Chapter 11 - THE NIGHT SOFIA ROSSI CAME EARLY
The ambulance doors slammed shut.
Julian climbed inside before anyone could stop him.
Elena lay on the stretcher with both hands wrapped around her stomach.
Her face had gone pale.
Another contraction came.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
Julian reached for her hand.
She grabbed it immediately.
Hard.
“Look at me.”
Elena opened her eyes.
“I’m scared.”
It was the first time she had admitted it.
Not at the hotel.
Not when Luca’s men appeared.
Not when Isabella held a gun against her.
Now.
Julian leaned closer.
“I’m here.”
“That doesn’t mean she’s safe.”
“I know.”
He refused to lie to her.
The paramedic checked the monitor.
“Thirty-four weeks?”
“Yes.”
Elena answered between breaths.
“Any complications during pregnancy?”
She hesitated.
Julian saw it.
The clinic.
The medication.
The stress.
Everything.
“Her medical history may have been falsified.”
The paramedic looked up.
“What?”
Julian continued.
“She was held at a private clinic during the first trimester.”
“Julian.”
“They need to know.”
Elena closed her eyes.
The paramedic immediately became more serious.
“What medication?”
“We don’t know.”
“Do you have records?”
“No.”
Elena whispered,
“Dr. Moreau.”
“What?”
“The doctor was Étienne Moreau.”
The paramedic wrote it down.
Another contraction hit.
Elena cried out.
Julian tightened his grip.
“I’ve got you.”
She looked at him through the pain.
“Don’t say that.”
He froze.
“What?”
“You said that at the warehouse.”
“I know.”
“You can’t promise that.”
Her voice broke.
“You can’t promise nothing will happen.”
Julian swallowed.
She was right.
So he changed the promise.
“I won’t leave.”
Elena stared at him.
“That I can promise.”
Her fingers tightened around his.
“Okay.”
The ambulance sped through the city.
Julian’s phone kept vibrating.
Matteo.
Vittorio.
Police.
Attorneys.
Board members.
Reporters.
Julian ignored all of them.
Then one message appeared.
ADRIAN IS WITH ME.
It was from Claudia.
Julian exhaled.
He showed Elena.
“He’s safe.”
Her eyes closed in relief.
“Good.”
The ambulance turned sharply.
Julian looked through the rear window.
Two police vehicles followed.
Another contraction.
Closer this time.
The paramedic checked the monitor again.
His expression changed.
Julian saw it.
“What?”
The man did not answer immediately.
“What is it?”
Elena looked at him.
The paramedic adjusted a sensor.
“The baby’s heart rate dipped.”
Julian’s chest tightened.
“Is that normal?”
“It can happen.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
The paramedic looked at him.
“We’re four minutes from the hospital.”
Julian understood.
That meant stop asking.
They arrived three minutes later.
The doors opened.
Doctors were already waiting.
Elena was rushed through the emergency entrance.
Julian stayed beside her until a nurse stopped him.
“You need to wait here.”
“No.”
“Sir.”
“I’m her husband.”
Elena looked at him.
“Julian.”
He stopped.
She reached for him.
He took her hand.
“If something happens…”
“No.”
“Listen.”
He shook his head.
“Elena.”
“Listen to me.”
Her eyes filled.
“If something happens to me, don’t let your family take Sofia.”
His face broke.
“Nothing is happening to you.”
“You just promised not to lie.”
He stopped.
She was right again.
Elena tightened her grip.
“Promise.”
Julian leaned closer.
“No one will ever take her.”
“And Adrian.”
Julian stared at her.
“He has no one.”
“He has me.”
Elena shook her head.
“He doesn’t know you.”
“Then I’ll earn it.”
She looked at him for a long second.
Then nodded.
The doctors moved her away.
Julian stood in the corridor.
Alone.
For thirty seconds.
Then the elevator opened.
Adrian ran out.
Claudia followed with her injured arm in a sling.
The boy stopped when he saw Julian.
Neither knew what to do.
Julian crouched.
“Elena is with the doctors.”
Adrian looked toward the operating wing.
“Is she okay?”
“They’re helping her.”
“And the baby?”
“They’re helping her too.”
Adrian swallowed.
“What’s her name?”
“Sofia.”
The boy looked at him.
“That was Grandma Rossi’s name.”
Julian blinked.
“You knew her?”
“No.”
“Mom told me about her.”
Julian’s throat tightened.
Lucia had known more about his family than he had realized.
Adrian looked toward the doors.
“Is Elena really my aunt?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re really…”
He stopped.
Julian did not force him to finish.
“Yes.”
Adrian looked at the floor.
“My mother said you didn’t know.”
Julian stared.
“What?”
“She wrote me letters.”
“She said if I ever met you, I shouldn’t hate you before hearing your side.”
Julian could barely breathe.
“You have those letters?”
Adrian nodded.
“At school.”
“Did Luca know?”
“I don’t think so.”
Claudia’s expression changed.
“Those letters may matter.”
Julian looked at her.
“Why?”
“Lucia may have written about Isabella.”
Adrian’s face tightened.
“My mom didn’t like her.”
Julian almost laughed despite everything.
“She had good instincts.”
A doctor appeared.
“Mr. Rossi?”
Julian stood instantly.
“How is she?”
“We’re preparing for an emergency delivery.”
His stomach dropped.
“Why?”
“The fetal heart rate is showing repeated decelerations.”
Julian stared at him.
“Tell me what that means.”
“It means the baby may not be tolerating labor well.”
“Can I see Elena?”
“Briefly.”
Julian followed.
Elena was surrounded by nurses.
She looked terrified.
He went to her.
“They’re taking her.”
“I know.”
“Julian.”
“I know.”
“What if she can’t breathe?”
“The doctors are ready.”
“What if she’s too small?”
“They’re ready.”
“What if—”
“Elena.”
She looked at him.
“You kept her alive for thirty-four weeks through everything they did to you.”
“You got her out.”
“You protected her.”
“Now let them help you.”
Tears rolled down Elena’s face.
“I wanted you there when she was born.”
Julian’s eyes burned.
“I’m here.”
A nurse handed him surgical clothing.
“You can accompany her unless the medical situation changes.”
Julian put it on faster than he had ever dressed in his life.
Minutes later, he sat beside Elena in the operating room.
He kept his eyes on her.
Not the instruments.
Not the doctors.
Her.
“You still with me?”
She managed a tiny smile.
“Unfortunately.”
He almost laughed.
“There she is.”
Then everything became fast.
Doctors spoke in short commands.
Numbers were called.
Elena squeezed Julian’s hand.
He heard one doctor say,
“Ready.”
Then another.
“Delivery.”
Julian stopped breathing.
A tiny body appeared.
For one horrifying second, there was silence.
Elena looked at Julian.
“Why isn’t she crying?”
He could not answer.
Doctors moved around the baby.
“Come on.”
Someone said.
Elena began crying.
“Why isn’t she crying?”
Julian stood halfway.
A nurse stopped him.
“Please stay seated.”
Then it came.
Small.
Thin.
Angry.
A cry.
Elena covered her face.
Julian broke.
He lowered his forehead against her hand.
“That’s her.”
The cry came again.
Stronger.
Elena laughed through tears.
“That’s Sofia.”
“Yes.”
A doctor brought the baby close for only a few seconds.
She was tiny.
Red-faced.
Wrapped quickly in warm blankets.
Julian stared.
Nothing in his life had ever looked so fragile.
Or so powerful.
“Hello, Sofia.”
The baby moved.
Elena touched her cheek with one finger.
“I’m your mom.”
Then the doctors carried Sofia toward neonatal care.
Elena panicked.
“Where are they taking her?”
“To help her breathe.”
Julian stood.
“I’ll go.”
Elena caught his hand.
He looked down.
“Don’t leave me yet.”
Julian sat again.
“I won’t.”
And he didn't.
Not until Elena was stable.
Not until the doctors assured them Sofia was breathing with support.
Not until Elena was transferred to recovery.
Only then did Julian walk into the hallway.
Adrian was asleep in a chair.
Claudia sat beside him.
Matteo had arrived.
Vittorio stood at the far end of the corridor.
Police officers stood beside him.
Julian stared at his father.
Vittorio looked suddenly old.
Not powerful.
Not terrifying.
Just old.
“How is she?”
Julian answered,
“They’re both alive.”
Vittorio closed his eyes.
Relief crossed his face.
Julian felt nothing.
Then Matteo approached.
“We have a problem.”
Julian looked at him.
“What now?”
Matteo handed him a phone.
A news alert filled the screen.
ISABELLA ROSSI CLAIMS SON FABRICATED KIDNAPPING TO SEIZE FAMILY EMPIRE.
Julian stared.
Matteo continued.
“Her attorneys are saying the warehouse confrontation was staged.”
“Staged?”
“They’re claiming Elena voluntarily disappeared after an affair.”
Julian’s face hardened.
“And Sofia?”
“They’re questioning paternity.”
Julian laughed bitterly.
Of course.
Matteo continued.
“They’re also claiming Luca was coerced.”
Julian looked toward the officers.
“Isabella confessed.”
“Her lawyers say she was threatened.”
“Vittorio recorded her.”
“They’re challenging the recording.”
Julian looked through the glass toward the neonatal unit.
His daughter was less than an hour old.
And Isabella was already trying to erase her.
Julian handed the phone back.
“No.”
Matteo frowned.
“No what?”
“No press statement.”
“No family lawyers.”
“No private settlement.”
Julian looked toward Vittorio.
“We do this publicly.”
Vittorio’s expression changed.
Julian continued.
“Every account.”
“Every clinic record.”
“Every payment.”
“Everything.”
Vittorio whispered,
“That could destroy Rossi Holdings.”
Julian looked at him.
“Then it deserves to be destroyed.”
Vittorio stared at his son.
Julian turned away.
Then Adrian stirred.
His eyes opened.
He looked at Julian.
“Is the baby okay?”
Julian crouched beside him.
“Yes.”
Adrian smiled sleepily.
Then reached into his jacket.
“I forgot.”
He pulled out a folded piece of paper.
“What is that?”
“My mom’s last letter.”
Claudia went still.
Julian took it.
The envelope had been opened many times.
On the front, Lucia had written:
FOR ADRIAN WHEN HE FINDS HIS FATHER.
Julian’s hands began trembling.
Inside was a short letter.
He read until he reached the final lines.
Then he stopped.
Claudia noticed.
“What?”
Julian read them again.
If Julian ever finds you, tell him I tried.
Tell Elena I’m sorry I kept the truth from her.
And if Isabella says my crash was an accident, ask her why she was driving behind me that night.
Julian slowly looked up.
Lucia had not merely suspected Isabella.
May you like
She had seen her.
And a nine-year-old boy had been carrying the clue for years.
