Chapter 4 - The Poisoned GobletThe revelations of that night shattered everything I thought I knew.
If Alessandro was telling the truth, then for six years, I had been targeting the wrong man. My burning desire for revenge against the Vitali family had blinded me to the real monster in the shadows: Carmine Moretti, the ruthless patriarch who had orchestrated my family's murder to seize power during a mob civil war.
And now, I was pregnant with Alessandro’s baby, trapped in the crossfire of an impending war between the two biggest crime families in Chicago.
Two weeks passed. The estate was put on high alert. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Alessandro barely slept; he was gone for long hours, returning only in the middle of the night to sit in a chair by my bedside, quietly watching me sleep, his hand occasionally resting gently over my still-flat stomach.
Despite myself, the wall of hatred I had built against him was beginning to crumble. He was a monster to the world, yes—a dangerous, lethal man—but to me and the life growing inside me, he was an impenetrable shield.
On a rainy Thursday afternoon, my door unlocked. But it wasn't Alessandro, nor was it the usual guards.
It was Liam.
"Liam!" I gasped, dropping the book I was reading and rushing toward him.
He was wearing a dark suit, looking disheveled and terrified, flanked by two of Alessandro's men.
"Emma—Elizabeth—oh God, are you okay?" Liam burst out, grabbing my arms, looking me up and down. "They brought me here three days ago. They held me in the guesthouse. I thought they were going to put me in a cement shoes!"
"I'm fine, Liam, I'm okay," I soothed, tears of relief pricking my eyes. "They haven't hurt you?"
"No, but... Em, what the hell is going on?" Liam whispered frantically, looking over his shoulder at the guards. "The news is saying you were kidnapped! Old man Miller told the cops some mobsters dragged you out of the diner! The police are everywhere!"
"I wasn't kidnapped, Liam," I said quietly, looking down at my shoes. "It's... complicated."
"Complicated?" Liam scoffed, his eyes widening. "Em, you're living in a fortress guarded by guys with submachine guns! And... and word on the street is you're pregnant with Alessandro Vitali's kid! Is that true?"
Before I could answer, a quiet knock came at the door. A young maid entered carrying a silver tray with a pitcher of fresh orange juice and two crystal glasses.
"Mr. Vitali sent this for you and your guest, Miss Vance," the maid said politely, placing the tray on the coffee table before bowing her head and exiting.
Liam wiped a hand over his face, collapsing onto the sofa. "I can't believe this. My roommate is a mob mistress."
"I'm not his mistress," I snapped, sitting across from him. "I'm... I'm a hostage who happens to be carrying his heir. But things are changing, Liam. It's not what we thought."
"You're defending him now?" Liam looked shocked, hurt. "Elizabeth, he's a killer!"
"It's complicated!" I rubbed my temples, feeling an ache building behind my eyes. "Look, just drink some juice. Calm down. We need to figure out how to get you out of here safely."
I poured two glasses of fresh orange juice, handing one to Liam. He took a sip, sighing heavily. I raised my glass to my lips, the sweet citrus aroma filling my nose.
Just as the glass touched my lower lip, a sudden, sharp instinct—a nurse's training, or perhaps a mother's intuition—stopped me cold.
I looked at the rim of the glass. There was a tiny, almost invisible film resting on the surface of the juice. A faint, bitter almond smell wafted up beneath the heavy scent of orange.
Cyanide.
"Liam, stop!" I screamed, dropping my glass onto the carpet. The crystal shattered, spilling the orange liquid everywhere.
Liam froze, his glass halfway to his mouth. "What? What is it?"
"Don't drink it!" I shrieked, lunging forward and knocking the glass from his hand.
At that exact moment, the heavy oak door was kicked open with a deafening crash.
Alessandro strode into the room, his gun drawn, his face twisted in absolute fury. Behind him were six heavily armed guards.
"Don't touch that liquid!" Alessandro roared.
He rushed to my side, grabbing my shoulders, his eyes frantically scanning my face. "Did you drink it? Elizabeth, answer me, did you swallow any of it?"
"No! No, I caught it in time!" I stammered, shaking violently. "Liam didn't drink it either!"
Alessandro let out a breath he seemed to have been holding for a lifetime. He turned to his head of security, his eyes glowing with an apocalyptic rage.
"Seal the estate," Alessandro commanded, his voice trembling with dark authority. "Find that maid. Bring her to the basement. And find Victoria Moretti."
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He looked back at me, his hand coming up to cradle the back of my head, pulling me against his chest.
"They tried to kill my child," Alessandro whispered into my hair, his chest heaving. "Now, I burn Chicago to the ground."
