Finally, the doors of my suite unlock and open. I stand up, expectantly holding my hand on my belly as Angelo Giordani and a man in a white coat walk inside.
"That's her," Signore says in a rough voice without so much as looking at me.
"The pregnant girl." The doctor smiles and I fight the urge to scream at him to get me the hell out of here. "Good. We'll proceed with the examination. You may leave us to it, Signore."
"No," Angelo barks, giving me a contemptuous look. "I want to see it with my own eyes."
The thought makes goosebumps erupt all over my skin, but I force myself not to react. I'm not going to give this man what he wants, no matter how hard he pushes for it.
"Very well, then." The doctor puts on gloves while two guards carry in a table and an ultrasound machine. "Lie down here, Aurora. Panties off."
I'm burning up with shame as I slide the barely-there panties over my ass. I motion to Angelo, bitterly asking, "Is he really going to watch the whole thing?"
"Be grateful I'm helping you," Angelo hisses in response. "You've already taken up too much time and attention for a useless bitch. Now shut up and do as you're told."
I hate him.
I get on the bed and spread my legs. Angelo walks over behind me which should help since he can't see between my legs now, but feels even more controlling. The doctor takes a swab and then covers my lower half with tissue paper. He exposes my belly next. There's still no bump but the skin there is slightly taut and swollen and there's no doubt in my mind that I'm pregnant. Still, my heartbeat quickens, and I find myself questioning my own instincts and praying to Dio my presumptions were correct, and I am carrying Ryder's child.
I have to be – not just for the sake of our love, but to save me from Angelo Giordani as well.
The doctor applies a cold, clear jelly to my belly and spreads it all over before getting started with the ultrasound. Anxiously, I stare at the screen in front of us where a black-and-white picture is showing.
"Ah yes," the doctor mutters, making me afraid. "Just as I thought."
"What?" Angelo barks from behind me. "Is she, or isn't she?"
The doctor smiles and points to the screen. "Indeed she is."
My heart does a somersault and I follow the doctor's finger to a small bean in the middle of my belly.
"That's the baby. I can hear its heartbeat."
Angelo and I have very different reactions to the news. I let out a cry and stifle my tears as I smile widely at the news I was already expecting. Angelo, on the other hand, curses out loud and looks at the doctor as if this is all his fault.
"I'm sorry if this isn't welcome news, I –" the doctor starts, but is quickly interrupted by Signore Angelo.
"Your services won't be needed anymore," he says coolly. "Thank you, doctor."
"Of course," the doc chuckles nervously. "About the issue of payment –"
"It's not an issue," Angelo barks, motioning a guard into the room. "Thank you for the services provided, doctor."
Before any of us can react, the guard fires a bullet into the doctor's head and blood sprays the wall as he collapses to the floor. My scream vibrates in the room, echoing off the walls.
"Relax," Angelo tells me firmly. "We'll have you moved to a different room."
I pick myself up from the table, wiping off my belly. "You're sick. A monster."
"His services were no longer needed," Angelo shrugs carelessly. "And who knows who he'd spread this news to. His family will be handsomely rewarded for his sacrifice."
I wipe tears away from my eyes. Sophia is next to me now, gently guiding me out of the room.
"Signore can be a little impulsive," she mutters apologetically.
"You're calling it that?" I shake my head. "He killed an innocent man, Sophia."
"Needs must." She shows me to a new suite, an identical one to the one before. It makes me wonder just how many suites like this there are in this godforsaken house. And whether there's a captive in each one of them.
"What is this place?" I ask her when she sits me down on the bed. "What am I doing here?"
"Nothing for you to concern yourself with." She smiles beatifically. "If Signore wants you to find out more, I’m sure he'll show you around. But right now, just worry about the baby. You might be useful to us after all."
My brows instantly knit together with worry. "What do you mean?"
"Well, that baby you're carrying..." She smiles at me again. "It's Ryder Bernardi's, isn't it?"
"Y-Yes," I admit.
"Which makes it a mafia heir." She looks smug as hell. "And in turn, very valuable. The baby could be used for ransom... an alliance... anything."