At my parents’ party, I found my four-year-old daughter locked inside the bathroom. Her face was bruised. / Chapter 16 / 20

Chapter 16 - The Whisper of TomorrowThe Amalfi Coast glittered under the Mediterranean sun, a tapestry of sapphire waters and rugged, terraced cliffs. Ethan had rented out an entire private peninsula for their honeymoon, a secluded paradise accessible only by a private funicular. For two weeks, the world of boardrooms, paparazzi, and corporate warfare had ceased to exist.

There was only the sound of the ocean, the scent of lemon groves, and the profound, grounding reality that they were finally, irrevocably, husband and wife.

Rosa stood on the sprawling stone terrace of the villa, wrapped in a sheer white silk robe that caught the warm morning breeze. Below, on the private beach, Ethan was chasing Lily through the gentle surf. Lily’s bright laughter floated up the cliffside, a sound sweeter than any symphony. Ethan, dressed only in linen trousers, his usually perfectly styled hair delightfully messy from the wind, scooped the little girl up and tossed her playfully into the air before catching her securely.

Rosa smiled, a deep, contented sigh escaping her lips. It was a picture of absolute perfection.

Yet, a sudden wave of dizziness hit her, forcing her to grip the stone balustrade. The scent of the freshly brewed espresso on the patio table—a smell she usually loved—suddenly turned her stomach violently. She clamped a hand over her mouth and rushed back inside the villa, barely making it to the marble bathroom in time.

Ten minutes later, Rosa sat on the edge of the massive sunken tub, a cool washcloth pressed to her forehead. On the marble counter sat a small white stick with two distinct pink lines.

She stared at it, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs.

She wasn't afraid—not the way she had been when she discovered she was pregnant with Lily, terrified of the world, hiding from her family, hiding from Ethan. This time, she was swathed in the ultimate protection of a man who would burn the world down to keep her safe. But a lingering shadow of doubt still whispered in her mind. Ethan had built his entire life around order, control, and repairing the damage of his own traumatic childhood. He adored Lily, but how would he react to a new variable? A new child?

"Rosa?"

Ethan’s voice echoed from the bedroom. A moment later, he appeared in the bathroom doorway. His chest was bare and tanned, glistening slightly with ocean spray. His smile faded instantly when he saw her pale face.

In a fraction of a second, the relaxed husband vanished, replaced by the fiercely protective billionaire. He crossed the room in two strides, dropping to his knees in front of her.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt? Did you eat something?" Ethan’s hands hovered over her, his steel-grey eyes scanning her face with intense alarm. "I’ll have the helicopter here in ten minutes, we can be at the hospital in Naples—"

"Ethan, stop," Rosa managed a weak laugh, reaching out to cup his face. "I'm not dying. I'm just... adjusting."

Ethan froze, his brows knitting together in confusion. "Adjusting to what?"

Rosa gently pulled her hand back and pointed to the marble counter.

Ethan slowly stood up. He walked over to the counter and picked up the small plastic test. He stared at the two pink lines for a long time. The silence in the bathroom stretched, thick and heavy.

Rosa held her breath, her hands twisting the silk of her robe. "Ethan?" she whispered.

He didn't speak. Instead, he set the test down with agonizing slowness. He turned around, and Rosa saw that his eyes—usually so guarded, so disciplined—were completely bright with unshed tears.

"You..." Ethan’s voice cracked, a rare, beautiful sound of vulnerability. He walked back to her, pulling her up from the edge of the tub and wrapping his arms around her so tightly she could feel the thunderous beating of his heart.

"A baby," he whispered into her dark hair, burying his face in her neck. "My God, Rosa. A baby."

"You're happy?" she asked, tears finally spilling down her own cheeks as she hugged him back.

Ethan pulled back just enough to look her directly in the eyes. "Happy? Rosa, when I was a boy in that freezing house, I swore I would never have a family, because I thought I was cursed to repeat my father's mistakes. You didn't just break that curse. You shattered it. You gave me Lily. And now... now you are giving me a piece of our future."

He leaned down, kissing her with a fierce, overwhelming passion that tasted of salt water and promises.