Rick's POV

"The baby is mine," I mumbled emotionally. "I am going to be a father." I grinned happily and ran my hand through my hair.

"Congratulations, fratello." Mario tapped on my back, giving me a warm smile.

I clenched my fist as I thought that today I was almost going to lose my baby and Vanessa... the love of my life.

"Did you talk to Arturo? Did the men they caught confess who sent them?" I asked between gritted teeth and sat down on the seat, overwhelmed.

"Yes. They confessed that Jack sent them. Arturo took care of them. Everything is under control in the mansion," he informed me. I nodded, clenching my fist. Mario sighed and sat down beside me on the seat. "What are you going to do now?"

"I will make that bastard pay," I replied, determined while trembling with fury.

"I am not talking about Jack. What are you going to do with Vanessa?" he clarified.

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "I will wait till she gives birth."

"Then?" he asked warily.

"I will think about it when the time comes." I breathed deeply, standing up, and rested my hand into my pocket, lost in my thoughts.

"Are you sure she is lying? I think what she said is true; she broke up with you to protect you," Mario commented firmly.

I looked away without saying anything. I didn't know what to think anymore. I felt overwhelmed.

"If you want, I will try to find out something about it," Mario suggested hopefully.

I heaved a loud sigh, running my hand through my hair. "Do what you want." He nodded, excited. "I am going to see Nessa," I informed him and walked away.

***

I walked towards the fountain as I saw Vanessa sitting on the bench next to the fountain, caressing her belly tenderly. It had been a month since the attack. Fortunately, she recovered quickly.

"How are you?" I asked warmly as I approached her.

She jumped, scared. "Oh..."

"Sorry, I didn't want to scare you." I gave her an apologetic look.

She gave me a warm smile. "Don't worry. I was just lost in my thoughts," Vanessa said softly as she stood up carefully, resting her hand on her stomach.

I nodded. "How do you feel? Did you get cramp again?" I asked worriedly.

"We are fine. No, it didn't repeat." She gave me a dazzling smile.

"If you crave for something, tell me. I will send someone to buy," I told her, caressing her cheek gently.

"Thank you." She gave me a mesmerizing smile, leaning her face against my palm. "Umm... I heard Mario talking to Arturo about... Jack."

"Don't worry; he wouldn't dare to repeat what he did. I will take care of it," I assured her.

"Are you sure? He must be furious now; he probably guessed you gave the police the evidences to arrest him," she said worriedly and ruffled her hair, biting her lower lip nervously.

"I am not afraid of him. He has to think about it before sending his dogs to invade my property and..." I gritted my teeth in frustration as I remembered Vanessa lying in my arms unconscious.

"But I am afraid for you. I don't want him to hurt you," she confessed sadly.

"Don't worry. I can take care of myself. He wouldn't dare to do anything to me. I warned his father," I assured her as I cupped her cheeks. "Don't stress yourself. It is bad for the baby. You just take care of yourself and our son. I will take care of everything else," I stated firmly, looking her in the eyes. She nodded, but I could still notice the worry in her eyes. "No one will touch you or the baby again. I promise," I added and pulled her into my arm.

She wrapped her arm around my waist, leaning against me. I placed a soft kiss on her forehead while caressing her hair.

"What is going on here?! After all she has done to you, you still love her?!" my father snapped in frustration.

"Dad..."

Vanessa pulled back instantly as she heard my father's angry voice.

"I shouldn't trust you about the revenge plan. I should have guessed you would soften up as soon as you saw her," my father commented in disappointment, approaching me.

"Dad, it is..."

"She will not stay here anymore," he stated in an authoritative tone, cutting me off, and gave Vanessa a death glare.

"No, she isn't going anywhere nor my baby," I stated firmly and held Vanessa's hand.

"What?!" He stared at Vanessa's belly in shock.

I breathed deeply and informed him, still holding Vanessa's hand. "She is pregnant with my baby."

"To the study room! Now!" my father ordered furiously while shooting daggers at us and stormed towards the mansion.

I heaved a loud sigh, releasing Vanessa's hand, and ran my hand through my hair, closing my eyes.

"He looks so angry," Vanessa commented anxiously.

"Don't worry. I will talk to him."  I gave her a reassuring smile and caressed her belly tenderly before going to my study room.

***

"How could you be so irresponsible and knock up her? Don't you remember what they did to you?" my father asked in disbelief as soon as I walked into my study room, closing the door behind me.

"I think she is Jack's victim." I sighed and explained him everything.

"Are you sure it is your baby?" my father asked suspiciously, resting his hand in his pocket.

"Yes, I am. He is my baby." He nodded and rubbed his chin, thinking. "Trust me, Dad. I will get my revenge not just for myself, for Vanessa as well. I was almost losing both of them," I resumed, clenching my fist. "And Vanessa will stay here till she gives birth. Then she may leave, but I won't let her take my baby. My son will grow up here."

"Of course. My grandchild won't grow up away from his family," my father agreed, nodding. "None of them," he added, giving me a knowing look. I gulped nervously. "As you could guess, I came here to talk about something else."

"Dad..."

"When were you planning to introduce my granddaughter to me?" he asked, looking me in the eyes.

"Dad... I..."

"Did you think you could hide it from me so long? Don't forget you can't hide anything from me. I know with whom you have spent your days before running away," he stated firmly and pulled something from his suit pocket. Then he threw the photos onto the desk.

I approached my desk nervously and looked at the photos. There were my photos with Angela as well as the photos when she and I left each other's apartments.

"You slept with Angela. And I know you two have a daughter who you hide from your own family, and you visit them secretly," my father stated angrily.

I looked at my father without knowing what to say. I ran my hand through my hair, breathing deeply, and confessed honestly. "Yes,... Angela and I... we got closer after Domenico's death. We weren't in the right state of mind; it was a mistake. And the child... she isn't mine. Vittoria is Domenico's daughter."

"What?!" My father's eyes widened in surprise.

A few days before I went to New York, Angela and I bumped into each other at the gym. When we were talking, she suddenly felt dizzy and fainted. I took her to the hospital.

When the doctor told me she was pregnant, it almost gave me a heart attack. However, as he informed me that she was eight weeks pregnant, I felt relieved as well as happy. The baby was Domenico's child. We were going to have a precious reminder.

As soon as Angela saw me, she started crying happily and told me that Domenico left her a beautiful gift. That day I promised her that I would be by their side and protect this little one.

When I told her in excitement that my parents would be happy to hear this news, she asked me to keep it a secret, telling me that she didn't want her baby to grow up in our background and end up like Domenico. I accepted her request because I understood her worry; she wanted to protect her child. So I promised her that I would keep her secret and I wouldn't tell my parents anything about her pregnancy.

"I want to meet my granddaughter," my father stated, excited.

"I promised Angela to keep Vittoria away from our world. She doesn't want to lose her daughter as Domenico," I informed him.

"I want to see my granddaughter. Don't worry. I won't repeat my mistakes. No one could dare to touch my granddaughter," my father stated, determined.

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "I have to talk to Angela. I will inform you about her decision. I won't force her if she refuses."

"Riccardo! You know me very well. If I want something, I get it. No one can separate me from my grandchild. Assure her that I will protect them. She doesn't have to worry," my father said firmly.

"I will tell her, but I won't force her for anything. You have to respect her decision as well."

He heaved a loud sigh. "Do you think it is right to keep my granddaughter away from her own grandparents? Don't you know how much your mother will be happy when she finds out Domenico has a daughter?" my father commented as his eyes welled up.

"Dad... I will try to convince her to bring Vittoria to meet Mom and you, but I can't promise you anything about it."

"Fine. Keep me informed." He sighed, annoyed and left.