If Loving You is Wrong

45: Trials and Tribulations

The trial lasted for months.

After a testimony from a Mrs Regina Barnes who claimed she had heard the defendant on more than one occasion wish his wife was dead, the case had spiralled out of control.

Mrs Barnes had testified that Leo had said he 'wished her could crush her windpipe' and the most damning of all, that he wished 'she would die so he wouldn't have to go through the trouble of divorcing her.'

Antonio sat in that courtroom and watched that old room speak her truth and he couldn't even be mad at her because she wasn't lying. She had no context of course and had no business coming forward to speak on something she had no clue about; but he had said those things.

He had said those things and it was made even more terrible because his relationship with Liana had now come to light because of it.

They knew they had been having an affair and now, three months in, they knew she was pregnant.

They brought up the apartment, the connection with her father and her family, his attempt at surrogacy and now that they had found out Liana was pregnant, there was a new angle.

It was all going terribly wrong and it looked as though he was going to go to jail for manslaughter.

"You should let Liana testify," his lawyer had said, and he had shaken his head.

No, that was never going to happen.

He wouldn't drag her into this longer than he needed to, if at all.

He had seen Liana in almost three months and as he lay in his cell for another night of the trial, all he could do was think about her. All she had gone through to be with him and everything he hadn't done to protect her from Olivia's malicious behaviour. He wished he would have the chance to apologise to her before he went to jail - it looked as if he would - at least.

The following morning, he lay in bed staring at the dull ceiling when the cell door banged,

"Sabbatini! Visitor!"

Antonio sat up confused,

"Who is it?"

"Hands through the bars!" the guard paid him no mind and so Antonio followed orders to be led into the visitor's quarters.

His heart stopped in his chest, when after the necessary checks he stepped into a small room and there was Liana.

She looked bigger, fuller and he knew it was an effect of the pregnancy. She wasn't that far along of course but her face was a little fuller and she looked...cuddly. His heart beat faster as his love for her threatened to overwhelm him. He knew he'd missed her but not this much,

"Liana," he stepped forward to go near her, but the guard called out.

"Stop, no touching!"

"Please...it's just me," she said quietly looking over at the guard with pleading eyes. "Please."

That was a good sign at least, she wanted to touch him too.

There was silence for a moment before the guard mumbled a reluctant,

"Go ahead."

Liana rushed to him and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly as he breathed in her most beautiful scent,

"Oh God ive missed you!" he breathed into her hair and as her little body shook, he realised she was crying,

"I've missed you so much," she muffled into his chest and it broke his heart.

"That's enough!" the guard cleared his throat and they reluctant came apart to sit on either side of a large table.

Liana was in a simple cotton dress and ankle boots; her bag and coat had been lain over the back of the chair she now occupied.

Her hair was tied up and she had minimal make up on and still looked lovelier, probably the loveliest he'd ever seen her considering how long it had been since the last time he'd seen her.

"How are you?" he said quietly, knowing he looked terrible. Liana immediately began to cry again,

"Terrible, they wouldn't let me see you! I tried and tried, and they wouldn't let me...my father didn't help matters!"

The last part was said with such anger, he knew something else was going on there.

"What's happened Li...other than the obvious."

"My father's forbidden me to see you, saying you're a murderer as well as an adulterer."

Antonio was surprised at how hurt he was by Leo's thoughts of him,

"You're not...are you?"

"What, Liana no! How could you ask me that?"

He thought Leo's assessment of him was hurtful but it was nothing compared to this, to Liana thinking he could do something like this.

"You don't honestly think I killed Olivia do you!"

"No, of course not!"

"Then why ask me!" Antonio stood up from his chair angrily and the guard stepped forward,

"Antonio I'm sorry, everybody's in my air and I told them, I told them you couldn't have done this!"

"Sit down sir!"

Antonio lowered himself to his chair again, his hands shaking at the debilitating anger he felt at the fact that Liana could doubt him,

"I'm so sorry Antonio...I just had to hear you say it. I told them you didn't do it but..."

"But what?"

Liana looked away from him as she worried her lips and fiddled with her fingers on the table,

"Everyone is wondering why you wont let me testify...it could help your case."

"Testify, has my lawyer been to see you?" Liana nodded,

"He came to the estate,"

"Why!" Antonio banged his hands on the table. "I told him not to!"

"Why Antonio, why cant I testify if it will help you?"

"That's why you're here, that's why you came; to talk me into letting you!" he felt so betrayed it was unreal but when he saw the tears spring to her eyes, he had to rethink.

"No, that's not why I came! I told you my father forbade me to see you, I couldn't see you but I finally got here anyway. My father will kill me when he finds out but I did have to know. Why don't you want me to help you?"

"It might do more harm than good Liana, I don't want any of this for you. I don't want you around this!"

"Antonio, I'm having your babies, everyone knows it. I'm in this whether you like it or not!"

Antonio went silent for the moment, knowing she was right. She was already involved more then he could ever want for her.

"If I can do something to help you be around for the babies then of course I want to do it,"

"Babies?"

"What?" she looked perplexed,

"That's the second time you've said babies Liana..." Liana's face went crimson as she worried her lip again then let out a sigh, as though she'd given up.

"Surprise," she said softly.

"Surprise...surprise what?"

Liana looked right into his eyes and smile apologetically before shrugging;

"We're having twins."

The ground fell out from underneath him and Antonio was hurtling into the unknown.

Twins!