Page 12 of Surprise Pregnancy for Villain

I hear his throaty chuckle. “Well, why didn’t you say so? Perhaps you’re right. It might be a good time to give Alessandro a little more responsibility. After all, you’ll need to rely on him someday.”

Over my dead fucking body. I’d rather hire an enemy to be my second-in-command. Anyone but my little brother. “Never mind. I’ll do it.”

Stefano grunts in satisfaction. “Good. I have great faith in you, son. I know you’ll never fail me or the family.”

I disconnect the call. He’s right. As much as I secretly despise it, the chain of the Rossi empire is unbreakable.

Chapter Seven

Nicoletta

Christ, I feel like shit.

A deep cut of pain spreads across my face, leaving a heavy pounding in my temples. I throw the fluffy covers off me with a groan. Karma is a bitch. The consequences of ditching my engagement party the other night have swiftly caught up with me. A concussion had me lying in a hospital bed for the entire day until the doctors announced it was safe enough for me to leave. Even though they had me stocked up on medication, this fricking headache won’t leave me alone.

My feet hits the fluffy carpet as I stand, then wobble to the dresser. I almost run at the sight of the wild-haired girl with racoon eyes staring back at me. Apparently, I look like shit, too. I give up the attempt to fix the unruly locks after remembering that I don’t have classes today. The household staff has seen me at my worst. Today won’t be an exception.

Wanting to rid myself of this mounting headache, I stagger downstairs to the kitchen. Bright sunlight streams through the French windows as I enter the huge space, giving Aunt Carlotta a good morning greeting before making my way to the fridge.

“How’s your head?” she asks, pausing whatever she’s stirring in a saucepan. It smells like stewed apples.

“Sore. Pounding,” I reply, then toss the pair of aspirins into my mouth, downing them with a drink of water.

“As it should.” She puts the spoon down, her face clouding with a stern expression. “You gave us quite a scare, young lady. How could you do something like that?”

“Like what? Live my life?”

“Don’t get smart with me.”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “Aunt Carlotta, I’m twenty years old. I have the right to go out and party whenever I want.”

“Not at the expense of your fiancé’s ego, certainly not putting your father’s reputation at risk. You not only slapped Lucca and threw wine at him, but you left him hanging at the engagement party.”

“I don’t give a sh—I don’t care about Lucca’s ego,” I snap. “And I don’t care that I left him alone.”

“You certainly don’t care about my reputation, either,” Dad’s booming voice comes from behind me. “Do you understand how much damage control I had to do?”

“You already told me how much, Daddy,” I reply wearily, remembering his hour-long lecture in the hospital room.

He cuts me a ‘watch your tone’ glare. “The D’Angelos were livid.”

“They should be livid about this mockery of an engagement,” I fire back. “You should, too.”

“Nicki…” Aunt Carlotta says warningly. My father’s scowl deepens.

“What I am is disappointed, Nicoletta. You seriously let me down. My relationship with the D’Angelos would be filled with tension had I not assured them I would fix your mistake.”

I shake my head vigorously. “It wasn’t a mistake. I deliberately left that party.”

“Oh, I know it was a deliberate move,” Dad replies. His expression settles. A sneaky smile emerges. “That wasn’t your mistake, my entitled little princess.”

Why is he smiling like that? He shouldn’t look so pleased with himself. I straighten myself, wariness filling me.

“Your mistake was assuming your actions would go unpunished, carissima. Which is my fault. I’ve let you get away with wrongdoings for far too long.”

“What’s so wrong about wanting to leave the life I want?”

“It is, when it contradicts your destiny. You’ve always known what I require of you. Whatmy legacyrequires. Why you’re rebelling now, I don’t understand.”

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