Lost Lombardi

Chapter 39

Sixty-five-year-old Carmen sat in her library, immersed in a book. One of her favorite hobbies was reading, which she still indulged in regularly. She didn't enjoy the works of new authors, feeling that they wrote stories merely to fit trends. To her, most contemporary books lacked any real literary value. Instead, she found comfort in revisiting old classics again and again, wishing for authors of the past to emerge once more, but she found few.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps.

"Didn't you know I don't want to be disturbed while reading?" Carmen said without bothering to look at the person interrupting her.

"Mom, was it a girl or a boy?" Carmen heard her daughter's angry voice and wondered what on earth her daughter was talking about.

"What the hell are you asking, my dear? I don't understand a thing you're talking about," Carmen replied.

"My baby. Is it a girl or a boy?" her daughter asked again, her voice shaking. Carmen paused for a split second, stunned by her daughter's question, then quickly calmed herself. Still, she didn't look at her daughter.

Carmen stood up and faced her. "I told you it was a girl, and she died. You fell that day. Do you remember? That stupid servant girl didn't wipe the wet floor, and you slipped. Then we had to take you to the emergency room, and we had to send the baby to the emergency room too. She was in critical condition and she died," she said calmly.

"Why didn't you show the baby to me then?" Carmen's daughter asked, her voice trembling.

"I... I thought you would feel more shocked. But I'm so sorry, darling. It was a great mistake. I shouldn't have done that. I was thinking more about you than the baby. The baby was already gone, and I had to think about you. I didn't want to cause you more pain by showing you a dead baby. That's why I did it," Carmen said, and Rosalia broke into tears, crying loudly.

"Oh my darling, I'm so sorry. Come here," Carmen said, hugging her daughter tightly.

Rosalia didn't say anything but cried even louder. "I... why didn't you show her to me?" she sobbed.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry," Carmen replied. "Now, don't cry, Rosi. It happened sixteen years ago. Just forget it. Now tell me, did you meet Tulio today?" Carmen tried to change the subject.

"No. We canceled the date. I really don't want to meet him, and he's having a party with his friends," Rosi said, her crying subsiding. "I don't like him," she added.

"But you need a man. You can't stay single forever. You need a family and children," Carmen said. "It's your father's and my dream. We want to see some grandchildren," Carmen said, smiling.

"Last time I was pregnant, you didn't want grandchildren. Remember?" Rosi said firmly.

"We don't want Lombardi grandchildren in this family," Carmen's angelic tone and look changed completely, and she screamed in anger.

"It was not only Pietro's child. The child was mine too, Mama!" Rosi yelled. "All this hate because of your stupid business fights? You ruined my life! I lost my baby because of you. I don't want to get married, and I will not!" Rosi shouted as she stormed out of the house.

Carmen picked up her phone and dialed a number. "Hello! Did you two idiots find the boy yet?" she asked angrily.

"What? You missed him again? I gave you only two weeks. If you fail to do that, you will be really surprised," Carmen said firmly, cutting the line even as the person on the other end pleaded with her.

Carmen knew that Dino was now with Pietro. However, she couldn't just send someone to their house to kidnap him. She also knew what school Dino attended. Until now, Carmen hadn't been in a hurry to find him because Rosi had never questioned the baby. She had been sad and worried about it but had believed every word her parents and the maid had told her. But today, Rosi was asking questions, and Carmen wondered why. She wanted to finish this soon before Rosi discovered Dino.

—-----

Rosi felt confused, her emotions swirling inside her. Yesterday, she met Dino and Kacper. When Dino mentioned that his father was Pietro, she could hardly believe her ears. Dino was only sixteen years old.

Did Pietro have another girl at that time? That thought raced through her mind. Lola handled the situation well, ensuring no one saw the shock and shakiness that Rosi felt at that moment.

Secretly, she took the paper towel that Dino used to wipe his blood after revealing he was Pietro's son. Rosi wanted to confirm something. Until now, she had believed every word her parents had told her, but she could no longer trust anyone. She didn't even mention to Lola that she had taken the paper towel.

Afterwards, she went to a lab to conduct a DNA test, receiving the results that morning. After reading the results, she had to lay on her bed for a few minutes to calm down before crying her eyes out. Dino was her son. So it wasn't a girl after all. Her baby wasn't dead, and her parents had lied to her just because they hated the Lombardis.

And what about Pietro? Was he also a part of this deceit? She couldn't believe it.