The Italian's Unexpected Heir

He stuck his finger beneath the flap and yanked, opening the envelope. His heart pounded in his chest as he recalled the nightmare that had unfolded after they read their mother’s journal.

Please don’t let this be like that.

Enzo withdrew two sheets of paper with his father’s handwriting. His instinct was to skim through the letter and make sure there was nothing that was going to upset his sisters, but he knew that wasn’t fair to them. Hadn’t he already learned the price of keeping secrets?

Enzo cleared his throat and began reading aloud.

“Enzo, Bianca and Gia, I apologize for what you have gone through with the contest to win the estate. Your mother told me not to do it, but I didn’t want any of you to make a life-altering mistake like your mother and I have done. By fighting for the villa you’ve each had a chance to figure out what the place means to you. I know that each of you loves the estate, perhaps for different reasons, and that’s okay. But without the contest it would be easy for each of you to forget its meaning. Just as your mother and I became so complacent in our marriage that for a moment we forgot what it meant to both of us. I can tell you all that your mother is the love of my life. And I believe she feels the same for me. We experienced troubles in our time. I would say it was my fault, though she would vehemently disagree. I had become so absorbed in growing the vineyard that I forgot about the importance of family. My fatherly advice to each of you is not to forget your family is your priority. Their love, safety and happiness must come first. Always. If you’re reading this letter, it means your mother and I are no longer with you. But never doubt we’re looking down upon each of you, cheering you on and loving you all. And hoping that each of you finds the one great love in your life like your mother and I have done. I hope by now the three of you have found your way back to being family once more. That was our final parting gift—by pulling you apart, the three of you would come back together closer than ever. We love you. We always will.

Papá and Mamma.”

When Enzo finished reading the letter, stunned silence filled the room. His sisters swiped at their damp eyes. Enzo blinked repeatedly.

It took Enzo time to absorb what he’d read. His parents may have made mistakes but how could he hold that against them when he’d been making one mistake after the next?

And then he remembered something else his father had told him: Family means not giving up. No matter what.

“I may not agree with Papá’s methods,” Bianca said, breaking the silence, “but he’s right. I feel closer to both of you than I have since we were kids.”

“I agree,” Gia said.

Enzo wasn’t sure he’d heard them correctly. “You mean you aren’t mad at me for not speaking up about the secret?”

His breath caught in his chest as he waited for their collective answer. He knew he didn’t deserve a pass. If it had been reversed and they’d kept him in the dark, he’d have been very upset. But it didn’t keep him from hoping for forgiveness.

“You should have told us,” Gia said.

“You should have trusted us.” Bianca looked more hurt than angry.

“But it’s over now. And you have to let this go,” Gia said, “before you’re so busy looking over your shoulder at the past that you miss your future.”

“She’s right,” Bianca said. “Sylvie told us everything.”

His eyes widened. “Sylvie told you about the baby?”

Bianca nodded. “She did. She said she was going to sit on the news until you two figured things out, but she just couldn’t hold it in any longer.”

“Sylvie should be here with you—with us.” Gia’s pointed stare was directed right at him. “If you don’t go get her, I will.”

“But the estate—”

“Will be fine while you’re gone,” Bianca jumped in. “We’ll take care of things here.”

“And if you want,” Gia said, “I can start renovations to turn this place back into the home we once knew it to be.”

The thought appealed to him. Maybe that was why he’d felt such a

disconnect with the estate—his home no longer felt like a home but rather the hotel it’d become. “You would do that?”

Gia smiled and nodded. “I’d love to.”

Love for his sisters lifted the corners of his mouth. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

Gia’s gaze met his. “Easy. Go get your family.”

Enzo made his way to his room to shower and pack. He was off to the city. But how was he supposed to prove to Sylvie that he’d always be there for her and the baby?

Then he realized he couldn’t just expect Sylvie to change her plans once more; he knew he was the one who would have to make the concession this time. And a plan started to take shape.