Chapter 61

“Why is everyone wearing pink?” I whispered into Christian’s ear while we stood at the top of the stairs.

“It’s because everyone knows we’re having a girl.” He chuckled and led me down the stairs as everyone cheered for us. “I feel like a celebrity,” I whispered and lowered my head.

Besides friend, the majority of the people were Lamberti’s and Alfonzo’s, and only one thing went through my mind.

All these people were my new family.

“My beautiful daughter in law.” Francesca made her way over and linked her arms with mine. If a few weeks anyone would’ve told me we would be getting along so great, I would’ve laughed in their faces.

“I’m your son.” Christian frowned his eyebrows. Francesca nodded her head and patted his back. “Of course you are.”

“You look really beautiful, Serena.” Lucio pulled me into a hug before he moved aside. “Uncle is lying, you’re starting to look more and more like a whale.” Luca laughed at his own joke, while Christian glared at him.

“Do you want me to...” Christian whispered, but I shook my head. Luca was too much at times, but I was not in the mood to deal with it today.

I looked at the two people in front of me and recognized them as Christian’s grandparents who I had seen in pictures before.

“I’m glad you could make it.” Christian greeted them and gave all of them a hug while I awkwardly stood back. “It feels nice to not have to ask you for a grandchild anymore, it seems like we’re breaking our yearly tradition.” His grandmother spoke before her eyes shifted to me.

“This is Serena.” Christian wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me to the front. “It’s very nice to meet you I’m Franco and this is my wife Maria.” He greeted me and stuck out his hand as I accepted it. “She doesn’t say much...but she’s pretty to look at.” Christian introduced me.

Embarrassing me like usual.

“That’s okay, it might be a good quality.” Franco winked at me while Lucio agreed. “I see that we’re all wearing pink.” He smiled. I looked around the room and saw not a single person wore blue while Francesca and the twins wore neutral colors.

“I can’t believe you’re giving us the heir we wanted, and an Alfonzo on top of that—I’m wearing pink, but I’m actually rooting for a boy,” Franco spoke, while Maria tried to shut him up. “I mean, either one will be fine.”

“But if Fabio Garcia even thinks about laying his dirty finger on my precious grandchild I’ll—“

“Let’s keep it nice today.” Lucio sighed. “Oh, right—my apologies.” Franco frowned.

“Serena, come!” Lita who had been eyeing me since the moment I came downstairs yelled out from a distance. She probably wanted to see me and lost her patience.“Excuse me.” I said and walked across the room.

“Let me hug her first,” Matteo spoke and pushed Lita aside so he could hug me. “I missed you so much.” He whispered in my ears, while I laughed at his words. “I stopped by two days ago.”

“You know, the moment you leave mom and dad are always on the verge of crying.” Luke laughed and pulled me into a hug. Hearing the words mom and dad still felt strange and unreal—and I would still call both of them by their names.

The uncomfortable feeling I had once shared had completely disappeared and I felt comfortable around all of them, except for...

“Sister.” Carmen frowned her eyebrows and gave me a nod—while I did the same. After seeing the way Enzo turned out, all I wanted was to have a good bond with her, but she wouldn’t let me.

“Come, there are a lot of people who have been dying to meet you,” Matteo spoke, and introduced me to a lot of new family members. Them accepting me with open arms said enough about what kind of family they were.

Even the person I had been so scared of meeting, my grandfather—Pedro Alfonzo had visited with his wife and told me that my grandmother would love me if she was still here.

“Our beautiful sister!” Emilio walked over to me with Marcelo next to him and hugged me. “Hi, cutie!” I knelt and wrapped my arms around his son. “Look at you, can you walk now?” I cooed and picked up my nephew.

Despite finding out I had a nephew, learning that Emilio was a single father to a one-year-old and that his wife died in childbirth had scared me. It made me realize that anything could happen.

“Milo, say yes aunt Serena—I can walk now.” Emilio pinched him in his cheeks while Milo shyly buried his head in my shoulder.

“Serena!” I heard yet another person call out to me and turned my head to look at Luna, Faith, and Olivia. “Oh, I have to go now,” I told Matteo and shove Milo back in Emilio’s arms as I said goodbye to him.

“Are you following me?” I asked Emilio who walked right next to me with Milo in his hands. “Hmm, maybe.” He smirked and smiled at Luna.

“I’m so happy you guys could make it!” I told my friends and greeted them one by one. “I’m happy you invited me.” Olivia chuckled, while I knew there was definitely more behind it.

“I don’t think we’ve met yet.” Faith stuck out her hand to Emilio and pinched Milo’s cheek. “Is this your son?” Luna pouted at Milo.

While the four of them were having a conversation, my eyes moved to Johnny who leaned against the wall with a pissed look on his face. The same sweet Johnny who I only knew with a smile, but somehow the presence of my brother got him worked up—and it was all because of Luna.

“I also see what you see,” Olivia told me and pulled me to the side. “Right, so I’m not crazy?”

“Can I ask you something?” She asked as I could already predict what her next question was going to be. “Why didn’t you return any of my calls?”

“I’m sorry, I was busy.” I tried to end the conversation as soon as it started but Olivia shook her head. “No listen, if this is because of Vincenzo—I don’t work for him anymore.”

“What?” I almost exclaimed in disbelief, she was one of his best employees. “He turned into a fucking monster and I could barely recognize him, so I left.” She explained to me.

“Did something happen between you guys and Christian? He got so pissed off and called me all sorts of names because I said I was looking forward to your baby.” She whispered as I looked at her in shock.

“There you are, it’s time for the reveal!” Francesca pulled me away from Olivia before I could say anything else, and pushed me towards Christian.

“There are...way too many people.” He sighed, as he didn’t even want the gender reveal in the first place. Everyone gathered around us while Stella and Mia came down with two toy guns in their hands and gave one to Christian and one to me.

What a good idea, a gun.

“What’s inside of this? Because it’s not getting on my sofa.” Christian told his sister, as the control freak he was. “Oh come on, it is just paintballs, we can clean it.” Mia pouted, but Christian shook his head.

“Luca!” He called out and pointed to the center of the room. “You stand there so we can shoot you instead.” He casually spoke, making everyone laugh.

“W-what, why me?” Luca stuttered but obeyed his wishes anyway. “Don’t you have Johnny or Marc for that?” He pointed to the two while both took a step back.

“Are you planning on ruining my Serena’s day?” He implied and gave him an offended look. “No, of course not—I would never.” Luca gulped.

“Aren’t you going a bit too far?” I asked Christian so only he could hear. “I think he did, when he called you a whale.”

Fair point.

“Okay everyone, it’s time!” Stella yelled out and clapped her hands while Christian and I gave each other an anxious look. “Are you ready?” He asked me while I immediately shook my head. “No, and you?”

“No.” He chuckled. “Okay, phone’s out everyone—we will start the countdown!” Mia stepped back and almost pushed a camera into my face while she started to count down from ten and everyone followed.

“3.”

“2.”

“1.”

Christian and I shot the gun at Luca at the same time as he got covered in pink and everyone started cheering out loud. As expected it was a girl.

I felt a tear escape from my eye as I pulled Christian into a tight hug and rested my head on his shoulder. This was all I ever wanted.

“I hope these are happy tears.” Christian smiled at me and kissed me on his forehead.

“Congrats, Serena.” My parents pulled the both of us in a hug—while Lucio and Francesca followed.

After the party had ended—Emmanuella helped me clean up. It got late and I still felt uncomfortable about letting other people clean my mess, whether they got paid for it or not. I could absolutely not clean myself, but as a mom cooking and cleaning were the things I was willing to learn.

“Emmanuella, who was that man and the girl who were with you?” I smirked at her. She had brought two guests to the gender reveal, and I couldn’t hide my curiosity.

“Eddie and his daughter, Leah. Eddie is Lucio’s second cousin.” She smiled and stopped wiping the table. “He’s been really good to me, and his daughter Leah is wonderful.”

“That’s really good, I’m happy for you,” I told her. “As long as you stay here with me, it’s all good.” I joked, but the look on Emmanuella’s face made me nervous. “Wait, were you thinking about moving out?”

“I’ve been here for a really long time, Serena.” Emmanuella sighed. “Eddie has offered me to live with him, but I told him that I have to think about it.”

“Well, please continue to teach me how to be the perfect housewife before you leave me.” I pouted at her.

We got interrupted by the sound of the doorbell and made a run for it at the same time. “Are you expecting anyone?” Christian who had walked down the stairs asked me, but I had already opened the door.

“Package for Serena?” One of the guards spoke but before he could push it in my hands, Christian grabbed it. “You let random people through the gates? Even though I told you not to?” He spat in his face, causing him to lower his head.

“I’m sorry sir.” The guard spoke. Lately, the driveway which had always been empty past midnight was filled with guard for twenty-four hours and even though Christian would not tell me anything, I knew that the months until Fabio would attack were getting closer.

“Get back to your spot, and the next time someone brings a package you discuss it with me.” He growled out before closing the door in his face.

“Serena, I told you to let Emmanuella handle these kinds of things—why can’t you just ever listen!” He yelled in my face and walked to the kitchen as we followed him.

“Christian, what’s wrong?” I asked him, but all he did was grab a knife before he cut through the box and held it upside down as a dead squirrel landed on the counter with a plop.

“Oh my god!” I covered my mouth with my hands and walked back in fear.

Emmanuella hurried to my side and held me tightly as my legs started to shake and all I could look at were the dead squirrel and Christian who had picked up a card.

The name on the back said everything I needed to know and was enough to prove that I had to fear for my life.

Fabio