Giving Birth to The Italian Billionaire’s Baby

“Are you sure everything will be okay?”

“In your opinion, do you think they can accept me?”

“What if they don’t like me and ask us not to get married? I don’t have the money to cover the cancellation fees!”

“Is my appearance respectful according to your parents?”

Those questions, and other questions with a similar essence, continued to be uttered throughout their journey like a cassette tape being played over and over again. Altezza gave no answers except nods and shakes. She preferred to save her voice to respond to the questions her family would throw rather than answering Adaline’s trivial chatter.

It doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to reassure. It’s just that, according to her, the words she utters won’t mean anything if the girl is still nervous like this.

They arrived at the housing complex where the Antony family resides. The complex’s security guard, who already knew Altezza, greeted her warmly as she opened the car window. The same went for Antony’s house security guard.

“Good morning. Have people had breakfast?” she asked as the forty-year-old security guard opened the door.

“Not yet, Sir. But it’s prepared in the backyard,” he replied.

Altezza nodded and continued to drive her car to the back of the house where the family’s parking area was located.

She could feel the tension around her increasing. It seemed like, so tense, Adaline didn’t even realize or was not awestruck at all by the luxury of the Antony house. Usually, women widen their eyes as big as golf balls when they see the Antony mansion. Okay, maybe the analogy is a bit exaggerated. But usually, it’s like that. And that didn’t happen to the girl next to her.

Altezza chose to get out of the car and walk around to the passenger seat. She opened the door of her white Range Rover and saw Adaline still sitting frozen while holding onto her seatbelt tightly.

“Come on, Mrs. My family won’t devour you,” she coaxed, but Adaline’s grip only tightened until her fingertips turned white.

“A-are you sure?” she asked hesitantly. The girl’s golden brown eyes looked at her confused.

“Very sure,” Altezza tried to release Adaline’s grip on her seatbelt, and instead, she held both of the girl’s small hands. “Mrs., look at me,” she instructed softly.

Whether she liked it or not, Adaline raised her head and looked at Altezza. Although the car seat was quite high, it still didn’t reach Altezza’s height. The man’s gaze was so intense.

“I haven’t said this before because I thought it would be useless. You repeat the same sentence over and over, and I’m lazy to answer it repeatedly. And now, for the first and last time, I’ll tell you.” He tightened his grip on the girl’s hand while occasionally rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb in a slow, circular motion. “Everything will be okay. My family will like you. They will accept you gladly, even happily.

“They will really like you and support our marriage as long as they don’t know about the contract we made,” he said with emphasis on each sentence. “And for me, your appearance is very respectable and beautiful.” His praise was sincere.

Somehow, Altezza’s last words made Adaline feel awkward. The man’s genuine smile and his firm grip on Adaline’s small hand sent a static electric shock through her body. There was some kind of impulse in her that forced her to believe in all of Altezza’s words, even if they sounded illogical.

If only she couldn’t hold back, she would love to throw herself into Altezza’s embrace, which she believed would feel warm and comforting. However, she pushed those thoughts away and instead, her face heated up again.

“Alright, ‘Mrs.’ Now, let’s go inside. Let’s introduce you.” Somehow, Altezza had already unbuckled his seatbelt without Adaline realizing. “And remember, be yourself. Don’t force yourself to be the person you think they want.

“It will only make things harder for you.” He helped Adaline get out in an extremely gentle manner. Afterward, he held Adaline’s hand and intertwined her tiny fingers with his big ones, making Adaline’s hand sink into warmth.

After walking a considerable distance from the parking area, Adaline could hear the bustling sounds in the distance. Laughter and conversations that sounded loud, almost like shouts, but Adaline couldn’t comprehend them. When she saw a tall and slender man with brown hair approaching them, Adaline chose to hide behind Altezza.

Her free right hand held onto Altezza’s right arm, while her left hand was still intertwined with Altezza’s fingers, and Adaline squeezed it even tighter.

“How are you, Big Brother? Long time no see.”

Adaline froze. The man’s voice sounded like a greeting but had the tone of a shout. Adaline could also hear the joyous tone in every word he uttered. Adaline, not understanding what the man in front of Altezza was saying because he spoke their father’s language, could only tighten her grip.

“Good, Gian. And I don’t need to ask about yours.”

It was the first time Adaline heard Altezza speak in their father’s language, and she was quite stunned by it. Even though Italian dramas often aired on one of the private TV channels, they always showed dramas that had undergone the dubbing process.

“You’re always like this, as cold as usual. Don’t you miss your handsome cousin?”

Adaline heard Altezza sneer. “Not at all. I even hope you don’t bother showing your face in front of me.”

Gian’s laughter accompanied Altezza’s last words.

“Come on, big brother. Don’t be like that. I might not come back anytime soon. Well, considering your marriage with an uncertain date.”

Once again, Altezza sneered. “I don’t even intend to invite you to my wedding day.”

“You’re always so cruel to me,” Gian’s words sounded pitiful. But a moment later, Altezza’s hand grip tightened. A head suddenly appeared beside Altezza’s arm. His golden eyes widened in surprise.

“Where did you get such a beautiful doll?” His tone sounded surprised, and Adaline knew that the man was talking about her, although she still didn’t understand the meaning.

It was evident from the movement of his hands pointing in her direction and his gaze that never left Adaline. She drew herself even closer to Altezza, and Altezza tried to reassure her by holding Adaline’s hand tightly.

“It’s a secret!” Altezza replied coldly. Adaline even shivered at his tone.

The man tried to approach and spoke to Adaline in their mother’s language. “My sweetness, my beauty, would you like to be my girlfriend? I’m sure I can treat you better than he does.” The man in front of her said with a pleading expression and a coaxing tone. He walked forward and tried to reach for Adaline’s arm, but Altezza held him back.

“Even if you woo her until your mouth foams, she won’t turn to me. My charm is far greater than yours.” Once again, Adaline heard the cold tone in Altezza’s voice, while the man’s hand extended forward, creating a distance between Gian and them.

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The man finally folded his hands on his chest. Both of his eyebrows raised. His body fully faced Altezza, and his eyes were now more focused on him, allowing Adaline to breathe a sigh of relief.

“No need. You’ll lose before the match. She won’t turn to you anyway.”

Altezza gently pulled Adaline away from the brown-haired man. However, Gian followed them and tried to walk parallel to Altezza.

“So arrogant, old bachelor.”

Adaline heard the man’s grumble, but when he looked in her direction, he winked teasingly. Adaline couldn’t help but shudder at it.

“Now, what’s going on, Al? You and Gian always make a fuss.” A flat voice came from a figure Adaline knew. Who else but the CEO, Antony Arthur Quirino.

Adaline hid again behind Altezza’s back. She wasn’t ready to meet her big boss. Honestly, just looking at his face always made Adaline feel intimidated. The man always exuded a cold and stern aura, although, in reality, his face was equally handsome.

The man sat casually with a tablet in his hand. He only glanced up briefly when Altezza was near but then refocused on his tablet, seemingly unaware of Adaline’s presence behind Altezza.

“That crazy kid is acting up again,” Altezza replied flatly. “Where are the others?” Adaline noticed Gian looking around.

“Just went inside; they’ll be out shortly,” Antony replied, still not turning to Altezza.

“Altezza, my handsome man!” Adaline and Altezza turned simultaneously to the loud voice.

A tall, beautiful woman with fair skin, an ideal figure, and long brown hair waved her hand towards them. Her fair skin gleamed under the morning sun. She handed the baby stroller she had been holding to the man standing beside her. With agility, the woman ran towards Altezza and hugged him briefly before kissing his left and right cheeks alternately.

“You made my cheeks wet,” Altezza grumbled, to which the woman responded with giggles.

“I missed you so much,” she said in broken English. The man who had been holding the stroller stood in front of Altezza and hugged him briefly in greeting. “Darling, isn’t Altezza getting more handsome every day?” she asked, embracing the man’s waist and not taking her eyes off Altezza.

“Of course, am I the one getting uglier each day?” he teased quietly, inviting laughter from the woman.

“Don’t be like that; after all, he’s your cousin.” The woman gently patted Altezza’s arm.

“Don’t say that if someone asks about our relationship. I don’t want to admit it,” Altezza replied curtly.

“You two are already old, but still, you’re always at odds.” The sentence came from one of the middle-aged women who arrived, carrying containers of food in each hand.

“Blame him; he always provokes me, Aunt,” Altezza said with a pleading tone.

A sound of a punch followed by a groan was heard. “Mom, I didn’t provoke a fight,” Adaline heard Gian defending himself.

He can speak English? Then why did they use their father’s language earlier and confuse Adaline? Adaline became annoyed after a while.

“Blame him for hiding a beautiful figure behind him,” the woman continued, instantly making the atmosphere quiet.

“A beautiful figure?” Again, Adaline heard a woman’s voice, but she couldn’t tell whose it was.

“Behind him,” Gian said again, his voice louder than it should be.

“Altezza, who’s behind you?” The question sounded cold even in Adaline’s ears.

Adaline swallowed nervously and tightened her grip; she was really scared now. The sweet words Altezza said before getting out of the car seemed to have vanished from her mind. This was the moment of judgment, Adaline murmured in her heart. She couldn’t say anything more when Altezza chose to shift his large body and reveal Adaline to everyone.