The Devil Who Claimed Me

"Yes, it’s me." Valentina’s own eyes turned watery.

Mila wanted to rush over and hug her. But the overwhelming emotions kept her rooted to the spot. Her trembling hands flew to her mouth.

Valentina crossed the distance between them and held her in her arms. "I am relieved you are fine."

Mila hugged her tightly and broke into sobs. "I thought you were all dead."

"Everything has been destroyed, Mila," Valentina said, sorrow heavy in her voice. "Those of us who survived are hiding and living under false identities. But I don’t know how long we can continue like this. If our covers are blown, we are dead."

Mila shook her head, looking up at her. "No. You have to live. You have to fight back... and get revenge."

Revenge

The word seemed to ignite a spark within her.

"That’s what all of us want," she admitted. "But it isn’t that simple. Our enemy is incredibly powerful."

Mila didn’t care how powerful that enemy was. She believed Dominic would defeat him.

What mattered to her was Dominic himself. She needed to know how he was and where he was hiding.

"Where is Dominic?" she asked. "Please tell me something about him. Tell me that he is fine."

Valentina stared at her. Seeing the hope and desperation in Mila’s eyes made her heart ache.

"Mila, he is dead."

The words struck Mila like a bolt of lightning.

Mila’s expression changed instantly. She had expected Valentina to tell her about Dominic. But she was also saying the same.

This was not what she wanted to hear.

"He is not dead," Mila muttered fiercely. "Stop lying."

Valentina tried to explain, but Mila didn’t give her the time.

"He can’t be dead. He promised he’d always protect me." Her voice cracked as tears streamed down her cheeks. "He told me he’d be watching over me even if he couldn’t be with me."

She gripped Valentina’s hands desperately. "He must be around. He must be hiding somewhere, right?"

She searched her eyes. "Maybe he has changed his appearance. Maybe he is planning how to defeat the enemy."

Valentina’s expression softened. She couldn’t tell her anything. Dominic had stopped her. He had told her Mila was safe now, that she had married someone else, that she had moved on.

"I miss him so much," Mila whispered. "I don’t need him to come see me. I just want to know he is alive and safe somewhere. Please tell me he is okay."

"Mila..."

Mila put her hand on her baby bump. "I am carrying his child. I want to tell him that our baby and I are waiting for him."

At that, Valentina’s expression froze. Her mouth fell apart in utter shock.

"What?" Her gaze dropped to Mila’s rounded belly. "You are pregnant with his child?"

Mila couldn’t speak. Her throat had tightened too much. She only managed a small nod.

Valentina covered her mouth with her hand. "But you are married to Dr. Max. How?"

She paused briefly, her mind racing. "You mean you were pregnant before marriage?"

Mila wiped her tears slowly. "When I woke up after the accident, I found out I was pregnant. But I couldn’t find Dominic to tell him."

Her lips quivered as she struggled with her tears.

"My marriage to Max is only a contract. It’s meant to protect the baby and me. Max and his father told me that once our enemies learn I’m carrying Dominic’s child, they’ll come after us. They said they would never allow his child to be born."

Valentina fell silent. She knew they were not wrong.

Mathias and his men had been hunting them relentlessly. Without Luke stepping forward and placing Mila under the Bellini family’s protection, she would have been killed long ago.

Mila was safe because she was with Max. And until Dominic completed his mission, she needed to remain safe.

But could she still hide the truth from Mila?

"I understand why they did it," Mila continued softly. "But my heart belongs to Dominic. It always will. I’ve never let anyone else touch me."

Valentina’s resolve wavered.

Mila deserved to know the truth.

But she had given Dominic her word. Before telling Mila anything, she needed to speak with him first.

"I don’t know about him," she said shakily. She lowered her head, unable to meet her eye. "Ever since we escaped, we’ve all been living under different identities. We rarely contact one another. If Dominic is alive, he’ll find a way to reach us. And if he does, I’ll let you know."

She gripped her hands. "But for now, stay with Max. The Bellini family can protect you and your baby. Survival is the most important thing right now. That’s all any of us are trying to do."

Mila couldn’t deny it. If she survived, then someday she would find her way back to Dominic.

"I know," she murmured. "I’ll keep myself safe. But if you learn anything about him, please tell me immediately."

Fresh tears welled up in her eyes.

"Yes, I’ll tell you." Valentina pulled her into another hug.

Every instinct urged her to tell Mila the truth. But she forced herself to remain silent.

This wasn’t the right time.

Reluctantly, she stepped back and began putting on the wig and facial mask.

Mila watched as she transformed back into an elderly woman with gray hair and a wrinkled face.

"How can I contact you if I need to?" she asked.

Valentina’s movements halted. She thought for a while.

Direct contact was too dangerous. One mistake could expose them both.

"I’ll find a way to contact you if necessary," she said. "You don’t need to reach me." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

She picked up her cane. "I’m leaving now. Take care of yourself."

Her eyes briefly drifted to Mila’s stomach. "And take care of your baby."

With that, she walked out of the office.

Long after the door closed behind her, Mila remained standing there.

Mila stood there for a long time after the door closed behind Valentina. Eventually, she sank into her chair.

A crushing heaviness settled in her chest.

She still knew nothing about Dominic. She didn’t know whether he was alive.

"Where are you, Dominic?" she whispered. "How much longer are you going to hide from me?"

The moment Valentina left the hospital and climbed into her car, she pulled out a secret phone used only for contacting the surviving gang members.

She quickly dialed a number. When the call connected, she said in a hushed tone, "Mila is pregnant with Dominic’s baby. She wants to meet him."