This is a big one 👀 Enjoy!

6 Weeks Later

"Happy anniversary, baby." Costa's sleepy voice broke through the silent room.

My body tensed when Costa rolled up behind me on the bed, leaning over to press a kiss to my cheek.

I continued to stare at the room ahead of me for another few seconds before I forced myself to finally turn around. I gave him the best smile I could muster, looking into those sleepy green eyes.

"Happy anniversary." My smile seemed to be convincing because he leaned in, pressing a kiss to my lips.

The kiss was shorter than the usual ones we would share, but it didn't seem like he thought much of it.

"Have you been awake long?"

"No." I lied, shaking my head. "I just woke up now."

"You still tired?" He stroked my cheek, brushing some hair away from my face.

We had a long night last night. Costa was speaking with Julius and Damian over the phone while I sat quietly, listening to the conversation. I still refused to speak to my brother after how he reacted to the news that Costa and I were in love.

We were due to fly out to New York for the first time since the whole thing happened with Alina when I 'attacked her' - since that's the phrase everyone is going with these days.

I mean, if defending myself when she pulled my hair and threatened to destroy my marriage and kill me is classed as attacking her, then sure, whatever.

"Yeah, it was a long conversation. It's not something I really wanted to talk about either." Discussing all the security arrangements we'd need just for me to be able to go and check in at the office wasn't fun.

So far, we'd had many, many attempts on my life thanks to Viktor and the bounty he put out on me. But, luckily for me, all of them were quickly quashed by the Accardi family and the Sicilian Mafia.

The only one that got a little close was when Costa and I went out for dinner one night and some guy tried to corner me while I was on my way back from the bathroom.

Turns out, this guy owed a debt to the Russian Bratva and he hoped by bringing me to Kozlov, he would clear the debt. Unfortunately, he's dead now since Costa apparently saw the threat coming a mile away.

We've had multiple players turning up trying to win favour with Kozlov by snatching me up. But, Costa insisted these threats were nothing but training sessions for his men - just nuisances that needed to be dealt with.

Seriously, one guy tried to come up to my window outside a fast food drive thru pretending to be a homeless man. All I did was roll my window up and lock the door and he got tackled by one of my guards.

Anyway, these were the issues we had to speak to Julius and Damian about. It was harder since I refused to speak to Julius. I wasn't over the way he told me I was dead to him.

He did try to apologise, but it meant nothing to me.

I was happy to be away from him in Sicily for the last three months. The only thing I struggled with, actually, was being away from work. But even that I was getting used to.

Which brings me to today. Our one year wedding anniversary.

"You want to have breakfast up here? We can stay in bed?" My husband smiled, pressing soft kisses to my cheek and along my jaw. I tilted my head to give him better access, although my eyes were focused on the wall behind him.

"I think-" My words cut off when he suddenly pulled me into him, causing me to gasp.

"How about we celebrate first? Then have breakfast? I can do all the work if you're tired." He smirked, now leaning in to kiss my lips.

"Can we-" I spoke, pulling my head back to stop him kissing me - much to his confusion. "Can we just go downstairs? I...I'm kind of hungry."

Costa frowned, finally picking up on my standoffish behaviour. He studied me for a moment before reluctantly releasing his hold on my waist.

"Yeah. Sure." He was still watching me with that look when I rose up out of bed, sitting at the edge with my back now to him.

I released a shaky breath, tightening my hands into fists. Since he couldn't see me, I was able to scrunch my eyes closed, trying to let it pass.

"You okay?" I couldn't see his face but I could definitely hear the concern in his voice.

"Fine." I forced out the lie, standing to my feet. "Let's get ready. I have some work to get done after breakfast."

"You don't want to spend the morning together?" Once again, even though I refused to look his way, I could hear his confusion.

"I...I do. I just need to work first."

"On our anniversary?" He scoffed, annoyance biting into his tone.

"Our anniversary of the day I was forced to marry you?" The words slipped out before I could stop them and my eyes finally met his.

The hurt was so fleeting. He expertly covered it up before I could even try to apologise for what I said.

"I'm going to the gym. Go and have your breakfast then do your work." He roughly pushed away the covers, climbing out of the bed. I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. Instead, I watched him go into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind himself.

Instead of going for breakfast like I said I would, I ended up outside in the back garden.

I lied to him when he asked if I'd been awake long. I'd actually barely slept a wink. I think I might have dozed off a couple of times, but I couldn't stay asleep.

I ended up walking for an hour on my own, trying to process everything. It's not exactly how I thought I'd be spending my first wedding anniversary - especially since Costa and I were stronger than ever.

It may not seem like it from the way I was behaving that particular morning. But we were.

I finally felt like I was at home in Sicily and in the Accardi Villa. My relationship with his family had come such a long way in the year that we'd been married.

But all of that was about to change now.

Everything could potentially go up in flames and the thought was terrifying to me. Let's not forget, I almost killed myself that night when everything got too much for me.

It wasn't something I ever intended to repeat, but I lost control of myself. I can't say for sure it won't ever happen again if something goes wrong. And with this...

...everything could go wrong.

I was scared. So fucking scared.

I was scared about how I was going to cope. I was scared about what it was going to do to my relationship with Costa - especially with the current war going on. That was just the tip of the iceberg. There were so many worries and thoughts swirling around in my head and I couldn't get them under control.

When I got back to our room later that day, I found a cream coloured dress on our bed along with a note. This whole thing was ruining my anniversary with Costa and even just that thought was pushing me into an even worse mood.

I knew I'd regret it one day - the way the day was going, that is. It was a special day but it came at the worst possible time.

Get ready and wear this. We're going out at 6pm.

Costa's note caused me to sigh, dropping down on the bed next to the beautiful dress. It was simple - just a long cream coloured dress, perfect for a summer evening in Sicily.

But I couldn't enjoy it with the intrusive thoughts and anxiety bubbling away inside me. I got ready in a mix of nerves and emotions, somehow finding myself walking to the beach with Costa an hour later.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked for the third time, his own mood depleting as the minutes passed.

I knew I had to tell him. I just...I wasn't ready for the world to know.

"I'm fine." I sighed, keeping my eyes on the floor as we walked from their garden to the private beach just behind their house.

We stayed quiet until we finally reached the beach where Costa had planned our anniversary surprise.

"You once told me you always wanted to get married on a beach somewhere." He murmured, watching me while I took in the sight before me. "But I guess celebrating our anniversary on a beach is my way of making it up to you."

The sight of the candlelight dinner should have made me happy. The sun was beginning to set soon, so he said we could sit and drink champagne together until it was time for dinner.

But I couldn't find an ounce of happiness because my thoughts were so clouded. So I just forced a smile, sitting down next to Costa on the blanket.

Then we were surrounded by silence while I stared out at the sea, holding my glass of champagne.

"Fuck this." He muttered, putting his glass down. "You've got one fucking chance to tell me what the hell is going on, Millie."

"Or what?" I frowned. It wasn't an  argumentative tone, just a curious one.

"We'll just cancel the whole thing. I'll go out with my brothers to the meeting I'm missing for you and perhaps we can try again next year, maybe." He scoffed, although something told me he wouldn't bother to try and celebrate our anniversary again.

And that's when the day's anxiety suddenly morphed into sadness. Because that's when it truly hit me that I'd just ruined our first anniversary together.

"Costa..." His anger softened when tears sprung to my eyes.

"What's the matter, principessa?" The anger was still evident, but he took my hand, reaching up to brush away the tears that leaked out.

"I need to tell you something." That was the moment that anxiety returned at full force.

It was like that moment you prepare to admit a secret or something bad you've done. Everything is on the tip of your tongue and you know the consequences are coming.

But you also know you have no choice but to say it out loud - no matter what it could do.

"You can tell me anything, baby."

"But if I say it out loud then it becomes real." I whispered, the tears coming out much faster now.

"And I'm here." He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it together."

He pecked my lips again, staying close but also giving me time to finally come out and say it.

"I'm pregnant."

He had exactly the reaction I was expecting.

Because this wasn't some fairytale story where I could happily tell my husband I was pregnant on our anniversary and everything would be amazing.

He pulled away from me just slightly, his eyes were wide and his lips parted in shock. He didn't say anything at first, but he didn't need to. His silence and the panic in his eyes said it all.

"We were careful." He whispered, his eyes flitting down to my stomach. He swallowed nervously causing Adam's apple to bob.

"I know." I sniffled, wiping away the tears from my cheeks. "But the test said I'm six weeks pregnant."

"Already?" That's exactly what I thought when I saw the pregnancy test.

"I didn't know." I admitted. "I missed my period but I was so stressed with everything going on I didn't think much about it. I've always been the type to miss a period if I was stressed."

"How...how did you figure it out?"

"Agata. She sensed something was off with my diet so yesterday she brought a couple a pregnancy tests to our room while you were still out last night. She let me do them in private, but I think she already knew."

I let my words sink in while he processed the news. As much as I wanted him to just talk and tell me how he felt or talk about what we were going to do next, I had to give him time.

I just had a whole day to process it. I was awake all night thinking about it too. He deserved at least a few minutes before he could give me his thoughts.

The next few moments went by painfully quiet while he finished pretty much half the bottle of champagne on his own.

But, the whole time, he never let go of my hand. I think that was his way of reminding me we were still in this together - even if a pregnancy wasn't the news he was expecting.

The topic of children was also something we tended to stay away from, mostly because of the memories it triggered from the whole contract signing.

So I truly had no idea how Costa was feeling about the baby and the situation and the changes it was going to bring to our life - the life we just started to get used to.

"You know I love you, right?" He broke the silence, his green eyes meeting mine. "So much."

"I know." I nodded.

"And I love our baby. Please don't think I don't. It's just a shock, Millie."

"I know. And I know I could have handled it better, especially today of all days-"

"No." He cut me off with a shake of his head, wrapping an arm around my shoulders to pull in closer. "I get it. I don't blame you for reacting the way you did. It's a lot to take in, especially on your own. And you're the one carrying the baby."

"It doesn't feel real." I whispered, looking down at my stomach. "I had no idea, Costa. All this time there's been a baby in there and I-"

My voice broke and for the second time, tears sprang to my eyes. At least now I can blame the hormones for my strange emotions.

"I didn't even know. Agata figured it out before me!" I cried, frustration lacing my tone.

"It's okay." He pressed a kiss to my temple, tightening his hold on me. "I don't think that's the thing to be crying out, baby." There was a subtle note of humour in his voice, but I think he was just trying to lighten the mood.

"What are we going to do?" I finally asked him the question that had been swirling around in my head since I saw the positive test.

"I don't know, principessa." He sighed. He stared ahead at the sea for a moment before releasing a frustrated sigh, running a hand over his face. "Fuck. This isn't how this is supposed to go."

"I know." I understood his frustration. Actually, I think I might have felt it a lot deeper than he did.

For a girl, your wedding, your marriage, your anniversaries and the baby announcements are all so precious.

But ours had all been ruined by the mafia war we were in the middle of.

Our wedding was a disaster and our marriage had only just settled down one year later. But now our anniversary and our first pregnancy was already ruined.

"I..." I didn't even know what to say, but the tears started up all over again so it didn't really matter. "I just wish it was different, Costa. All of it."

"Come here." This time he pulled me onto his lap so that I was facing him. His hands were on my hips, his green eyes studying my face while I wiped away my tears - again.

"I know this war with Kozlov is hard and I know you're scared about bringing a baby into all of this. But for today, let's just think about us." He spoke as he leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine. The short silence was filled with the sound of the waves crashing nearby.

"We're having a baby." He whispered, almost like he was testing the words on his tongue. "Fuck. You're pregnant, Millie."

The way he said it like he was telling me for the first time had a giggle erupting from my lips.

"I heard." I laughed, feeling a small sense of relief when his lips pulled into a smile.

"I'm going to be a father." His voice was softer this time, his green eyes full of so much emotion. I lifted my hand, gently stroking his cheek with my thumb.

"You're going to be the best father." I saw him when he was around Riviera's daughter and also his new little baby cousin, Marina.

At first glance, you'd never really think the heir to the Sicilian Mafia would be so good with children. But he was and I loved seeing it everyday now that Marina lived with us.

It was one of the things I loved about being in Sicily - the family.

At first I hated the Accardi family and I know they hated me too. But now, we got on so much better.

"You know, when I first thought about getting married I used to worry I'd be trapped in a house with a guy I barely knew. I was so used to living in a big house with family surrounding us. I thought I'd lose that. But I haven't."

We were surrounded by family everyday in Sicily and I loved it.

"And now it's getting bigger." He smiled, placing his hand on my lower stomach for the first time since I told him.

And it was just that single touch - that one action - that melted away all the stress, sadness, anxiety and worry.

Just seeing his hand rest so protectively over my nonexistent bump put me at ease - like the worry was never there to begin with.

"I love you. I'm sorry I ruined our anniversary all day by-"

"No." He cut me off, pulling my body in tighter against his - somehow that was even possible with me on his lap. "Don't apologise. Nothing is ruined. It's perfect, Millie. This is the best fucking gift you could ever give me."

"That's good because I forgot to buy you an anniversary gift." I admitted sheepishly with a small smile.

Is it okay to blame my forgetfulness on my pregnancy?

Bitch, we've got less than seven months to blame things on this pregnancy. We're making the most of it.

My confession had my husband laughing as he pressed a soft kiss to my lips. "That's okay, principessa. You don't need to get me anything."

"You got me something though, right?" Costa didn't have an excuse to forget my anniversary gift.

"Sì. It's in our room. I'll give it to you later." He smiled, amusement lighting up his eyes. I think he knew by now how much I loved presents - especially his presents.

"Can we start this again?" I gestured to the set up on the beach and the sunset that was just starting. "Now that I'm not about to have a melt down."

"Of course, baby." He smiled, leaning back a little. "I'll wait while you tell me how well I did and how much you love it."

"I'm not doing that."

"We're not having dinner until you do." He smirked, patiently waiting for me to inflate his ego even more than it already was.

"Fine. I love it. Happy now?"

"Ah, you didn't tell me how well I did." This little bitch was enjoying this way too much.

"You know, one of the symptoms of pregnancy is mood swings." I announced, absentmindedly fixing the gold chain around his neck.

"So?" He frowned, failing to see my point.

"So if you piss me off, I can't be held responsible for any bodily injuries you might sustain over the course of my pregnancy."

Costa's laugh rumbled through his chest as he pulled me closer, his eyes twinkling with a mixture of amusement and genuine affection. "Duly noted, principessa. I will tread carefully."

We settled into a more relaxed rhythm, enjoying the serene beauty of the sunset while Costa drank the champagne alone. The soft glow of the setting sun gave me a sense of peace. Finally, after almost 24 hours of panicking, I was starting to become content with the idea of having a baby.

"Soon we could be bringing our baby here." I whispered, imagining the scene of Costa playing with our child near the shore.

"I can't wait." The truthfulness in his tone made me smile.

It's crazy how quickly our feelings were changing towards this whole thing.

After a while, Costa turned to me, his expression more serious. "Millie, we need to talk about what this means for us. For our future."

I nodded, setting my of juice glass down. "I know. There's so much we need to figure out. Like, what happens when we go to New York? I can't be running around with a baby on the way during a war."

"We'll have to make some changes. Your safety is already our top priority, but now, with the baby, it's even more critical. We can't take any risks."

"I've been thinking about that." I said, taking a deep breath. "I think I need to step back from my publishing company. At least for a while."

Costa's brow furrowed. "Are you sure? I know how much it means to you."

"It does." I admitted. "But this baby...our baby... is more important. I can't be dealing with the stress and dangers of running the company with a child, especially with everything going on."

He nodded, his hand still resting on my stomach. "We'll make sure everything is in place before the baby comes. We'll create a team of people you trust to make sure the company is in good hands."

"I know you have your list on speed dial." I teased, feeling a bit more confident. "I'll start setting things up tomorrow. It'll be a lot of work, but it's necessary."

Costa squeezed my hand. "We'll get through it together. And when the time comes, if you want to go back to work later, we'll make it happen."

I smiled at his support, feeling a bit more reassured. "Thank you. I just...I want to do this right. For our baby."

"You will." he said firmly. "We both will."

We fell into a comfortable silence, watching as the sky turned shades of pink and orange. I leaned against Costa, feeling the warmth of his body and the steady beat of his heart. Despite the challenges ahead, I felt a sense of peace and hope.

"We also need to talk about where we're going to live." I spoke after a while. "Once the baby is born, I mean."

"We have options. We can stay in Sicily, where we have family and security. Or we could consider New York, closer to your family - especially once the war is over." If it's ever over. This bitch is dragging this thing out.

Kozlov, I mean. Not Costa.

Although-

No. We will not call our husband a bitch unnecessarily.

Fine, what about because he took all the duvet the other night and you had to fight him for it at 2am?

Oh yeah! What a little bitch. And I was pregnant then, aswell.

"Well, for now we know New York is not the safest option." I said, biting my lip. "With Kozlov still out there, it might be better to stay here for a while."

"Agreed." Costa said. "We'll keep our base in Sicily for now. It's safer, and we have more control here. But we'll visit New York regularly. We'll make sure everything is running smoothly with your company."

He's being nice now because he stole all the duvet. I bet he's thinking about that exact same moment and feeling guilty about it.

"That sounds like a good plan. And once things are more stable, we can reconsider our options." I smiled, just as Costa began to stand to his feet.

"Now that that's all settled, let's go and have dinner."

"Finally." I sighed, allowing him to pull me up. "I'm starving."

Costa smiled, leaning in to kiss my forehead. "If our child has the same appetite as you, we're in trouble."

"And if our child has your looks, the world is in trouble." I replied, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Because I'm so good looking, right?" He smirked, earning a scoff from me.

"No." With that I trudged across the sand to the table, ignoring his velvety laughter behind me.

<<<<<<< >>>>>>> <<<<<<<

It only took a few days for us to arrange an appointment with a doctor.

She ran some blood tests and also did an ultrasound to confirm my pregnancy.

Based on the calculations, I was almost seven weeks pregnant. That meant I fell pregnant that night when Costa came home from New York.

The condom must have broken. That was the only conclusion I could think of.

Apart from that one time on the beach in Mauritius when Costa pulled out, we used a condom every single time. We couldn't take any risks with a pregnancy during this war with Kozlov.

But, here we are.

As much as I was scared about what this would mean for us and for our baby, I was also so incredibly happy.

It took some time, for sure. But Costa and I spent the last few days processing everything together. We kept it to ourselves at first. Whenever we were alone in our room, it's all we could talk about.

I was eight weeks pregnant when we finally broke the news to the rest of the Accardi family.

We gathered everyone in the living room after dinner - the twins, Costa's brothers, his father and Daria.

"Since we're all gathered. Bianca is coming over tomorrow." Aidan announced, taking the time to look every person in the eye. "Everyone needs to be on their best behaviour."

"When are we not?" Rocco frowned.

"Please." I muttered with a scoff, glancing over at my brother in-law who sat across the room.

"You got something to say?" He cocked an eyebrow at me.

I opened my mouth to give him a snarky reply, but Costa beat me to it.

"She doesn't." He cut in. Then he gave me the fucking side eye.

How dare he stop me from giving Rocco a piece of my mind?

I narrowed my eyes at him as he turned away, facing forward. But I'm sure I saw a stupid smile on his face.

"Can you all just make sure you don't do anything to upset my girlfriend?" Aidan tried again, earning a chorus of responses.

Everyone else said okay, apart from one idiot.

"No one cares if Brianna is coming."

"Bianca." Tristano, Rocco and Aidan all corrected him at the same time.

"That's what I said." He waved them off. "Even if she comes, we won't see her anyway. You're going to keep her hidden away in your bedroom." Giovanni wiggled his eyebrows at his twin, a suggestive smirk on his lips. While the rest of the idiots around us laughed, Aidan shook his head with a cute blush on his cheeks.

"She's not coming for sex. We're watching a movie in the cinema room." He corrected, not that it did much to help his case.

"So Netflix and chill?" Rocco smirked. "We all know what that means."

"I don't. What does it mean?" Daria frowned, speaking to Rocco with her thick Russian accent.

"It means, they're going to put a movie on and then fu-"

"So why are we here?" Aidan quickly jumped in, turning to look at Costa before Rocco could embarrass him any further.

Costa rolled his eyes at the conversation before clearing his throat. He studied the room for a second, looking at Daria, his brothers, his cousins and his father. While I know he was only preparing for the shit storm that was about to come our way, dragging the suspense out only made it worse.

"Millie's pregnant."

Silence fell over the room for a very long moment.

Giovanni's eyes widened first. "Wait...what?"

Aidan blinked in shock, exchanging a quick glance with his twin before turning back to Costa. "You're serious?"

Daria let out a little gasp, her eyes instantly lighting up. "A baby? Oh my God, Millie!" She practically leaped from her chair, rushing over to wrap me in a tight hug. "This is amazing! You're going to be such a good mother!"

Her excitement was contagious, and I found myself laughing, feeling the relief that came with finally letting the secret out. Daria pulled away, beaming at me, her hands still resting on my shoulders. "I can't wait! You'll have the most beautiful little baby."

Giovanni and Aidan shared another look before rising to their feet. Giovanni was grinning ear to ear as he walked over to Costa, slapping him on the back. "You're gonna be a dad, bro. Damn. Congrats!" He gave Costa a hug, ignoring the glare he was receiving from him. Then he turned to me with an even wider grin. "I can't believe you're having a baby. This is awesome!"

Aidan followed with a genuine, though quieter smile, nodding at Costa and me. "Yeah, congratulations. That's... wow."

But then, there was Edoardo. He remained seated, his expression unreadable as he took it all in. Then he got up, making his way over to us.

He nodded at Costa, offering a brief hug that felt more like a formality. When he finally looked at me, it was a measured gaze - calm but distant.

"Congratulations, Millie." He spoke softly, though it lacked the warmth I weirdly yearned for from my father in-law. He was going to be my child's grandfather, after all.

Before I could respond, Edoardo cleared his throat, stepping towards the door. "Costa. Rocco. Tristano. My office. Now."

Costa's hand squeezed mine briefly, his eyes searching mine for reassurance before he left. I gave him a small nod, watching as he followed his father and brothers out of the room. The mood in the living room shifted instantly as soon as they disappeared, the air thick with unspoken concern.

"Everything's going to be fine." Daria whispered, giving my arm a reassuring squeeze.

But I wasn't so sure.

The moment we stepped into my father's office, the tension felt overwhelming. That damn office always had a way of amplifying whatever tension hung between us, like the polished wood and old Sicilian paintings on the walls carried the legacy of the Accardi family with them.

It wasn't just a room - it was a symbol of power, of expectation. And tonight, it was a reminder of the war we were still fighting.

I followed my father inside, Rocco and Tristano falling in behind me. My father didn't say a word at first. He just moved behind his massive desk, the one that had been in our family for generations, his eyes locking onto mine like a hawk. His silence was always louder than words.

I knew what was coming. Fuck, I had known the second he'd stood up in the living room and called us in here. But I still wasn't ready for the lecture I could feel brewing in the back of his mind.

"This is risky." He finally started, his voice low. "Millie being pregnant during a time like this, with the war against the Russian Bratva - it's not just a complication. It's a danger."

I crossed my arms, my jaw clenched tight. I already knew that. I had been up every damn night thinking about it, running through every possible scenario in my head. But I wasn't going to let fear dictate my life - or Millie's.

"We'll protect her, just like we have been." We all knew it was the final conclusion to this conversation, so I said it early hoping to avoid the long lecture.

But it didn't help.

"It's different now." He shook his head. "She's carrying your child, Costa. Our family's future. Every enemy we have will see that as leverage."

He wasn't wrong, but his words still twisted something in my gut. I didn't want to think about Millie or our baby as pawns in a game. I wouldn't allow it.

Rocco who standing beside me as my future Underboss, broke the silence. "We've been handling the threats, haven't we? It's not like Viktor hasn't already tried everything in the book."

Tristano nodded, his arms crossed. "Exactly. We've got her covered."

Things with Tristano weren't better yet. We finalised the plan of Rocco taking over as my Underboss, not that my father was happy with it. But ever since then, he's been distant as a brother. He's been fulfilling his responsibilities, but not as a friend.

My father's gaze sharpened as he looked between the three of us. "This isn't just about protecting her physically. There's a mental and emotional toll that comes with this. You can't guarantee her safety 24/7, and the stress alone could put both her and the baby in danger."

The words hit harder than I wanted to admit. I clenched my fists, my knuckles aching from the pressure, and stared at him. "What are you saying, Dad? That Millie being pregnant is a mistake? You're the one who wanted us to have a baby within six months of getting married."

Then I scribbled that outrageous clause out of our marriage contract.

He didn't flinch, barely reacting to my reminder. "I'm saying it complicates things. You need to be prepared for the worst. We're at war, Costa. Bringing a child into this world under these circumstances...it's not ideal. We have to be cautious."

"I know what's at stake. But Millie and I are having this baby. No matter what, we'll protect them."

For a long moment, he didn't respond. He just stared at me, like he was searching for something in my face. Maybe for a sign that I wasn't prepared, that I wasn't thinking clearly. But I was. Every damn night, I'd weighed the risks, counted every possible angle, and I had already made my choice. I wasn't going to back down from it.

Finally, he gave a slow nod. "I trust you'll do what needs to be done. Just be ready. The war with Kozlov isn't over, and things could get worse before they get better."

I swallowed down the frustration that was bubbling in my chest. He was right, and I knew it. But it didn't make this any easier to hear. I couldn't shake the feeling that my father still didn't believe I could handle this, that he still saw me as his son first and the head of the family second.

I glanced at Rocco and Tristano, who were both standing silent now. They had their own concerns, I could see it in their faces, but they were letting this play out between me and our father.

"We'll be ready," I finally said, my voice tight. "No matter what happens."

He nodded again, but the tension in the room didn't break. It never really did in here. As I turned to leave, I could feel his eyes on my back, like he was still assessing whether or not I was up for this challenge.

But I knew one thing for sure: Millie and our baby were the most important things in my life now, and nothing—not the Bratva, not the war, not even my father's doubts - was going to change that.

Did you see the baby news coming? 🥹 I can't believe they're having a baby!

Thank you for reading! 🩷