Page 96 of Frayed Bonds

I’m speechless as his words register. For a while, I’ve wondered if I’ve brought more chaos to Ambrose’s life than I have peace, but after hearing him say things like that, it puts my heart more at ease that I am what he is to me. Peace.

He ignites in me the passion and freedom I’ve been starved of for years and I know I calm down and recalibrate his usually rather busy lifestyle.

Thirty minutes later I’m comfortably leaning to Ambrose’s side as we sit alone in the waiting room of the hospital’s ICU ward.

“I don’t think I’ve waited in an ICU ward since Antonio’s surgery,” he stares ahead at the doors.

“The heart one?” I ask, pointing at my chest.

He nods slowly. “It was just my mamá and I here that day while we waited to hear how his surgery went.”

Antonio was born with a small hole in his heart and the doctors had hoped it would heal, but around his fourth birthday they decided surgery was the only option. “Where was your papá?”

“A meeting I think, I remember my mamá being upset about him not being here and that's when I decided to throw a tantrum to stay home from school to be here with her,” a sad smile spreads across his face. “It was around the time Vitale Holdings success started taking off.”

“Always been a mamá’s boy at heart,” I smile up at him.

“Always. Second most important woman in my life.”

“Who’s the first?”

He looks down at me, lazy eyes and a smirk on his lips. “Let's just say she changed me for the better and I hope I’m making her proud.”

“Valerie Farina,” Dr Rossi, calls as she enters the waiting room and pops the comfy bubble Ambrose and I have created. His eyes widen a fraction as he takes in Ambrose but he simply nods as a greeting.

“Yes,” I jump up.

“Your father is stable, and thankfully didn’t aspirate while vomiting,” he says. “But, he is unconscious and may remain that way for a few days. He picked up a serious internal infection after the surgery and needs time to rest and let the medication work.”

Great, more time in the hospital.

“How does he pick up an internal infection?” Ambrose asks, his voice stern in tone as he pins Dr. Rossi with a look.

The doctor seems unfazed as he matches Ambrose’s stare. “I can see he has had good wound care so I can surmise it's not from an external source, my calculated guess is simply that his immune system may be impaired after the first surgery. We will run some tests to find out what exactly is going on.”

“Thank you, Dr. Rossi.”

“I’ll get one of the nurses to give you a call to let you know the results and keep you updated on his condition.” He nods before walking off again.

“That's good news.” Ambrose smiles at me.

“Yeah.”

“What’s wrong?” He furrows his brows and cups my face in his.

“It’s just, more time in the hospital means more hospital bills.” I frown and I can feel tears well up in my eyes.

His eyes soften and his lips jut out just slightly in a pout. “I wish you would let me help you.”

“You’ve helped me in more ways than you could ever know. I can take care of this. Do you need a fake date again anytime soon?”

“No, but I might need you for a real one.”

Chapter thirty-nine

Ambrose

I’m sitting at the head of the grand mahogany table, flanked by Adriano and Antonio, with Gus off to the side next to Adriano. Enzo, Mattia and their father are next to Antonio with the rest of the board members including Diego taking up the remaining seats.

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