CLAUDIA

In the end, Alfonso got his way. We were set to be married the next month when I found out that I was eight weeks pregnant that day he informed Papa about our engagement I spent the night in his penthouse and this baby in my womb was the result of that night two months ago.

Even if I gave him that consent that night I still couldn't believe that he managed to get me pregnant on that first night. Well, it might not be that night but those nights that have followed after that and maybe those mornings also before we even have to go to work he'll manage to get me to a quick tumble in the bed with his restless seduction.

When we broke the news to our parents—well, they had the poles apart reaction. His parents especially his father were beyond ecstatic at the news he even started planning the christening and all. He was over the moon that finally someone would be able to inherit their vineyard and the next generation of the Orsinis would continue. While my Papa—I sighed deeply—he was a different story. When we broke the news to him after he forbade me to see Alfonso ever again I was not surprised by his wrath reaction when this son of his boss managed to make his eldest daughter pregnant despite his interference in our relationship.

He didn't hesitate to give us an earful of lectures while we were trapped in his study room and he was pacing the room like a caged beast. He also threatened to sue Alfonso for my pregnancy but I managed to change to give him a pause when I told him would he deprive his grandchild of the chance to be with his father if he put Alfonso in jail.

Alfonso beamed at me because I sided with him while dealing with my difficult father. Eventually, Papa demanded that we should be married as soon as possible before my pregnancy became too obvious. He doesn't want people to gossip about me which Alfonso agreed happily. He was more than happy to do that.

He proposed to me one unexpected night in their vineyard after our dinner with his parents. He bent one knee in front of me and gave me this yellow band with a round diamond in the middle with an elaborate design on the side studded with tiny diamonds.

I moved back to my parents' house with my Mama's insistence. She told me that she wants to take good care of me until my wedding next month. She cried a little while having a mother-and-daughter conversation in my bedroom on the first night I was back home. She told me that she couldn't believe that her baby girl would be getting married already with a child on the way. She was happy and sad at the same time but I told her that I would not go away. I will still visit them often even if I have a new family now.

A few days later, on the day I had scheduled a wedding dress fitting, Gianna burst into my room with a tabloid in her hand.

"You have to see this, Claudia." There was a troubled expression on her face as she firmly locked the door behind her.

"What?" I turned around to face my sister. I was about to choose an outfit for my appointment today when she barged in.

She showed me the tabloid in her hand and on the front page of the newspaper, there was Violet Ricci's picture with the big bold caption at the headline about her unexpected pregnancy. "So?" I raised an eyebrow at her tossing the scandal sheet on my bed unceremoniously. "I am not interested in her life."

Gianna picked up that trash again and shoved it into my face. "You have to read the part where she told the press about the father of her child."

"As I said, I am not interested." I offered her dismissively.

"It's Alfonso!" My younger sister pointed her finger at the paragraph in the tattler. "She claimed that your fiancé is the father of her child!"

"What?!" I snatched the paper in her hand and read the said paragraph.

...famous actress, Violetta Ricci, was rumored that she would be taking a break from the movie that she was currently filming because of her unexpected pregnancy. According to inside sources, Ricci, 25, is now sixteen weeks pregnant with her first child, and from what we gathered additional information about this scandal of the year, Ricci, herself confined to her closest friends that the father of her child was none other than the man who was linked with her in the past, the wealthy heir from the family of winemakers, Alfonso Orsini, who was quite famous with the young ladies of the society.

They were rumored to be dating in the past but both parties denied the involvement with each other claiming that they were only 'acquaintances' Now it seems that those rumors happened to be true if they are now expecting their first child. We're still trying to get Alfonso Orsini's side of the story but so far he's not responding to our request for an interview...

"What the hell...?" I tossed the paper on the floor, trying to hide my shock. I could feel my face was so pale at the moment because of the worried look on Gianna's face and I was having difficulty in breathing.

"Are you all right?" She asked with a horrified expression. I couldn't give her an answer as my legs lost their strength and I found myself sitting on the bed and Gianna sat beside me. "I am debating if I would show you this article since you are also pregnant and I am afraid that the news would harm you and the baby but you'll learn about this eventually since it's in every newspaper today."

"Mama and Papa," I managed to say through my dry throat. "Do they know about this?"

Gianna shook her head as she sat beside me. "I am not sure but there's a high chance that they are already aware of this."

I let out several steady breaths, trying to come to terms with what to do next. I need to think rationally here and let the emotion get the best of me. I should expect something like this since they have a history in the past.

I suddenly stood from my bed with a firm resolve. "I need to go."

My sister's eyes widened in my direction as she looked at me with a concerned expression. "But where are you going? Did you tell me that you have an appointment with your dressmaker today?"

"I have," I answered her with a tight smile on my face but I knew that my sister had already guessed how fake it was. "I also need some space to clear my mind and think clearly."

"Are you going to cancel your wedding?" She asked cautiously.

I looked at her for a moment. Right now, if I have to be honest I still don't have definite plans. I just want some space to absorb everything and plan my next move. I somehow manage to smile despite the alien feeling inside me. "I don't know yet."

Gianna stood beside me, holding my hand firmly. "I think you should talk to Alfonso first. Hear the side of his story before you decide on your upcoming wedding. After all, don't believe everything you read on tabloids."

I smiled at my younger sister touching her cheek tenderly. Who would have thought that my baby sister would advise me like that? It warmed my heart. "Don't worry. I will do that. I will not end everything between us without hearing everything from him firsthand."

"Then, I'll come with you." She said with a smile.

I shook my head almost immediately as soon as she suggested it. "I want to be alone for a while. I want to clear my head."

"I cannot let you do that! Mama and Papa will kill me if I let you leave this house alone in your current state. I will come with you no matter what happened and I will not leave you alone even if you push me away."

I shook my head. There was no need to argue with her when there was a determined look on her face. That stubborn look was a family trait of the Romano. "Very well," I said but I just need to bolt away from her when she's not aware.

And so that was my plan when Gianna and I went out for a walk. Thankfully our parents were nowhere in sight when we left the house so I didn't have to face them right now about the news at the tabloids.

Gianna acted as my bodyguard more than my companion making sure that I wouldn't see anything from the newsstands purposely blocking my view from them. I was touched by her gesture but I was not that weak of a woman.

Suddenly, I felt my eyes were starting to blur with unwanted tears. What's wrong with me? Why do I suddenly feel like crying for no reason? "I am quite tired." I cleared my throat to get my sister's attention. "Let's sit over there and go buy me a drink."

Her eyes instantly narrowed in my direction there was a distrustful look in her eyes. "Drink?"

"Yes," I smiled at her encouragingly. "I am quite thirsty."

She helped me sit on the wooden bench nearby. "Wait for me here. Don't go anywhere while I buy you a drink. Are we clear?"

"Of course," I answered with an innocent look on my face. "Where else would I go? I told you that I am already tired from walking."

"Claudia, I'm serious." Gianna's voice was stern while her eyes felt like piercing through my soul. Suddenly, I wanted to laugh out loud because she was acting like my older sister all of a sudden.

"I know."

She reluctantly left me alone on the bench and bought me a drink. Once she was out of sight, I stood from the bench and gave the direction where she went an apologetic look. Sorry, Gianna, I don't need some babysitting right now. I want to be alone for a moment.

With that, I went out and walked away from the bench with no definite plan on where I was going. I would just let my feet take me wherever and just spend time outside to clear my head and formulate my next plan. I knew that I should have talked to Alfonso about this but I was still gathering some courage to do that. What if I did not like where our talk would lead? I need to have enough strength to accept the worst-case scenario.

I should have expected something like this would happen. I mean, when I agreed to his ridiculous plan of pretending to be the woman he was courting I entered this deal with my eyes wide open. I knew that he was in a secret relationship with that actress and he was using me to avoid the paparazzi that's why I don't have the right to be mad at him because from the start I knew the real score between the two of them.

But I still couldn't avoid the pain in my heart while recalling the article in the newspaper. I wonder how our set-up would be if that happens to be his child also...

I didn't know I long I was walking or how far I go but all I knew was it was already noon and I was already hungry I found myself walking in the familiar neighborhood where my parent's house was located.

Ah, I must unconsciously saunter back home since I was deep in my thoughts.

My eyes widened when I saw someone coming out of our doorway looking frantically. Because of his state of disheveled appearance, it took me a moment to recognize him.

"Claudia!" He crossed the distance between us in a few strides. I blinked at him when he gripped my shoulder forcefully. "It wasn't me. The article. Not the father. That...believe me please..."

I frowned because he was barely making any sense, words came out of his mouth almost incoherently. My heart wrenched seeing him desperately looking at me. I think he was scared that I would believe the article. "I didn't know how this happened but believe me I am not the father of her child. There's no way it was mine because it's been at least more than half a year since the last time we were together—"

"Shh..." I stopped the words coming out of his mouth with my finger. "Calm down..."

"But—" he abruptly halted whatever he was about to say and stared at me with distressed eyes. "Please, believe me, Claudia. I will never betray you like that. From the moment I met you, you're the only one. I've been loyal to you, I swear."

"I know." I smiled at him while touching his cheek fondly.

He was looking at me with troubled eyes. "But Gianna said you fled after you told her that you wanted a drink. Do you know that she went home in tears because you left her?"

"I just want some time to clear my head and I don't want my sister babysitting me. I am not a weak woman who can't handle some drama in my life, you know. Walking alone helps me think clearly."

"So you're not going to leave me?" He asked in wonderment.

I arched a brow in his direction playfully. "Unless do you have a reason why I should leave you?"

He shook his head resolutely while resting his forehead on mine while his hand rested in my still flat belly where our child nestled securely. "No. Thank you for believing in me. I promised you that I will clean this mess as soon as possible. I cannot let people believe that I am the father of Violet's baby. I already explained the situation to your parents for a moment I thought your father would kill me the moment I showed up here."

"He didn't?"

Alfonso permitted himself to smile slightly. "Surprisingly he did not." He pulled me in his arms all of a sudden. "Thank you for not giving up on me, mio amore. I thought you would call off the wedding without hearing my side."

"I will never do that," I answered hugging him back. "Simply because I love you and we're going to have a child of our own that's why I am not making a harsh decision here."

"Oh, thank you, Claudia." He said kissing the top of my head. "I love you."

"I love you too, Signore Orsini." I replied with a smile. He drew a little to look at me in the face. I automatically closed my eyes when I saw him leaning forward I felt his soft and warm lips touch mine and it was probably the sweetest smile we ever share.

That's when I realized that I don't have to face problems alone anymore. Alfonso will be with me from now on because we're stronger when we're together.