Kate's POV:

I walked down the stairs, my steps hesitant and slow. The aroma of breakfast wafted through the house, and the sound of casual chatter filled the dining area. Everyone was gathered around the long oak table, their laughter and conversations echoing in the air. My heart pounded in my chest as I adjusted the loose fabric of my coat, ensuring my belly was concealed. Emily had been discreet about my situation, but I knew that being in Lucio's presence again would be nerve-wracking.

"Look who decided to join us," Steven said with a grin, his eyes lighting up as he spotted me. "It's been way too long, Kate."

The tension in the dining room was suffocating as I stepped in, every pair of eyes turning toward me. I avoided their stares, my gaze fixed on the floor. My voice wavered, but I forced the words out.

"Good morning," I said softly, avoiding his eyes and focusing on the plate Emily placed in front of me.

"Morning," Lucio said, his voice low and rough, sending a shiver down my spine. "Sleep well?"

I nodded, keeping my reply short. "Yeah, thanks."

"Good," he replied, his tone unreadable, but his eyes lingered on me a second too long.

I gave a small smile and nodded, sliding into the only empty seat—unfortunately, the one directly across from Lucio. His piercing green eyes lifted from his plate, locking onto me. My throat tightened as I felt his gaze rake over me. For a moment, I thought he could see right through the carefully chosen outfit and into the secret I was desperately trying to keep.

The others tried to keep the mood light, chatting about random things, but the tension between Lucio and me was palpable. I could feel him watching me as I pushed the food around on my plate.

"You're not eating much," Lucio said suddenly, his voice cutting through the table chatter. "Are you feeling okay?"

My head snapped up, and I forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just not very hungry this morning."

Emily, seated to my left, shot me a knowing look. "Kate's been dealing with a lot lately," she said casually, redirecting the conversation. "Probably just tired."

Lucio's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't press further. The meal continued, but I could barely taste the food. I was too preoccupied with the storm brewing inside me. It was only a matter of time before Lucio demanded answers.

"I wanna go home," I said quietly, refusing to look up.

Lucio's fork clattered against his plate as he slammed his hands onto the table, the force making the dishes jump. The sudden sound made me flinch.

"Why do you want to go home so badly, huh, Kate?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous, his green eyes narrowing as he stared at me. His tone was sharp, each word laced with frustration.

I got up instinctively, searching the room for support. My heart was racing, but I mustered the courage to turn to Emily, who had been my anchor through all of this. "Emily, can you please take me home?" I pleaded, my voice trembling.

Emily opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, Lucio slammed the table again, harder this time. His eyes burned with anger, a storm swirling within them. "Let's go—" Emily began, but Lucio cut her off, his voice booming.

"You're not taking her anywhere! Nobody is taking her anywhere. Do you understand me?" He pointed at each person in the room, his gaze lingering on Emily and then shifting back to me. "You're staying right here, Kate."

His voice rose with every word, and the room fell into a deafening silence. His sudden outburst made everyone at the table freeze. My heart sank as I realized there was no reasoning with him in this state.

Lucio sat back down, his movements sharp and deliberate, gripping his knife and fork with an unnatural intensity as he continued eating as though nothing had happened. The clatter of utensils against the plate was the only sound in the room.

Tears welled up in my eyes. My chest felt tight, my breathing shallow. This wasn't a home; it was a cage. "I can't do this," I whispered to myself, but it was loud enough for Emily to hear.

"Kate, let's go," Emily said again, her voice firm but calm, her hand reaching out for mine. Her determination gave me a momentary glimmer of hope.

"Nobody is going anywhere!" Lucio's voice thundered again, and he shot to his feet, towering over the table. His chair scraped back with a grating sound, his eyes locking onto Emily with a ferocity that made her take a step back.

"Lucio, you're being unreasonable," Emily countered, her voice steady despite the tension. "She doesn't want to be here. Let her go."

Lucio's jaw clenched, the muscles ticking as his fury bubbled just beneath the surface. "You don't get to decide what's reasonable when it comes to Kate. She's mine, and she's staying." His words were venomous, the possessiveness in his tone leaving no room for argument.

I couldn't take it anymore. The weight of the room, the confrontation—it was all too much. Tears spilled over, and I bolted from the room, my vision blurry as I stumbled through the hallways.

"Kate!" Lucio's voice followed me, echoing through the house, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. My heart pounded in my chest as I blindly searched for a place to hide, my feet carrying me to a random room.

I slammed the door shut behind me and sank to the floor, pulling my knees to my chest. The tears came harder now, uncontrollable sobs shaking my body as I pressed my face into my hands. Why couldn't he just let me go? Why did everything have to be a fight?

I could hear the muffled sounds of arguing from downstairs, Emily's voice rising in protest, and Lucio's louder, angrier retorts. The walls seemed to close in around me, their voices blending into a chaotic storm of frustration and despair. My hands trembled as I hugged my knees tighter, wishing I could disappear.

The door suddenly creaked open, and I looked up, my breath hitching. Lucio stood there, his chest rising and falling as though he'd been running. His eyes softened when he saw me crumpled in the corner, but the fire in them hadn't completely died out.

"Kate," he said, his voice gentler now, but still firm. He took a hesitant step forward, his towering frame blocking the doorway.

"Leave me alone," I whispered, my voice cracking. I couldn't look at him. I didn't want to see the battle in his eyes, the mix of anger and regret that had become too familiar.

"Kate," he repeated, crouching down to my level. His voice was quieter now, almost pleading. "I'm not trying to hurt you, but you can't just run away every time things get hard. Talk to me."

I shook my head, fresh tears falling. "There's no talking to you, Lucio. You don't listen. You just take and take until there's nothing left."

His face twisted in pain, and he reached out a hand toward me but stopped short. "I listen, Kate. I'm listening now. Tell me what you want. Tell me how to fix this."

"You can't fix this," I said, my voice rising in frustration.

Lucio's POV:

The frustration boiled in my chest like a storm I couldn't contain. I slammed my hands on the table, the noise echoing through the room, startling everyone present. My gaze snapped to Emily, who stood there with her arms crossed, defiance etched on her face.

"Emily, why?" My voice was harsh, raw with emotion. "Why did you do this? Why did you keep her from me? You know what I went through without her. You know what it was like for me. All you care about is your damn self!"

Emily's calm facade cracked, her expression hardening as her eyes narrowed. "You think this is about me? You think I did this for myself?" she shouted back, her voice rising to match my intensity. "Do you have any idea what she went through? Do you care about how much she was hurting? Or are you just too blind to see past your own pain, Lucio?"

I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening. Her words struck a nerve, but I refused to let her see it. "Don't you dare talk to me about pain, Emily. I've been through hell these past months. And you—my own sister—chose to keep me in the dark."

Emily's face twisted with a mix of anger and disbelief. "You don't deserve to know everything, Lucio! You destroyed her trust, and now you're angry because she didn't come running back to you? Grow up. She needed space, and I gave her that."

I took a step closer, my anger barely restrained. "I don't need your lectures, Emily. Mom's arriving in a few hours, and when she does, I hope she tears into you for this. You had no right!"

Emily's laugh was cold, cutting through the air like a blade. "Oh, trust me, Lucio, Mom's going to have plenty to say—to both of us. But if you're waiting for her to take your side, you're in for a rude awakening."

With that, Emily stormed out, slamming the door behind her. The sound reverberated in my chest like a punch, but I didn't follow her. My anger had nowhere to go, and the silence that followed only made it worse.

I needed answers. I needed to understand why. My gut told me there was more to this than what I'd been told. Whatever it was, Kate owed me an explanation.

Without thinking, I marched upstairs, my footsteps heavy and deliberate. I didn't bother knocking as I shoved the door to Kate's room open. The emptiness of the room greeted me, the air thick with her absence. I scanned the space, my frustration mounting when I realized she wasn't there.

The bathroom door caught my attention, slightly ajar. I pushed it open, my eyes darting around the small space. Empty. No sign of her. I turned to leave, my head pounding with frustration, when something in the trash can caught my eye.

A small pink box.

I hesitated, my breath hitching as I crouched down to get a better look. My hands trembled slightly as I used a napkin to lift the box, my heart sinking as I read the words printed on it. Pregnancy Test.

"What the hell," I whispered to myself, my voice barely audible over the rush of blood in my ears. My stomach churned as I pulled the stick from the box, my eyes fixating on the two unmistakable lines.

Positive.

My head spun, a dull ache forming at my temples as I stared at the test. Kate's pregnant. The realization hit me like a freight train, the weight of it pressing down on my chest. A mix of emotions flooded me—shock, confusion, anger. Was it mine? It had to be mine. But why hadn't she told me? Was this the reason she stayed away?

I threw the box and test back into the trash, my movements sharp and frustrated. My hands curled into fists as I stormed back downstairs. I couldn't shake the image of the test from my mind.

Entering the living room, I saw Emily sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone. She looked up as I approached, her expression unreadable.

"You knew," I said, my voice low but laced with anger.

Emily raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. "Knew what, Lucio?"

"Don't play games with me, Emily!" I snapped, my voice rising. "You knew she was pregnant, didn't you?"

Her eyes softened, but there was no trace of guilt in her expression. "Yes, I knew," she admitted calmly. "But it wasn't my place to tell you."

I let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through my hair. "Not your place? She's carrying my child, Emily! And you didn't think I deserved to know?"

Emily stood, her gaze unwavering as she faced me. "I didn't tell you because she wasn't ready to tell you herself. You think barging in and demanding answers is going to fix this? You think yelling at her is going to make her trust you again?"

"Trust me?" I repeated, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "How am I supposed to trust her when she's been keeping this from me for months?"

"Maybe if you'd shown her that she could rely on you, she wouldn't have felt the need to keep it a secret," Emily shot back. "She's scared, Lucio. She doesn't know how to handle this, and your temper isn't helping."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside me. Emily's words stung, but I couldn't deny the truth in them. "Where is she?" I asked, my voice softer now.

The moment my voice boomed through the house, the tension became palpable. Everyone froze, their eyes darting between me and Emily, her face etched with guilt and sorrow.

Where is she?" I demanded again, my voice raw and edged with desperation. "Emily, I said where the fuck is she!"

I slammed my hands on the table, the sound echoing through the tense room. My voice was loud and sharp, filled with frustration and desperation. "Where is she?" My gaze darted to Emily, who was nervously biting her lip. "Emily, I'm talking to you! Where is she?"

Emily's shoulders tensed, and she looked at me with defiance, her own voice rising. "Lucio, calm down. She's not gone."

"Calm down?" I roared, pacing the room like a caged animal. "Don't tell me to calm down, Emily! I've spent seven months looking for her, and now you're telling me you knew all along? You knew, and you said nothing?" My hand swept across the table, sending a glass crashing to the floor.

My fists clenched and unclenched at my sides as the frustration threatened to choke me. "You want me to calm down when you've all been lying to me? Keeping her from me? WHERE IS SHE?"

Emily took a shaky breath, her voice trembling but firm. "Yes, I knew. And I didn't tell you because she begged me not to. She was terrified, Lucio! Scared of what you'd do, scared of this life. She made me promise, and I kept that promise."

Her words cut through me like a knife. "You had no right to keep this from me!" I shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "You saw what I was going through! You saw what I became without her, and you still said nothing? What kind of sister does that?"

Emily squared her shoulders, her tears streaming down her face. "The kind of sister who puts someone else's safety above your ego, Lucio! Do you think you're the only one who suffered? She was breaking too, but you never stopped to think about that, did you?"

Before I could respond, the door creaked open. My anger dissipated the moment I saw Kate step into the room. Her oversized coat dwarfed her frame, and her eyes were fixed on the ground. She looked so fragile, like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

"Kate," I said, my voice suddenly softer, almost breaking. Her name felt foreign on my lips after so many months of screaming it into the void. She finally looked up, and the sight of her tear-streaked face gutted me. My chest tightened as guilt and relief collided within me.

Emily stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Kate's arm. "It's time, Kate," she said gently. "You need to talk to him."

Kate hesitated before letting out a trembling sigh. Slowly, she reached up and unbuttoned the oversized coat. As it fell away, the air seemed to leave the room. Her swollen belly was unmistakable, and I felt the ground shift beneath me.

Gasps filled the room, and for a moment, all I could do was stare. She was pregnant. My child. My mind struggled to process what I was seeing.

Steven broke the silence, his voice filled with awe and confusion. "Kate... you're pregnant? I knew something was off when Emily pulled you away, but—wait, who...?"

Her voice was barely above a whisper. "It's Lucio's."

Steven blinked, his expression a mix of shock and understanding. "But how? Lucio's been searching for you for seven months now. When did this happen?"

Kate's voice cracked as she answered, "When we went to Italy. After I came back, I found out I was pregnant with his child."

I stepped forward, the initial shock wearing off and anger taking its place. "You knew for months," I said, my voice low but dangerous, "and you didn't tell me?"

Her tears fell freely now, but I couldn't stop. "You left without thinking twice about how I would feel," I continued, my voice rising. "Do you even understand what it would've been like if my child grew up without their father? Did you think about that, Kate? Did you?"

Kate sobbed openly, and Emily stepped between us, her face a mask of fury. "Enough!" she yelled. "You will not shout at her like this, Lucio!"

"Emily, stay out of this!" I barked, pointing at her.

"No," another voice interjected, firm and commanding. My mother stepped into the room, her eyes blazing. "You will not treat her like this."

"Mom," I started, but she cut me off.

"No, Lucio! Do not 'Mom' me. You have no right to shout at her after what you put her through. When you made love to her, was she just a 'good fuck' to you?"

Her words hit me like a sledgehammer, forcing me to relive the moment I had said those hateful words. "Mom, I didn't mean—"

"You didn't mean it?" she interrupted, her voice trembling with anger. "Then why did you say it? Why did you push her away when all she ever wanted was to make you happy?"

Kate's broken voice cut through the tension. "Because I couldn't," she said, clutching her stomach protectively. "I couldn't let my child grow up in this world, Lucio. Your world. You had no time for anything but the mafia. How would you have had time for a child? I've already been through enough—abuse from my parents, almost being raped by my stepbrother. I couldn't risk it. I couldn't risk them."

Her words gutted me, leaving me unable to breathe. "Kate," I said, my voice breaking. "Please, don't leave me again. I'll make it right, I swear. Just give me another chance."

"No," she said firmly, tears streaming down her face. "I can't do this anymore."

As she turned to Emily and my mother, begging them to take her home, something inside me snapped. "No one is taking her anywhere," I growled, my voice icy.

"Lucio," Emily warned, stepping protectively in front of Kate.

I ignored her. "Guards!" I barked, and two men appeared at the door. "Take her to her room and lock the door. She's not leaving."

Kate's eyes widened in shock and betrayal. "You can't do this," she said, her voice shaking.

"I can, and I will," I said, my voice filled with resolve. "This is for your own good, Kate."

She screamed at me, tears streaming down her face as the guards gently escorted her upstairs. Emily glared at me with pure hatred. "You're making a mistake, Lucio. A big one."

I turned away, swallowing the lump in my throat. I couldn't lose her, not again. Even if it meant she hated me, I couldn't let her leave.