His Merciless Redemption novel Chapter 184

Chapter 184

Chapter 184

Isabella’s POV

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The drive back felt longer than it actually was. Not because of traffic. Not because of distance. But because my mind refused to quiet down, circling the same thoughts over and over again in a way that made everything feel heavier, louder, more overwhelming than it probably was. ‘

Luca didn’t say much, and for once, I was grateful for that. He had asked once if I was alright, his voice careful, observant as always, but when I had nodded and said that I just needed to get home, he hadn’t pushed further. He had simply driven.

And right now, that was all I could handle.

When we finally reached the apartment, I felt an odd mix of relief and exhaustion settle over me, like stepping into a space that was familiar, safe, even if nothing inside me actually felt settled.

The door had barely opened when Mateo came running.

“Mama!” His voice was bright, full of excitement, and before I could even brace myself, he had wrapped his arms around me tightly.

“You’re home early!” he said, pulling back just enough to look up at me with a wide smile.

I tried to smile back, tried to match his energy, but the moment his eyes really settled on my face, his expression changed.

The smile faded, concern taking its place almost instantly.

“You don’t look good,” he said, his small brows furrowing as he reached up to touch my cheek lightly. “What’s wrong?”

My chest tightened slightly at the worry in his voice. “I’m okay,” I said gently, brushing a hand through his hair. “I just wasn’t feeling well, so I went to the doctor. He told me to rest.”

Mateo didn’t look entirely convinced, but he nodded slowly anyway. “Okay, then you should rest.”

Behind him, Maria had appeared from the kitchen, her expression mirroring the same concern.

“What happened, Isa?” she asked softly.

“Nothing serious,” I reassured her, even though the word serious felt incredibly subjective right now. “Just a bit of exhaustion.”

Maria studied me for a moment longer before asking, “What would you like to eat? I’ll make something light”

My instinct was immediate. Nothing. The thought of food still made my stomach uneasy, the memory of that nausea lingering faintly. But then my hand moved unconsciously, resting lightly over my stomach.

The baby.

15:50 Thu, Apr 2

Chapter 184

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The word still felt unreal. And yet, it changed everything. I couldn’t just skip meals anymore. I couldn’t just ignore my body the way I had been doing.

“I’ll have some soup,” I said finally, my voice softer but steadier. “Something warm. Light.”

Maria nodded immediately. “I’ll make it.”

Mateo tugged at my hand gently. “Come, Mama,” he said, already pulling me towards the hallway. “Let’s go to your room. You can rest there.”

I let him lead me, the warmth of his small hand in mine grounding me more than anything else had all day.

Before I followed him fully, I turned back to Luca. “Thank you,” I said quietly. “For everything.”

He shook his head slightly, his expression soft but firm. “There’s nothing to thank me for,” he replied. “You just focus on resting and getting better.”

He paused for a moment before adding, “I’ll handle everything at the office. You don’t need to worry about anything there.”

Relief flickered through me. Honestly, with everything that had happened today, for once, the thought of work hadn’t even crossed my mind.

“Thank you,” I repeated, softer this time.

“Call me if you need anything,” he said.

“I will.”

With that, I turned and followed Mateo to the bedroom.

The moment I lay down, the exhaustion hit me properly, not just physical, but emotional, too. Mateo climbed up beside me without a word, curling into me, his small arms wrapping around me as if that alone could make everything better.

“Does this help?” he asked, his voice soft.

A small smile tugged at my lips despite everything. “It does,” I said, pressing a kiss to his hair. “It helps a lot.”

And it did. Because in that moment, with him beside me, the world felt quieter. Simpler. Less overwhelming.

My hand moved again, resting over my stomach, more consciously this time.

A child.

Another one.

The thought should have felt impossible.

And yet, a small, unexpected warmth stirred beneath the fear.

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Chapter 184

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Because I loved Mateo more than anything in this world.

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And the idea of another child, another piece of that love, it wasn’t something I could dismiss easily.

Mateo would be a wonderful older brother. That much I knew without question. He was kind, gentle, thoughtful in ways most children his age weren’t. I could already imagine it, too. Him holding the baby. Talking to it. Trying to make it laugh.

The thought made my chest tighten.

Because it wasn’t the child I was afraid of.

It was everything else.

Dominic.

The reality of him settled back into my thoughts like a weight I couldn’t shake off.

We already had Mateo.

And now another tie, another connection, another reason I would never be free of him completely.

And what kind of a situation was this?

He was engaged, about to marry someone else.

Yes, I knew why. Yes, I knew it was strategic. That it was meant to protect us.

But that didn’t change what it felt like.

I didn’t want to share him like that. I couldn’t. I wasn’t built for that kind of life. The thought of it made something inside me twist painfully.

And then there was the danger, the constant, looming danger. Being connected to Dominic had already put a target on my back. On Mateo’s. Now this baby too? Was I ready for that? Was I ready to live like that again? Always watching over my shoulder. Always waiting for something to go wrong.

The chaos, the uncertainty, the violence that came with his world, I didn’t want any of that.

I had built something stable. Something safe. And now, everything felt like it was slipping again.

A thought surfaced, sharp and immediate.

Should I leave?

My chest tightened.

Run. Start over. Again.

But where? Another country? Another continent? How many times was I supposed to rebuild my life from scratch? And what about Mateo? What about his life? His stability?

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Chapter 184

The thought alone felt exhausting.

:

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And Dominic, would he let me go? No. I already knew the answer. He would find me. He always would.

And even if I left, the danger wouldn’t magically disappear. It would follow. I’d been just an insignificant, wife in name when I’d left the last time. But now, they knew how much he cared for me, for Mateo. His enemies wouldn’t let me go so easily.

I let out a slow breath, closing my eyes briefly.

I couldn’t keep running. But I didn’t know how to stay either.

A soft ping pulled me out of my thoughts.

I reached for my phone slowly, my fingers hesitating for a moment before unlocking it.

A message. From Dominic.

Are you feeling okay now?

I stared at it for a second. Then typed back a short ‘I’m fine.

The reply came almost instantly. ‘Take care!

That was it. No pushing. No questions. No attempts to pull me back into a conversation I wasn’t ready to have. And in that moment in time, I appreciated it.

Maybe he meant what he said. Maybe he would give me the space I needed.

A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts again.

Maria walked in with a tray. “I brought your soup.”

“Thank you.” I sat up slowly, Mateo immediately adjusting beside me.

“It smells good,” he said.

“It does,” I agreed softly.

I took a few careful spoonfuls, the warmth settling into me, casing some of the tension I hadn’t even realized I was holding. It helped. More than I expected.

We sat there together, talking quietly. Maria telling us about something that had happened earlier in the day, Mateo chiming in with his own exaggerated version of events.

At some point, he looked at me and said very seriously, “We don’t need to go out today. We can just stay home and do something fun.”

I smiled. “That sounds perfect.”

He brightened instantly. “I’ll plan everything,” he declared proudly,

15:50 Thu, Apr 2

Chapter 184

“Oh, will you?” I teased lightly.

“Yes,” he nodded, completely serious. “Step one: you rest. Step two: I make you laugh.”

A soft laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

And just like that, for a moment, everything felt a little lighter.

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15:50 Thu, Apr 2