Giulia laughed in relief.

Simona jumped up from her chair and rushed over to Giulia, throwing her arms around her.

“Careful,” I said. “Your mom has a baby in her belly.”

Simona nodded wide-eyed and stared at Giulia’s still flat stomach. “Can it hear me?”

“Yes.”

She leaned down. “Please be a little sister. Boys are annoying.”

“Hey! You’re annoying.” Daniele had talked with his mouth full and a few noodles fell out when he spoke.

Simona wrinkled her nose. “You stink.”

Daniele swallowed and let out a burp. “That stinks.”

“Ewww!”

“Enough,” I said firmly. “We’re having dinner.”

Daniele nodded, but he kept his eyes on Simona.

Simona stroked Giulia’s belly as if it was a magic lamp and would grant her a wish before she returned to her place. Daniele stuck his food-covered tongue out at her. She hit him. I gave Giulia a look. You really want another one of these?

“I can’t wait for another one,” she said.

I was in my eighth month when Mansueto had another heart attack. The doctors weren’t sure if he’d ever leave the hospital again. When he asked me to visit him alone, dread filled me.

He was pale and thin in the hospital bed. His eyes were even duller than usual, and he could barely lift his head in greeting when I walked in.

“How are you?” I asked gently as I sank down in the chair beside the bed.

“I don’t have long.”

I touched his wrinkly hand. “You don’t know that.”

He smiled weakly. “I’m going to die, Giulia, and there’s only one thing I need to do before I leave this earth.”

“And what is that?”

“I want my blood to live on, to rule.” He nodded at my belly. “You carry the true heir to the name Moretti in your womb. Daniele shouldn’t be allowed to become Underboss. It’s just not right.”

I leaned back and pulled my hand away. That was exactly why I wished we hadn’t told Mansueto the gender of the baby. If it had been a girl, he wouldn’t have been this obsessed.

“Do a dying man the favor of telling Cassio the truth about those kids. He needs to know.”

I shook my head. “I won’t tell him and you shouldn’t either. Why would you even ask me to do it?”

He smiled tiredly. “I’m an old man. I don’t have long to live. Cassio would never forgive me if I told him. I can’t leave this world with him hating me. But if you tell him…”

“You can’t be serious.”

“He loves you, Giulia. He’d forgive you. How could he not?”

“Even if I told him, it wouldn’t change a thing. He loves Daniele and Simona. He’d still want Daniele to become Underboss.”

“If that were true, then why did he never want to know the truth? It’s ingrained in every man, the need to create a legacy, and his legacy grows in your belly. The only legacy Daniele carries is one of betrayal and incest.”

My eyes grew wide. Fierce protectiveness boiled up inside me. I couldn’t believe he had the audacity to insult my child in front of me. “How can you say that?”

Mansueto struggled into a sitting position. “Because it’s true. Don’t you want your son to become Underboss? Don’t you want him to have the position he deserves?”

I couldn’t speak. I pressed a palm to my stomach, stunned. Mansueto misunderstood the gesture.

“Every mother wants what’s best for her own child, and that baby in your womb is Cassio’s and yours. If you ask Cassio, he’ll disinherit Daniele and make your son the true heir.”

I shook my head slowly. “He’d never do it.”

“He would. For you. He’d do anything for you. Even that. He loves you more than anything else.”

“The person he loves would never ask him to disinherit his child.”

Mansueto’s eyes became imploring. “Then don’t ask him. You could let the truth slip by accident. If people find out about Daniele’s father, they’d never accept him as Underboss in the Famiglia. Incest is something shameful and disgusting.”

“Daniele and Simona can’t help who their parents are.”

“Giulia—”

“No,” I said firmly. “You know I respect you, Mansueto, but that you even consider suggesting something like that…” I took a deep breath. “I won’t do it. I’ll pretend you never even asked me.” I moved closer to him and took his wrinkly pale hand again. “Promise me not to tell it to anyone. Promise.”

Mansueto sighed, his eyes tightening with regret.

My pulse sped up. “Who? Who have you told?”

“Your father.”

How could he have told my father? He might as well have announced it on the news!

I turned around and hurried out of the hospital room, almost colliding with Mia on my way out. She steadied me with a firm grip on my shoulder. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

I forced a smile. “I forgot about an appointment. I’m sorry. I need to leave.”

“Okay.” Hesitation and worry reflected on her face.

Elia, who’d waited in the corridor for me, fell into step beside me, but I motioned for him to give me some privacy as I called Dad.

He picked up after the second ring, his voice cheerful. Of course, he was ecstatic. “Giulia, how’s my grandson?”

“Don’t tell anyone, Dad. Don’t. Swear it.”

Silence on the other end. “What are you talking about?”

“You know what I’m talking about. Daniele and Simona. Don’t tell anyone what Mansueto told you.”

“Giulia,” Dad began as if he was still talking to my naïve seven-year-old self.

“Dad, I mean it. I don’t want the news to get out. You are the only one who could spread it.” My steps became faster, but the additional weight of my belly made me slow, and I had to wait for the elevator because taking the staircase was out of the question.

“You can’t expect me to sit on information that can lead to my grandson, my own flesh and blood, to becoming Underboss. You should want that too. Do you want your son to be only a Captain and serve under the result of incestuous adultery?”

I gritted my teeth against the insult. Elia watched me worriedly as we took the elevator down to the underground garage. “I’m coming to Baltimore. Don’t talk to anyone. I’ll be there in two hours. Swear it.”

Dad sighed. “I swear it. I’m going to tell your mother to have the cooks prepare a nice dinner for us.”

I hung up. “We need to drive to Baltimore.”

Elia frowned. “To your parents’ home?”

“Yes. We have to leave right away.”

Elia led me toward the car and opened the door for me.

“You need to tell Cassio first.”

I sank down on the passenger seat as Elia slipped behind the steering wheel. I dialed Cassio’s number but got the busy signal. Luca was in town to talk to Cassio and Mansueto. Everyone knew that Mansueto didn’t have long. Maybe Cassio was in a conference call with other Underbosses and his Capo. “We can’t wait until I can reach him. It’s urgent.”