was now as much a part of my family as Isabella. The only thing that counted for me was that it was healthy and grew up in a loving environment.

"She did not mention anything about the pregnancy so as not to distract you from the mission." My father stepped up to me and patted my shoulder reassuringly. I snorted disdainfully. Where had he been in my childhood? I would never neglect my children. Not for my job as head of the family or for anything else. Especially not since I had almost lost my sweet daughter and my beautiful wife.