Giving Birth to The Italian Billionaire’s Baby

A week had passed, and Adaline’s mother had returned home. Throughout that time, Adaline had been unsuccessful in reaching Altezza. After his return from Kansas, he had gone to Singapore for his business affairs, as informed by Duncan, his secretary.

Adaline looked at Joanna with fear. Her friend always gave her sharp and piercing looks. Adaline knew Joanna was concerned about her fate, but she was also grateful that Joanna hadn’t done anything dramatic like telling the truth to her mother or even going to Altezza’s office and confronting him directly.

“I’ve tried to contact him, Jo. I swear,” Adaline said softly. “But he’s unreachable. I even left a message with Duncan, but he hasn’t given me any updates.”

“Tell Tessa to contact her boyfriend. There’s no way he’s not answering,” Joanna suggested.

“Tessa doesn’t know about this, Jo,” Adaline replied honestly.

Joanna looked back at Adaline with raised eyebrows. “I don’t care. If you don’t take action, I’ll go directly and talk to him myself. Who does he think he is, treating you like a baby-making factory?”

She grumbled with an explosive tone, “And you too!” she added sharply. “Playing along like it’s no big deal.” She continued, her voice rising.

Adaline couldn’t blame Joanna’s outburst, but she also couldn’t stop herself from crying. Seeing Adaline in distress, Joanna approached her and hugged her. Joanna was angry not at Adaline, but at herself for not being there when her friend needed her.

“I’m also at fault for not being there when you needed me,” she continued softly. She gently rubbed Adaline’s back and arms, and involuntarily, she found herself crying along with her.

Despite being the same age, Joanna always treated Adaline like her younger sister. Adaline, who was innocent and often indecisive, was different from Joanna, who was always firm and straightforward.

“Anyway, as soon as you meet him, talk to him. If he rejects your proposal, tell me, and I’ll go meet him myself. Okay?” Joanna emphasized one last time, receiving a nod from Adaline.

Three days after her conversation with Joanna, Adaline finally saw the man she was looking for walking with his distinctive style towards the executive elevator, accompanied by his personal assistant, Duncan. Adaline quickly grabbed her phone and tried to contact Duncan.

**Adaline:**

Duncan, is Sir Altezza busy today?

**Duncan:**

Not really, why?Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

**Adaline:**

I need to talk to him. Is it okay if I go to his office?

**Duncan:**

Wait, I’ll get back to you.

**Adaline:**

OK! Thanks.

The message stopped just as the elevator chimed. Adaline and a few others standing there quickly entered.

After about half an hour of dealing with her work, Duncan finally sent her a message that Altezza was available to meet. After leaving a message with Tessa that she would be out for a while, Adaline finally took the elevator to Altezza’s floor.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Come in!” Altezza ordered without diverting his attention from the documents he was reading.

“S-Sir,” the timid voice he heard made Altezza look up instantly. Nervousness was evident on the pretty face before him.

“Oh, the future Mrs. Altezza Quirino has arrived. Please, have a seat,” Altezza said with a sly smile. For some reason, teasing this girl seemed like it would become his new hobby, aside from teasing his cousin Antony and his niece Flavia.

Altezza noticed the girl hesitating for a moment upon hearing his greeting before finally sitting on the sofa. She twirled her fingers nervously while Altezza continued to flash his smile, observing her increasing nervousness. The more he looked, the more amusing she seemed.

“So, is there anything I can help you with?” Altezza asked with a voice intentionally made cold. Not like his usual self, but seeing the girl in front of him jump in surprise made him quite pleased.

“U-um, Sir,” the girl stammered, visibly trying to calm her nerves.

“Yes?”

“Ab-about the loan.”

“Yes?”

“I-I will repay it.”

Altezza fell silent, his eyebrows furrowed. “Why?”

“Um, well. I don’t need it,” she replied, causing Altezza to be taken aback. However, he tried to conceal his surprise.

Altezza’s mind raced to think of all the possible reasons why the girl was returning his money so quickly. Did Adaline get a loan from someone else? Or did her mother decide not to undergo the operation?

His worst fear suggested that maybe the girl’s mother passed away before the operation, and Altezza didn’t have the chance to investigate her situation because he was too busy with work in Singapore for the past ten days.

“How is your mother?” Altezza’s question made the girl look up, confused. “Did the operation go smoothly?”

“Y-yes. Thankfully, everything went smoothly. My mother even returned home a few days ago,” Adaline honestly answered.

So, the operation was performed, and the money was used. It meant Adaline got a loan from someone else, but who?

Altezza couldn’t possibly ask who else had helped the girl. His main focus was to keep her, as he didn’t want his plans to fall through. And, of course, he didn’t want to find another girl to be his potential mother if he already had a competent candidate right in front of him.

Yes, Altezza didn’t have time to find out about the girl’s mother, but he had successfully gathered information about her through his hired detective. And Adaline Scott was indeed the prospective mother he needed to bear his child.

Alright, time to start the game, he thought to himself.

Altezza slapped both of his thighs with a loud enough sound to startle the girl. Seeing Adaline’s nervousness, Altezza had to suppress a laugh.

“Fine,” he replied with a voice as cold as possible. “If that’s what you want.” He said, staring at Adaline with his sharp gaze. The girl looked up, seeing the seriousness in Altezza’s face. “But you have to repay the money with twice the amount I sent.”

The beautiful eyes of the girl widened in surprise. Altezza wasn’t a loan shark, of course. But this was the last option he could use to bind the girl. If the person who assisted her was wealthy, then she would agree to the requested payment. But if not, all of Altezza’s plans would proceed according to his plan. And he didn’t want that to happen.

“But?” she stammered.

“Yes, or not at all,” he offered with a raised eyebrow. The girl’s face turned red, something Altezza couldn’t understand why.

“But, Sir?”

“You also have to compensate for the psychological damage caused by breaking the promise,” he said casually.

Altezza leaned against his desk, hands folded across his chest. His gaze never wavered from Adaline.

“I trusted you at your word, and I cannot sue you for the breach because I thought you were a person of your word-that’s my mistake, my negligence,” he said with a sad expression. “I’m not usually a selfish person, but this time I have to be selfish.

“I helped you in your emergency, asking for your help in return. Indirectly, I am your mother’s savior. And when I hoped you would save me, you just left. Out of disappointment, I demand twice the compensation for my loss.”

“But, Sir?” Adaline looked at him bewildered.

“The choice is yours: pay, or we proceed with our previous agreement, Miss Adaline Scott,” he straightened up and walked towards his plush chair. “You have until the end of the working hours to decide. The decision is yours,” he dismissed her politely.

Reluctantly, Adaline stood up from her seat and walked clumsily out of her boss’s office. Shortly after the door closed behind her, Altezza reached for his phone and called his paid detective.

“Find out who is the closest person to Adaline who might have given her a large loan. I want the report before the end of the workday,” he ordered coldly.

Altezza placed his phone on the desk and threw himself back into the chair. He couldn’t afford to fail. Not this time.