Chapter 5 - The Deal
The massive foyer of the Fierro estate was completely breathtaking.
Incredible crystal chandeliers hung from the soaring ceiling, and the floors were made of imported marble.
But the immense beauty was entirely overshadowed by the terrifying man standing right in front of us.
Dominic Fierro was in his late sixties, but he still looked incredibly powerful and deeply dangerous.
He stared directly at me, his cold grey eyes identical to Giovanni's, but completely empty of any mercy.
I held a sleeping Lily tightly against my chest, instinctively trying to shield her from his intense gaze.
"Father," Giovanni said calmly, his hand resting protectively on the small of my back.
"I would like to officially introduce my wife, Jessica, and my new daughter, Lily."
Dominic let out a harsh, completely dismissive scoff.
"A cheap pediatric nurse with massive debt and another man's unwanted baggage."
My blood instantly boiled with sudden, protective fury.
"Lily is not unwanted baggage," I snapped sharply, completely shocking myself.
"She is my beautiful daughter, and you will not speak about her like that in front of me."
The absolute silence in the grand foyer was terrifyingly heavy.
The massive security guards standing near the doors shifted very nervously.
Nobody ever spoke back to the head of the Fierro syndicate.
Dominic stared at me for five agonizingly long seconds.
Then, surprisingly, the corners of his mouth twitched upward into a very cold, terrifying smile.
"She actually has some fire in her," Dominic noted quietly to Giovanni.
"It will honestly make it far more entertaining when the Russians finally kill her."
My heart stopped completely inside my chest.
"The Russians?" I repeated, my voice instantly losing all of its previous bravery.
Giovanni’s grip on my lower back tightened significantly.
"Do not try to terrify her, Father," Giovanni warned in a low voice.
"She needs to know exactly what she just walked into, Giovanni," Dominic replied smoothly.
The older man slowly poured himself a crystal glass of expensive amber liquor.
"You forcefully ruined the arranged marriage with the Volkov family tonight."
Dominic took a slow sip, his eyes completely locked on me.
"Ivan Volkov was highly offended that you publicly claimed another woman."
"Ivan Volkov is a ruthless, unhinged animal, and I absolutely refuse to marry his spoiled daughter," Giovanni fired back.
"He is an animal who currently controls all the illegal shipping ports on the East Coast!" Dominic roared loudly.
Lily stirred violently in my arms, whimpering softly in her sleep.
I gently rubbed her back, desperately trying to keep her calm.
"I am officially securing the ports entirely on my own, Father," Giovanni stated firmly.
Dominic laughed harshly, setting his glass down heavily on the silver tray.
"Ivan is demanding massive blood for this intense public insult, Giovanni."
"He officially promised to completely wipe out your fake little family by the end of the week."
I felt the entire room start to spin violently around me.
I had only known this man for exactly two hours, and I was already marked for brutal death by the Russian mob.
"I can fully protect them," Giovanni promised his father fiercely.
"You cannot even protect yourself, my son," Dominic replied coldly.
Dominic turned directly to me, his cold eyes completely devoid of any pity.
"You have exactly twenty-four hours to completely convince Ivan Volkov that you are truly pregnant with Giovanni’s heir."
I stared at the mafia boss in absolute, total shock.
"Pregnant?" I gasped out loudly.
"It is the only absolute reason Ivan will ever accept for Giovanni breaking the arranged betrothal."
Dominic turned and began walking slowly up the grand, sweeping staircase.
"If Ivan doesn't actually believe you are carrying Fierro blood, he will brutally kill you and your little girl right in front of Giovanni."
He paused at the very top of the stairs, looking down at us.
"The formal dinner with the Volkov family is tomorrow night at eight o'clock."
"Do not fail me, Jessica."
Dominic disappeared entirely into the dark upper level of the massive mansion.
I turned quickly to Giovanni, tears of absolute panic flooding my eyes.
"You have absolutely ruined my entire life in just two hours!" I yelled softly, careful not to wake Lily.
Giovanni did not look angry; he actually looked incredibly exhausted.
"I will heavily explain everything to you upstairs, Jessica."
He gently led me entirely up a separate, heavily guarded staircase into the East Wing.
We entered a massive, incredibly luxurious master bedroom suite.
Giovanni gestured toward the massive bed.
"Put Lily down, she is perfectly safe in this room."
I carefully laid my sleeping daughter on the expensive silk sheets, covering her gently.
I turned around to face the dangerous billionaire who had completely hijacked my life.
"Tell me exactly why you really chose me at that wedding, Giovanni."
He walked slowly over to a massive safe completely hidden behind a large painting.
He quickly spun the dial and opened the heavy steel door.
"I didn't actually choose you randomly, Jessica."
He pulled out a thick, yellowed manila folder and tossed it heavily onto the bed right next to me.
"I have been desperately looking for you for the past three years."
I cautiously opened the old folder, my hands shaking violently.
Inside were hundreds of surveillance photos of me walking to work, buying groceries, and playing with Lily at the local park.
But the very last document in the folder made my blood run entirely cold.
It was an official, highly confidential hospital birth certificate.
It belonged entirely to my five-year-old daughter, Lily.
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But the name explicitly listed under 'Biological Father' was not my ex-husband Tyler.
The father's name clearly printed on the legal document was Giovanni Fierro.
