His Merciless Redemption novel Chapter 197

Chapter 197

Chapter 197

Isabella’s POV

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After the chaos of work during the day, the evening in my apartment with Mateo taking a quick nap felt too quiet. The kind of quiet that didn’t soothe just gave your thoughts more space than they deserved.

I sat on the sofa, staring at a document I hadn’t actually read in the past ten minutes, my mind drifting back and forth between everything that had happened since yesterday.

The appointment. That tiny, fragile beginning on the screen. Dominic beside me. Alessia.

I exhaled slowly, pressing my fingers against my temple for a brief second. Dominic hadn’t tried to come see me or contact me since yesterday except for a few texts asking me to take care and such. For once, I was grateful for the distance. I didn’t want to deal with the chaos that came with him just then. Sighing, I reached for my phone, more out of habit than intention.

And then I paused.

Caterina.

The thought came suddenly, sharp and clear. And with it came something else. Guilt, like a small, uncomfortable weight settling in my chest.

She didn’t know. Of course, she didn’t. If she had, I knew she would’ve called me a million times by now.

And how could she?

I hadn’t told her.

And Dominic clearly hadn’t either.

My lips pressed together slightly. This meant that once again he was being left out of something that mattered. Just like before. With Mateo. She hadn’t known then, hadn’t been there for any of it, not the pregnancy, not the fear, not the birth, not those first fragile days that had felt so overwhelming and so lonely at the same time.

And despite everything, despite the circumstances, she deserved to know, didn’t she?

Besides, she was closest thing to a mother I had after losing mine too young. More than anything, I wanted to share this joy with someone I knew cared for me like their own daughter.

My fingers hovered over my phone for a second before I finally dialed.

The call rang twice. Three times.

And then, “Isabella!” Her voice came through warm, familiar, instantly filling something in me that I hadn’t realized was missing.

“Hi,” I said softly, a small smile forming despite everything.

“Why didn’t you call me sooner?” she continued, already talking a mile a minute. “I was just thinking about you this morning. Are you eating properly there? You sound tired.”

A quiet laugh escaped me. “I’m fine,” I said. “I promise.”

“Hmm,” she hummed, clearly unconvinced. “You never call just to say you’re fine. What is it?”

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Chapter 197

Straight to it, as always. Caterina Russo was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

I took a small breath, my fingers tightening slightly around the phone. “I wanted to tell you something.”

“What is it, Cara?” she asked, sounding alert now.

I swallowed. “I’m pregnant.”

I was greeted with silence which lasted for barely a second.

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“What?” she asked, her voice shrill, sharp, disbelieving, but then the excitement came flooding through the phone, loud and unfiltered, so full of joy that it caught me off guard.

“You’re pregnant?” she repeated, like she needed to hear it again to believe it. “Another baby? Oh my God-this is-this is wonderful!”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed, the sound soft and real.

Her happiness was contagious.

“Yes,” I said, my voice lighter now. “It’s still early, but yes.”

“Early or not, it’s a baby!” she exclaimed. “A new grandbaby! How am I supposed to stay calm after hearing this?”

“You’re not,” I said, smiling despite myself. “But maybe try a little?”

“Impossible,” she shot back immediately.

I could almost see her pacing, talking with her hands in that animated way of hers that Mateo loved, already planning ten things at once.

“Dominic didn’t tell me anything,” she added suddenly, her tone shifting just slightly. “That boy, honestly, sometimes I don’t know what to do with him.”

I hesitated for a fraction of a second.

“He’s been busy.” I said carefully.

“Busy,” she repeated, clearly unimpressed. “Too busy to tell his own mother she’s getting another grandchild?”

I didn’t answer that. Because I didn’t know how to. But she didn’t push.

Instead, her excitement took over again. “I have to come,” she said abruptly.

“What?”

“I’m coming to Milan,” she clarified, like it was the most obvious decision in the world. “You shouldn’t be alone during this. I’ll take care of you. I’ll make proper food. I know Maria must be taking care of you but I simply have to oversee everything myself.”

I smiled faintly. “You don’t have to-”

“I want to,” she cut me off. “Do you know how important this is? You need proper nutrition. I’ll make brodo, fresh, slow-

cooked. It’s good for strength. And there’s this old recipe my mother used to make when someone was expecting. It is very simple, very nourishing. The baby will be strong, you’ll be strong-”

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Chapter 197

“Caterina,” I said gently, laughing under my breath. “Take a breath.”

She huffed slightly. “I’m just saying,” she muttered.

“I know,” I said softly. “And I’d love for you to come.”

A pause, but when she spoke next, her voice was even warmer this time. “Really?”

“Yes,” I said. “You should.”

“Good,” she replied immediately, her energy returning full force. “Then I’ll be on the next flight.”

“You don’t have to rush—”

“I do,” she insisted. “This is important.”

I smiled, shaking my head slightly even though she couldn’t see me.

“Alright,” I said. “Just don’t stress yourself out.”

“Me?” she scoffed. “I’m perfectly calm.”

I laughed again. Of course she was.

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We spoke a little longer, her excitement barely settling, her words spilling into each other as she planned, suggested, worried, and celebrated all at once.

And when the call finally ended, the apartment felt quieter again.

But much lighter. Happier.

I leaned back slightly in my chair, staring at my phone for a moment before setting it down.

She was happy. So happy. And a part of me, a quiet, steady part felt that happiness too.

I wanted this baby. I really did.

But the joy didn’t come alone. It never did.

Because layered beneath it were the complications. Dominic. Alessia. And everything that came with him.

I closed my eyes briefly, exhaling slowly.

He was trying. I knew that. And I trusted that he wouldn’t say things he didn’t mean. He wouldn’t promise to separate from Alessia just to keep me close. That wasn’t who he was.

But that didn’t make this easier.

Because trying and succeeding were two very different things.

And waiting without a timeline, without certainty was exhausting.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to do that, not like this. This constant back and forth. This push and pull. It was going to drive me

crazy.

My eyes opened slowly, my thoughts settling into something quieter. Clearer. I needed space. Not permanently. Not

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Chapter 197

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completely. But enough to breathe, to think. Enough to protect myself from getting pulled too deep before anything was actually resolved.

One thing at a time.

That was all I could do.

And right now, the one thing that truly mattered was this baby

I pushed myself up from the chair, already moving towards the hallway.

“Maria?” I called out.

She appeared a moment later. “Si?”

“Can you prepare the guest bedroom?” I said. “Caterina is coming.”

Maria smiled immediately. “That’s wonderful news,” she said warmly.

I nodded. Yes. It was.

And maybe, this was one part of my life that could feel simple again.

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