Chapter 40: Chapter 40

Sophie's POV ~

Monotonous.

That is how I describe my life now. Everyday is the same routine, the same thing constantly. I wake up, I look after Leo who's just come down with the worst cold ever thanks to the horrible cold weather outside, I cook and clean and go to sleep. I've been doing that everyday for the last 4 weeks.

I refused to speak to any of the De Mancusos, mainly Carlotta and Matteo who haven't come back to the house since that night; but naturally due to the decrease in my mood Thiago and I haven't spoken much either. He's been busy with work and a business trip he had to take to New York with Matteo and Angelo. I think he also blames himself for this whole thing - which I completely supported for the first week since it was his idea for me to call Riley in the first place. But after a week I decided it probably wasn't all his fault since he couldn't have known Riley would react like that. It's only partially his fault.

And as for my lack of socialising with anyone but Leo, I just couldn't handle speaking to anyone after having my brother hang up on me. I've tried to keep myself busy to take my mind off it but it really hasn't worked. I've never felt more worse about leaving my family behind in London than I do now. I've been through so much emotionally since I got here, but, especially at the start, my family was always that reason in the back of my head that I stayed here and didn't do anything stupid. Thiago used to threaten them, I know he would never ever do anything to them now and he probably wouldn't have back then either but I'm not taking any chances. Especially with the number of enemies this family has, anyone could hurt my family if they found out that I was related to them. That's why it hurt so much for Riley to hang up; I stayed here for them, behind all my love for Thiago and my obvious lack of courage to try and leave at the beginning, they were the main reason I kept myself here and did what he said. Now they hate me and I can't do anything about it.

And just to add to my stress, my period hasn't come again. I put the first one down to unnecessary frantic emotions and stress, but the second one - I've got no explanations for. That's what led me to staring at a pregnancy test in the bathroom. I picked a couple up when I went food shopping with Leo earlier after taking him to the doctor and once I managed to get him down for his nap I finally had the chance to take them. But I couldn't. I know it would be my second baby with the man I love in a stable- ish marriage, but I was a nervous wreck.

After half an hour of mini pep talks and a lot of breathing and pacing around Thiago and I's annoyingly large bathroom I finally managed to sit down and pee. It turned out to be the longest pee of my life. I leaned against the counter waiting for the five minutes to be up, my mind filling with all the possibilities of what could happen.

I could have another baby; a baby brother or sister for Leo, another baby that Thiago and I made together. Also another a baby we have to work so hard to protect from all the evils and dangers that come with Thiago's

occupation.

Was I really ready to bring another baby into this life?

Whatever my answer was, it didn't matter because the tests said I was pregnant. I had no other choice but to love my baby and protect it forever and keep it safe until I die. I had to raise it the best I could and hope it never has to go through the things I've been through since I've been in Italy.

I wiped away the endless stream of tears which kept falling and finally put the last test down, the positive sign still staring right back at me. I opened the door of the bathroom running straight into a hard chest, two arms shot out to steady me. I looked up to see Thiago dressed in sweatpants and hoodie staring at me in surprise and concern."What's wrong?" I knew there was no use trying to hide it from Thiago, not that I wanted to, it was his right to know as soon as I did. But if I did try to hide it, he would have found the pregnancy tests where I stupidly left them if I let him go into the bathroom and that's not really how I wanted him to find out. "I need to tell you something. Sit down."

I gestured to the bed causing Thiago to frown at me, but he sat down without any complaints. I paced around infront of him wringing my hands together. I was just as nervous as I was when I was taking the test in the first place, I didn't know what his reaction would be and my hormones were all over the place making the whole situation worse. The last thing I expected was for Thiago to be home this early, and to be outside the bathroom door, I thought I would have had some time to figure out how I was going to tell him. But I didn't have any, if I wanted to tell him myself then I just had to come out and say it.

"What is it Sophie?"Thiago hated waiting for someone to answer him, with his position in the mafia people pretty much knew to answer him on the spot or they'd be dead. I could sense the irritation in his tone although he was making every effort not to show it. "I'm pregnant."

We stared at each other in silence - Thiago was trying to take in the news I just told him while I was still attempting to control the tears falling from my eyes.

"You're pregnant?" I nodded and subconsciously placed a hand over my flat stomach causing Thiago's eyes to follow my hand. He slowly stood to his feet and stepped towards me. His eyes were glassy and red before a few tears spilled out of his eyes. He wiped his eyes but a fresh stream of tears made its way down his face causing my own to flow too.

"Thiago.." I wiped away some tears and kissed his cheek but this just seemed to push him over the edge. He rested his head on my shoulder while wrapping his arms around me, I could hear him sobbing quietly but I could tell he was trying to keep himself under control. I stayed in his arms for a few moments enjoying the comfort I got from him which I'd missed for so many weeks.

"Our little family just got bigger." I choked out a small laugh and pulled out of his embrace so I could kiss him. "I love you so

much tesoro." I stared into the tearful eyes of the man I loved so

much and I knew this was one of the best moments of my life, something I would never forget.

"I love you too baby. I'm so sorry for being so off-" Thiago quickly shook his head and pulled me closer to him if that was even possible. "I don't care, that doesn't matter. This is all that matters." His hands went to my stomach and he rubbed it gently

with a loving smile on his face.

"Solo tu, solo la nostra famiglia è ciò che conta." (Only you, only our family is what matters.) I kissed him again before hugging him and we stayed standing like that for a few minutes until shuffling and mumbling on the baby monitor separated us. "He's waking up...I should check he's okay, he's been pretty sick today."

"He's going to love having a baby brother or sister." I nodded in response to Thiago's statement which mostly sounded like he was just speaking his mind instead of trying to start a conversation and held his hand as we made our way into the nursery together. "He'll be almost two and half by the time this one comes along, that's so crazy." We stopped by the crib and I smiled down at my baby boy who was staring at the ceiling without a care in the world, as a mother his red droopy eyes and red nose were enough to make my heart ache. I hated seeing him sick or upset and since it's winter now, it's a regular thing.

I felt Thiago come up behind me and kiss my cheek while wrapping his arms around my waist. "Questo è tutto ciò di cui ho bisogno, per sempre." (This is all I need, forever.)

Thiago's voice broke slightly while he spoke and he buried his face in my shoulder again. "Baby are you okay?" I turned around in his arms and placed my hands on the sides of his face to make him look at me properly but he kept his eyes down. "I didn't do anything to deserve all of this.""Of course you did baby, stop being silly." I kissed his lips softly and wiped away his tears which were flowing more than earlier. "Look at me Thiago." He finally glanced up at me even though I could tell he didn't want to. "Everything that happened is behind us. You're the best dad Leo could ever need and I know you'll be the same for the next one."

"But I hurt you.." I shook my head and stared lovingly into his blood shot eyes. "I love you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me Thiago, you gave me our two babies and you're my best friend and the love of my life. I couldn't need anything else in my life - I've got everything I need right here."

It took him a few minutes to finally calm down again in my arms. Leo just sat in the crib quietly watching us with curiosity and tiredness. Eventually Thiago pulled away from me and picked our son up into his arms causing him to place his head in the crook of Thiago's neck. "Let's go downstairs, I just want to spend the rest of the evening with you two."

Thiago took Leo downstairs and I followed behind him after grabbing a few things for Leo which he might need later. I'm one of those lazy people that can't be bothered to come upstairs again later. We were finally snuggled up on on the couch - both Thiago and I were freezing but also too lazy to turn the heating up so Thiago put his hood up over his head and I had a blanket spread out over both of us. Leo was sitting on Thiago's lap all curled up against his chest causing my heart to warm at the sight. Cozy nights in with your family are the best things in winter, but obviously just when we got comfortable the door bell rang. As per fucking usual.

I do apologise for my bad language, that's what happens when you're pregnant I'm afraid.

"Are you expecting someone?" Thiago sighed and shook his head, he was about to get up but I shook my head and placed my hand on his arm to stop him. Thiago just seemed exhausted after finding out about the baby and all the crying, I couldn't find it in me to make him get up and answer the door. "I'll go." I left the two of them all wrapped up together on the couch and made my way to the front door.

"Carlotta.." I opened the door wider for her to come inside but before I could close it she stopped me. "Angelo and Matteo are coming, they're just parking properly, they know you hate it when it's all out of order." I tried to smile at her attempt at making a joke but it didn't really work, I hadn't seen any of them since that night and I wasn't really prepared to speak to them yet.

"What are you doing here? Not to sound rude or anything - we just didn't know you were coming." She took off her boots and hung up her coat in the cloak room just as the other two came inside closing the door behind them and sending me small smiles. Yep it's still as awkward as ever.

"Mia's bringing her fiancé over to meet us." I resisted the urge to tell her exactly what I felt about their plans knowing it would just cause a whole lot of shit that none of us needed - especially Thiago and I, we were in the best place we've been in a long time and nothing was going to ruin that. Except Mia and her fiancé apparently.