Chapter 177: Mila’s fear
Luke took them. A deep frown slowly settled across his face.
"You should focus on recovering," Dominic continued. "Let your eldest son shoulder the responsibility."
Luke laid the documents aside. Concern clouded his expression.
"Matteo is too inexperienced. How can he possibly manage an empire this large?" He slowly shook his head. "No... I can’t hand everything over to him. He is not ready."
Dominic knew that perfectly well.
Neither Matteo nor Felix possessed the ability to run a business. They excelled only at spending money and living extravagant lifestyles.
"But he is your eldest son," Dominic reminded him. "You chose him as your successor."
Luke let out another exhausted sigh. "I chose him because Celeste pressured me into it. I had no choice."
His voice turned heavy with regret. "Neither Matteo nor Felix deserves that position."
After a brief pause, he added, "The only one worthy of succeeding me is Max."
"Max?" Dominic asked, feigning surprise.
He had known all along that Max was Luke’s favorite.
"Have you forgotten about his scandal? The board will never accept him."
Luke’s shoulders slumped. He knew Dominic was right.
Max’s reputation had been ruined. Neither the board nor the employees would support him.
"I know Matteo lacks experience," Dominic continued patiently. "But experience comes with time. The board will support him. The executives will guide him. He will become a successful leader in the future."
A flicker of hope appeared in Luke’s tired eyes. Perhaps Matteo could still grow into the role.
After a long silence, he nodded. "Fine."
He sighed deeply. "If everyone supports him, I’ll give him a chance to prove himself."
A nearly imperceptible smile crossed Dominic’s face. This was exactly what he had been waiting for. He gathered the documents and placed them before Luke.
"Then sign them."
Taking a pen from his pocket, he held it out.
This time, Luke didn’t hesitate. He signed every page.
Dominic collected the documents and tucked them back into his coat.
"You should rest now," he said. "Focus on getting better."
With that, he left the room.
The moment the door closed behind him, Celeste hurried over.
"Did he sign?"
"Yes." Dominic handed her the documents.
Celeste flipped through them frantically. The instant she saw Luke’s signature, her eyes sparkled with triumph.
"Matteo is the new president." A victorious grin spread across her face. "That rat won’t get anything now. Even if Max comes back, it’ll be too late."
"Don’t underestimate him," Dominic warned. "Luke still believes Max is the only son truly qualified to lead the company. One mistake from Matteo, and the board won’t hesitate to replace him."
Celeste’s smile faded. "That won’t happen."
Her voice turned cold. "Anyone who stands in my son’s way will be eliminated."
Stuffing the documents into her handbag, she strode away without another glance.
Dominic remained standing in the corridor. He adjusted his glasses as he watched Celeste’s retreating figure. A slow, calculating smile curved his lips.
’I can’t wait to watch the Bellini family destroy itself.’
His phone suddenly vibrated. He glanced at the screen and frowned.
An unknown number flashed across it.
After a brief moment of hesitation, he answered.
"Hello?"
"Dominic."
His body stiffened. Instinctively, his grip on the phone tightened.
Very few people knew he was still alive. Even fewer had his private number. Whoever was calling not only knew he had survived but had also managed to reach him directly.
A flicker of suspicion crossed his face. ’Could it be... Mathius?’
"You?" Dominic said coldly. "Mathius?"
A low chuckle drifted through the speaker. "You are a smart man," Mathius said smoothly. "And I enjoy dealing with smart people."
He paused before adding, "I heard Luke was hospitalized. How is he?"
"The doctors are treating him," Dominic replied evenly. "He’ll recover."
"Good."
Silence lingered for a moment. Then Mathius spoke again, his tone turning cold. "Let’s meet, Dominic. I’ll tell you the time and place later."
Dominic considered it briefly before replying, "Alright."
The line went dead.
Dominic lowered the phone and glanced once at Luke’s closed hospital room before turning and walking away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night...
Mila sat quietly beside Cassian’s crib, watching him sleep peacefully. A gentle smile spread across her face.
"My baby," she whispered. "Daddy will be here soon. He must miss us."
She brushed a finger over the baby’s tiny hand. "Did you miss him?"
A quiet sigh escaped her lips. "I miss him too. I want him to stay with us forever."
Her voice trembled. Before Cassian was born, she had never been afraid. She had believed Dominic could defeat anyone who stood in his way. She had trusted him to protect her with his life.
It was not that her trust in him had wavered. She still believed in him. But becoming a mother had changed her. Now, every danger felt real. Every enemy felt closer.
Mila was terrified that someone would use their son to destroy Dominic. She didn’t want any more wars. She didn’t want revenge. All she wanted was a quiet life with her husband and child somewhere far away, where no one knew who they were.
Her fingers tightened around the edge of the crib. ’I have to talk to him.’
Just then, her phone rang. She grabbed it immediately, hoping it was Dominic. The smile on her face disappeared when she saw an unfamiliar number.
After staring at the screen for a few seconds, she answered, "Who is this?"
"Mila."
The familiar voice instantly made her tense. "Max?"
A faint chuckle came from the other end. "Thank goodness you still remember me."
Mila’s jaw tightened. "Why are you calling me?"
"I heard you gave birth to a son," Max said sarcastically. "Congratulations."
Mila remained silent. She knew he hadn’t called simply to offer his congratulations.
"You didn’t even bother telling me," Max continued. "I’m disappointed. I expected at least a phone call."
Her eyes flashed with anger. "Why would I?" she snapped. "We are divorced. I have nothing to do with you. What a heartless woman."
His voice dripped with mock disappointment. "I protected you from your enemies. I kept your child safe. I became that child’s father."
He laughed softly. "And yet you didn’t even tell me he was born."
Mila’s patience snapped. "Are you delusional?" she shot back. "My child’s father is alive. I don’t need anyone else pretending to be him."
"You still want to go back to that criminal?" Max thundered. "The moment his enemies discover he is alive, they’ll kill him."
Mila’s heart sank. That was the fear she had been trying to suppress.
What if something really happened to Dominic? How would she protect herself? How would she protect Cassian?
"Even if he survives his enemies," Max continued mercilessly, "the authorities won’t spare him. He can’t protect you forever."
His voice softened. "But I can. I can give you the life you deserve."
Mila clenched her fists.
"Come back to me." He sounded almost sincere. "I’ll forget everything you’ve done. I’ll cherish you... And I’ll raise your son as my own."
Mila snorted bitterly. "You think I’d ever go back to you after everything you did?"
"I know I made mistakes," Max admitted. "I regret them."
He sighed. "And you already humiliated me in front of everyone. You ruined my reputation. We are even now."
Mila nearly scoffed.
"Let’s forget the past," he continued. "Let’s start over. I swear I’ll never repeat those mistakes. All I want is you. Give me another chance."
"Never." Her answer came without hesitation. "I belong to Dominic. I love him."
She spoke each word firmly. "I’ll never betray him for another man."
"You are a fool," Max snapped. "You refuse to face reality. If you keep being stubborn, you’ll drag yourself and your son into danger. No one will save either of you."
Mila knew the risks. She knew danger surrounded Dominic. But she would never allow Max to manipulate her again.
"I trusted you once," she said, her breathing growing uneven. "You lied to me. You manipulated me into marrying you. And then you tried to violate me."
Her eyes hardened. "But I won’t allow you to hurt me again. You’ll never have me. And if you keep pushing me, I’ll make you regret it."
"Mila!" His voice rose with anger. "You rejected me. You’ll regret this. When danger comes, no one will save you. And even if you beg me, I won’t lift a finger to help you."
Mila’s eyes turned ice-cold. "Even if I die, I’ll never beg you."
She hung up without another word.
"Waa... waa..." Cassian suddenly started crying at the top of his lungs.
Only then did Mila realize how loudly she had been shouting. She immediately tossed her phone aside and hurried over to the crib.
"I’m sorry, Cassian." She lifted him into her arms and gently rocked him. "Mommy shouldn’t have yelled. Shh... It’s alright."
But the baby continued crying.
At that moment, the balcony door slid open. Dominic stepped inside. His brows knitted together.
"What happened?" He quickly walked over. "Why is he crying like this?"
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