If Love Was Forced

Chapter 39: The Year Before

"Mommy, Daddy?" I turned around to see my baby boy, Micheal, being carried by his nanny when I heard a tiny voice say.

I approached him and took him from his nanny. He was around six months old at the time. Last week, he said his first words. Valentino and I were both astonished. But I suppose it's not that unexpected. Maybe he's just a genius like his father.

Valentino approached me and held me from behind as I looked lovingly at Micheal, whom I named after my grandpa. I vividly remember the night I found out I was pregnant. It was a month after Valentino had brought me here.

That month, I felt sick. Valentino noticed, and I had a feeling I was pregnant, but I kept that thought out of my head. The next day, Valentino called a doctor to do some tests, and I was pregnant.

Flashback:

"Here are the results," Valentino said and passed me an envelope. I took it shakily, praying to God that I wasn't pregnant.

I opened the letter and looked at the results, and suddenly I felt my heart sink to my stomach when the words written in the letter were positive.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I covered my lips. I found myself staring at Valentino. He hugged me, which surprised me. I was in tears...

"We'll do it together," he said quietly, and he kept saying encouraging things to me...

The end of the flashback.

"He is one handsome baby." I heard Valentino says and I smiled.

"Why don't we have dinner?" He said, and I nodded.

Both of us walked downstairs with my baby Micheal. When we reached the dining table, the maids took Michael and placed him in his chair. I sat in my chair and Valentino sat beside me.

The maids brought the food, and as always, I had my favorite shrimp pasta.

As I was about to eat, someone came inside the room. It was Marcelo.

I looked at him and he glanced at me and glared, and I glared at him back.

He sat down beside Valentino and I started to eat while I watched the maids feeding Micheal.

Marcelo and Valentino talked about business while I ate silently as always.

Life here was boring, quiet, and lonely...

Micheal had his father's eyes, the color of blue. He inherited my rosy cheeks.

"Stai bene, Amore??" I heard Valentino say and I glanced at him and nodded.

(Translation: Are you okay, love?)

I said, "Sto bene," and he nodded. I took a sip of water and took a bite of the last bit of my pasta.

(Translation: I'm okay.)

I looked at Michael and saw he had finished his food. I took my napkin and patted it on my lips, I placed the napkin on the table and stood up, and approached my little boy.

"Looks like someone's a good boy," I whispered and I smiled to hear Michael's soft giggle that would melt any heart.

"I'll take care of him," I whispered to his nanny, and she nodded.

I took Micheal in my arms and carried him.

"I'll go upstairs," I told Valentino and he nodded with a hum in response.

I carried Micheal upstairs and into the bedroom, where I placed him on the bed with his stuffed animals and hugged him. I couldn't believe it; I had finally realized my dream of having a child, but there are still some things missing.

I want Micheal to grow up happily, peacefully...

I sighed and pulled Micheal closer to me, hugging him. He snuggled into me and I smiled. He was one handsome baby, like his father.

I closed my eyes and slowly fell into a deep slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Good Morning."

When I heard someone whisper in my ear, I flinched and turned around to see Valentino.

"Amore, it's me." He said, and I took a relieved sigh.

"Where's Micheal?" I asked as he kissed my forehead.

"He's eating breakfast right now." He said, and I nodded.

"We're going to New York today. Why don't you start packing?" He informs and I hummed and stood up.

"I'll just come down for breakfast," I said and he nodded with that he left me inside the room while I strolled to the bathroom.

I washed my face and brushed my teeth. I went to the dressing room and picked out my outfit, which consisted of a black long-sleeve, turtle-neck sweater, and some tight black jeans.

I matched it all with some boots. I was still wearing my mother's necklace until now. It makes me feel safe and protected.

I sighed and clutched the necklace in my hands and hugged myself. 'Mom, please lead me to the right path.' I prayed quietly.

I took a suitcase that the maids prepared and placed all of my clothes there. As I was going through my things, a picture suddenly fell from the cupboards. I took it in my hands and was shocked to see a photo of my parents.

I never got a picture of them. I looked inside the cupboard where they fell and saw many files.

This was Valentino's cupboards.

As I was about to reach out for one of the files, someone knocked on the door.

"Amore, are you ready?" I heard Valentino say, and I quickly closed the cupboards and took my suitcase.

"Yes," I said and opened the door, revealing Valentino. He took my suitcase from me and took my hand.

"Come on, let's go." He said and I nodded.

We made our way downstairs and I was shocked to see so many men. They were all standing up straight, and all of them were wearing black.

His men look scared as hell!

We made our way to the dining table to see little Micheal being fed.

I rushed to him and kissed him on the cheeks.

"Are his clothes all in his bag?" I asked his nanny and she nodded.

I sat down in my chair as the maids gave me my food. Valentine sat next to me and drank coffee while talking to someone on his phone. I don't have a phone because Valentino took it away from me.

I hope he will give it back to me though.

I'm so excited to go back to work, to go back to my life in New York, to try to live a life with my son. Michael,