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Nine Months Pregnant, I Found My Husband With His Lover
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Nine months pregnant, I walked into a clinic expecting care for my child—only to find my husband there, holding another woman like she was the one carrying his future. Elias Falcone, my Vitale, my m...
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第1章
Nine months pregnant, I ran into my Vitale, Elias Falcone, and his kept woman at the Family physician's clinic.
The moment I picked up my report, I saw the two of them celebrating the upcoming arrival of their own child.
Serena pretended to be concerned. "Elias, you really shouldn't be here with me. If Bianca finds out, she'll be upset. She's pregnant too. Aren't you worried she'd be upset?"
Elias let out a cold chuckle. "If she causes a scene, I'll just sign the severance papers."
Since Elias didn't want us anymore, I'd rather raise the child without a father than stay in this farce of an alliance marriage.
I called my dad, who was living overseas.
"Dad, I've made up my mind. I'm getting out. I'm taking the Paolo and coming to you."
After I hung up, I booked the earliest flight available. Two weeks. That's all I needed. Two weeks and I'd be out of Elias Falcone's life for good.
But then why... did that man show up at my wedding with red eyes, begging me to take him back?
Nine months pregnant and the moment I received my report from the Family physician, I saw my Vitale attending an appointment with his first love, Serena DeLuca.
"Elias, you coming with me to this appointment... if Bianca finds out, she'll be really upset. She's due soon, too. Aren't you worried?" Serena said with a voice full of pretend concern, but I caught the smugness in her eyes.
Elias kissed her belly gently and replied with chilling indifference, "She doesn't know about this and I'm not planning on telling her. Maybe it's the hormones, but her mood's been all over the place lately. I don't want her making things difficult for you."
"But we can't keep sneaking around like this. Bianca's heavily pregnant, too. If she finds out, I'm afraid she—"
"There's nothing to be afraid of. It's my duty to be here with you for this appointment. After all, the Paolo is mine, too. If Bianca wants to cause trouble, I'll just cut her loose."
The coldness in Elias's voice when he spoke about me made my blood run cold.
If Elias had already decided to toss us aside, then I would beat him to it. I would leave him and raise this child on my own.
I let out a bitter smile as my heart finally gave up. My thumb found the edge of the saint medal at my throat, pressing hard enough to feel the worn engraving bite into my skin. I pulled out my phone and called my father overseas.
"Dad, I've made up my mind. I'm leaving him. I'll bring the Paolo and come live with you."
"I'm glad you finally came to your senses," came his voice through the line. The words were quiet, measured, and behind them I could hear the faint click of rosary beads going still. "The Falcones might run half the eastern territory, but our name isn't lacking either. If staying in that house only brings you pain, then yes. Leave him and raise the child on your own."
"You're right, Dad."
After hanging up, I immediately booked the next flight out.
I thought back to this morning, when I asked Elias to come to my appointment with me. He said he had Family business to handle. Turns out he was just accompanying Serena to hers.
Nine months of pregnancy and not once had Elias ever come with me to the clinic.
Serena had her engagement called off three months ago and ever since she came back to the country, Elias had been meeting her over and over again. From the moment she returned, Elias and I had barely shared any time alone.
Whenever Serena called, even if it was just a message, Elias would drop everything and rush to her side. He moved for her the way soldiers moved for the Don. Without hesitation. Without question.
He even held her close, right in front of me.
It wasn't like I hadn't confronted him about it. But every time I did, he brushed me off with the same excuse, that Serena was going through a hard time and needed support. That her broken engagement had left her without protection, without standing, without anyone.
According to him, everything he did was to help Serena back on her feet. She was pregnant, he said, and he had an obligation to be there for her.
But Elias seemed to forget one crucial fact: Serena wasn't the only pregnant woman in his life. I was, too. And I was even further along than she was. If anything, I was the one who needed care the most.
For the longest time, I thought the Paolo Serena was carrying was Elias's.
I tried to ask indirectly. I even told him that if he no longer wanted this marriage, he needed to tell me outright.
But every single time, he'd shut me down. Impatient, dismissive, evasive. And the one time I dared question whose child Serena was really carrying, he got furious. His signet ring had gone still against his knuckle when he looked at me, and the silence in the room had felt like the moment before a verdict.
He kept reassuring me, over and over again, until I finally chose to trust him.
I told myself he was just being kind. That he hadn't fallen out of love with me.
But now, it's all so clear. Serena's Paolo has always been his.
They'd been sneaking around behind my back for God knows how long and I was nothing more than their cover story. The loyal wife of the Falcone heir, smiling at Sunday dinners while they counted the days until I could be discarded.
When Elias mentioned cutting me loose, I caught the way Serena's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of satisfaction slipping through her carefully composed expression. Her fingers drifted to the pearl at her ear and held there a fraction too long.
"I never meant to take you from Bianca," she said, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "It's just... if my fiancé hadn't broken things off, none of this would've happened. I needed to protect my dignity. And thank God you were there, Elias. I honestly don't know what I would've done, where I would've gone, after coming back to this country without you."
Her eyes filled with tears. And Elias, full of tenderness and concern, gently wrapped her in his arms.
"I told you. I'll take care of you, Serena. If it weren't for you back then, I would've..." He trailed off.
"Anyway, it's only right that I look after you," he continued. "Bianca is my wife, so she should understand why I'm doing this. And so what if she finds out? I'll still be here for you, no matter what."
Elias patted Serena gently, comforting her.
As the physician came out of the exam room, she glanced at them and said with envy, "You're one lucky woman, Mrs. Falcone. Your Vitale never misses a single visit and he treats you with such care and affection."
Serena blushed, smiling bashfully, and Elias nodded like it was only natural.
I stared at the sickening scene in front of me, nails digging into my palms. The saint medal hung cold against my collarbone. I let it drop and lifted my chin.
Two more weeks and I would be gone from Elias Falcone's life forever.
第2章
Elias followed the physician into the back office to collect the prenatal file. Serena, however, murmured something about needing the restroom and stayed right where she was.
Once they were both out of sight, she finally spoke, her voice a slow, lazy drawl. "You can come out now. You've been standing there watching long enough. Haven't had your fill yet?"
I stepped out without a word, my expression blank.
Seeing that I stayed silent, Serena grew impatient. Her gaze sharpened with mockery.
"What, no shame left at all? You knew Elias never loved you, yet you still insist on holding on to the title of Falcone bride?"
I let out a cold laugh. "And you don't find it shameful to be the kept woman, fully aware he's married?"
Serena's lips curled into a smile. Her fingers drifted to the pearl at her ear and held there a fraction too long. "I knew Elias long before you did. If I hadn't gone overseas, you'd never have had the chance to stand at that altar with him."
She placed a hand lightly over her belly, then added smugly, "But I'm back now. And I'm carrying his child. So I'd say it's time for you to step aside."
From the moment I married Elias, I knew he had a woman he considered his one true love. But I never thought she'd hold such an unshakable place in his heart.
The pain that shot through my chest nearly brought me to my knees. My grip tightened instinctively on the report in my hand.
And that's when Serena saw it and snatched it from me.
She scanned the conclusion and burst into wild, gleeful laughter.
"Cancer, huh?" she said. "So, what do you think? Will you live long enough to give birth to that bastard Paolo, or are you both going to die together?"
Her laughter rang in my ears like sirens and something in me snapped. I stepped forward and slapped her, hard.
She staggered back dramatically, then fell to the ground with a wail.
"Bianca, I didn't mean to keep this from you! But I'm pregnant! How could you hit me like that?"
Huge, dramatic tears rolled down her cheeks. And before I could even process her performance, I felt a violent shove from behind. I lost my balance and my belly slammed into the cold, hard floor.
The clinic corridor was empty. No soldiers, no nurses. Just the hum of fluorescent lights overhead and the faint antiseptic smell of a place that existed because the Families needed somewhere quiet for the things hospitals asked too many questions about.
Elias grabbed my arm and yanked me up. I was still dazed, still trying to process the shock, when he yelled in my face.
"Are you out of your mind? How could you push Serena? She's pregnant!"
I stared at him, stunned. Before I could speak, Serena cried out, "Elias, please don't fight with Bianca because of me. I shouldn't have asked you to come to the appointment with me. This is my fault. As long as the Paolo's okay, she can slap me."
She looked like a tragic heroine. Eyes glassy, lower lip trembling.
Elias's face twisted with anger. His voice was low and sharp when he turned to me.
"You've crossed the line, Bianca," he said coldly. "Apologize to Serena."
The sound of it shocked even me. I laughed. Bitterly.
"You want me to apologize?" I said, my voice hoarse. "Elias, do you know what this is?"
I shoved the cancer report into his chest, my hands shaking. My throat tightened with emotion.
He didn't even look at it.
He tore the paper in half and glared at me like I was the problem. His signet ring sat motionless against his knuckle, and the stillness of it was worse than any raised hand.
"I don't care what that says. All I know is you've gone too far. God, you're pregnant, Bianca. How could you be cruel to another woman?"
Tears finally slipped down my cheeks, hot and silent. My whole body trembled. Not from pain, but from sheer fury.
Elias saw me crying and for a moment, his expression softened. His tone shifted to something gentler.
"Alright… can you just apologize? I know I haven't been giving you attention these past few months. But I promise I'll make it up to you once the Paolo's born."
Then, without a trace of shame, he pushed me toward Serena.
She looked back at me, eyes glinting with smug triumph.
I looked hard at Elias, wondering how the man who once swore he loved me could change so drastically the moment Serena came back. Had he forgotten every promise he made the day we stood at the altar? Every vow spoken in that church while both Families watched, while the candles burned, while our blood was still fresh on the oath cloth?
My thumb found the edge of the saint medal at my throat. I held it for one breath. Then I let it drop and lifted my chin.
"No," I said quietly. "I won't apologize. And Elias… you've truly disappointed me."
Then I turned and walked away.
第3章
As I walked away, Elias's face darkened. For a brief moment, panic flashed through his eyes. He started to take a step toward me, but then Serena clutched her stomach and groaned.
"Elias, it hurts," she gasped, then forced out a teary plea. "But Bianca's more important. Go after her."
Elias hesitated only a second before shaking his head. "No. Don't worry about her. Right now, your condition is what matters most."
He glanced down the corridor of the private clinic where I'd disappeared, and I heard him mutter, "Bianca's just throwing a tantrum. She's eight months pregnant. She'll be terrified if I file severance papers. I'll talk to her later."
Then he scooped Serena up and carried her into the treatment room.
When I got back to the house, I stood outside for a long moment, staring at the brownstone that was supposed to be ours. Since Serena returned from overseas, Elias had barely come home. The enforcers posted at the gate changed shifts without acknowledging me. I could no longer feel the warmth this house once held.
I walked to the wall, took down our wedding photo, and tossed it straight into the trash.
I didn't want to leave a single trace of myself here. Not one reminder of what used to be.
I packed up all our couple items and stuffed them into a trash bag. I was heading down the stairs with it when the front door suddenly swung open. Elias walked in, carrying Serena in his arms. One of his soldiers held the door and then stepped back into the night without a word.
When he saw me standing silently by the door, a flicker of guilt flashed across his face.
"She's not feeling well after what you did," he said, like that explained everything.
"Not feeling well, huh?" I scoffed. "Then why isn't she at the clinic? Why the hell would you bring her here? Do you think our home is some kind of recovery house for your kept woman?"
"Watch your words, Bianca," he snapped. "I'm trying to fix things here. Whether you like it or not, Serena is staying in this house."
Serena chimed in, her hand moving to gently rub her belly. "It's true, Bianca. There's nothing going on between Elias and me. I'm only staying for the Paolo."
She said it just to provoke me. Her fingers drifted to the pearl at her ear and held there a fraction too long.
I could feel the anger rising in my chest, bubbling and hot. I looked at Elias and said, firm and loud, "This is our house, Elias. I don't want her living here."
Elias paused. His face twisted like he was conflicted. But then Serena grabbed his hand and placed it on her belly.
Elias's heart melted instantly. When he turned back to me, his voice was full of irritation. "That's enough! You're pregnant too. How can you have zero empathy?"
"You pushed Serena. I'm just trying to take care of her. If you don't want her here, then maybe you should leave."
His words hit like a slap.
I stared at him, the blood draining from my face. My whole body trembled. My thumb found the edge of the saint medal at my throat and pressed hard enough to leave a mark.
And then I said, as clearly as I could, "As you wish."
Tonight would be my last night in this house. After this, I'd be gone, and Elias Falcone would be a closed chapter in my life.
With my decision made, I grabbed the trash bag in my hand and marched out the door. The soldier by the gate watched me pass but didn't move. He had his orders, and they didn't include me. Not anymore.
Serena's voice followed behind me, laced with mock pity.
"Don't fight because of me, Elias. Look, she's so angry she even took down your wedding photo."
Elias's voice rumbled low with frustration. "She's just being dramatic. Once she realizes I'm not playing her game, she'll come crawling back."
A tear slid down my cheek. I walked into the cold night and threw the trash away along with the very last shred of love I had left for him.
第4章
The second I opened the door, I heard a noise coming from the nursery, and my anger flared up. Elias had renovated that room the moment he found out I was pregnant. He'd filled it with only the best. Every piece of furniture, every stuffed animal, every blanket. He picked them all out himself. For our Paolo.
And now he wanted to give that to Serena?
Fury surged through me. I stormed down the hallway and swung the door open, only to find Serena lying in the crib.
I yanked her up without thinking, rage burning in my chest. But before I could get a word out, Elias grabbed my wrist and pulled me away from her.
"What is wrong with you? You act like a lunatic the second you walk in," he snapped. But when he saw the tears in my eyes, he hesitated, his grip loosening just a little.
"Are you really giving her this room?" I asked, my voice raw and broken.
Elias frowned. "Serena said she likes it. It's not a big deal if she stays here for a while."
"Do you remember…"
"Enough, Bianca." He cut me off, the irritation in his voice carrying that particular quiet command he used when he expected the conversation to die. "Everything you've done these past few days has been disappointing. If you keep acting like this, I'll have to reconsider whether this marriage should even continue." He paused, eyes cold. "You don't want the Paolo inside you to be born without a father, do you?"
He was threatening me. Not with lawyers, not with paperwork. In this life, a dissolved marriage meant losing the protection of the Falcone name entirely. It meant being sent back to my father's house like damaged goods, the alliance between our families shattered, my child marked before he even drew his first breath.
Looking at his face, the side he always turned away when he was done with an argument, I felt the memories unravel. The promises, the whispered sweet nothings, all turning to ash in a matter of months.
He once said this room would always belong to our Paolo. He said he would treasure both of us for the rest of his life.
And yet here we were.
I didn't say anything else. I turned around and walked out, numb. My hand instinctively cradled my belly, feeling the faint flutter of life inside me.
"Don't worry, Paolo. We don't need that room. I'll make you a better one."
Behind me, Elias stood frozen, watching me walk away. That same flicker of guilt from the clinic flashed across his face again, sharp and quick, then buried.
But as Serena called out to him from the nursery, he turned and walked back to her.
Later, when I was back in the master bedroom, my phone buzzed. I got a string of voice messages from Serena.
I opened them one by one, and hearing Elias's doting tone in the recordings, I realized all their past affection was just practice for him.
He was practicing on me and our Paolo, all for the sake of Serena's child.
Every nourishing soup I drank, every gift I received for the Paolo, every parenting tip Elias shared with me. It was all just practice for Serena's Paolo.
Even the nursery itself was prepared by Elias for the child in Serena's womb.
I and the Paolo were just tools for Elias's rehearsal. He didn't want Serena to suffer through his learning curve, so I became the sacrifice.
I listened to the messages over and over, the pain swelling inside me until I laughed. Not because it was funny, because it hurt so much it pushed me over the edge. Everything I had been so proud of since the moment I got pregnant had been nothing but a lie.
Elias's tenderness toward my child? It didn't even come close to what he showed Serena and hers.
I clenched my phone so tightly my hand shook. My thumb found the edge of the saint medal at my throat, pressing hard enough to leave an imprint. It hurt to breathe. All I could do was whisper over and over to myself that it was okay.
It was okay. Because soon, we'd be free of him.
Just me and the Paolo. And we'd be just fine.
The Paolo kicked, like he could hear me. Like he understood.
I wrapped my arms around my belly and held it close.
The compound was quiet around me. No soldiers moving in the hall. No voices from the nursery anymore. Just the silence of a house that had already chosen its side.
I stayed that way for a long time, until I could finally breathe again.
第5章
After Serena moved in, Elias practically glued himself to her side.
And me? I stopped expecting anything from him the moment I saw the truth.
One night, as I walked downstairs to get some water, I heard her voice through the slightly open door of the guest room. Two of his soldiers stood at the far end of the hall, eyes forward, pretending they couldn't hear a thing.
"Elias," she cooed, "I heard that saint medal from your family works really well. The Paolo's been keeping me up at night... could I borrow it for a while?"
The medal wasn't just a piece of jewelry. It was a Falcone bloodline relic, passed down through generations. A symbol that whoever wore it was the rightful wife of the Boss. Elias had given it to me on our wedding day, clasped it around my neck himself in front of the entire Family. He said it would be mine forever, because there would never be another Mrs. Falcone.
His voice pulled me out of the memory.
Through the gap in the door, I saw him press a gentle kiss to her cheek and smile. "Of course. I'll ask her for it. You can wear it as long as you want, at least until the Paolo's born."
A sharp pain stabbed through my chest.
I couldn't even remember his exact promise anymore, but it didn't matter. Because clearly, neither could he.
I took a step back, but the floor creaked under my foot. Elias opened the door and found me standing there. He looked startled. Guilty, even. He stepped outside, pulled the door shut behind him and led me to a corner of the hallway, away from the soldiers' line of sight.
"Bianca... you heard that, didn't you?" he asked hesitantly.
I didn't say anything.
He hesitated again before speaking. "Serena's been having trouble sleeping. Do you think you could let her borrow the medal for a bit?"
I nodded slowly, but at that moment, a sharp pain twisted through my side. I winced and swallowed it down.
"I'll give it to her, but on one condition."
Elias's face lit up like I'd just handed him the moon. He stepped toward me, ready to wrap me in a hug, but I took a step back before he could touch me.
Serena's scent was all over him. It made me want to gag.
"I'm glad you're finally coming around," he said with a relieved smile. "Once Serena has the Paolo, I'll give it back. Don't worry. Your place in this Family isn't going anywhere."
So he did remember what the medal stood for.
"I don't care if she never gives it back," I said quietly. "I just need you to sign this."
I turned and walked upstairs.
A minute later, I came back down with the severance papers in hand, already flipped to the page where his signature was needed. The hallway was dim, the compound quiet except for the low murmur of a television somewhere deeper in the house.
"There's no need to be upset," he said softly, like he was trying to soothe me. "Serena's not going to keep it forever. Like I said, I'll return it once she has the Paolo."
He signed the papers without even glancing at them.
As soon as I held the signed severance papers in my hands, the storm inside me quieted. I never expected it would be this easy. The Don of the Falcone Family had just signed away his marriage without reading a single line.
Elias gave me a small smile. "I know I haven't been there for you these past few months. Go ahead and buy whatever you want. I'll take care of the bill."
So that's why he was so quick to sign. He thought this was just me angling for a shopping spree.
My thumb found the edge of the saint medal at my throat one last time. Then I unclasped it and handed it to him, expressionless.
For a moment, he hesitated. But eventually, he took it and held it tight.
"Don't worry. Once the Paolo's born, it'll be yours again," he repeated, like he needed to convince himself.
But I didn't care anymore.
"She can wear it for as long as she wants," I said flatly.
Overcome with emotion, Elias pulled me into a hug. I pushed him off immediately, but he didn't seem to mind. He turned and walked straight back into Serena's room.
A second later, I heard her squealing with joy.
I just stood there, staring out the window. Beyond the compound walls, the city lights bled into a haze above the rooftops. Somewhere past the gate, a car engine idled, one of the night-shift soldiers waiting out his watch.
Tomorrow was the day I'd leave. And this time, I wouldn't hesitate.