His Ruthless Redemption (Isabella and Dominic) novel Chapter 103

Chapter 103

Isabella’s POV

In the morning, Mateo was rather down when he noticed that Dominic wasn’t home. Honestly, so was I.

But then Caterina suggested we give him a call to wish him.

So, we did.

I hit call and put the phone on speaker as it rang with Caterina and Mateo crowding around it at the breakfast table.

Just when I thought it was going to go to voice mail, he picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Happy birthday, Dominic!” Mateo burst out before anyone could say anything.

I heard Dominic let out a tired but happy chuckle on the other end. “Thank you so much, piccolo.”

“Happy birthday, Dominic,” I said softly.

“Thank you, bella mia,” Dominic replied, his voice much softer now. It made something warm flutter low in my belly.

“Buon compleanno, mio figlio.” Caterina was the next one to wish.

“Grazie, mamma,” he replied.

“You better be home early tonight so we can celebrate, you hear me?” She said, her tone rather threatening.

But Dominic only chuckled at the other end before agreeing. “Of course. I’ll be there.”

And then he was gone.

Caterina went all out with the food. I had helped where I could, specially with the cake, but I was pretty sure Caterina had stayed in the kitchen the whole day, only leaving to go get cleaned up when Maria insisted on it, saying that Dominic would be home soon.

Mateo and I had just come downstairs after changing into fresh clothes when Dominic came home in the evening.

I heard the door before I saw him, his footsteps familiar, heavy with fatigue, but steady. When he walked into the living room, his jacket was already slung over his arm, his tie loosened, dark circles faint beneath his eyes.

Tired.

But here.

Mateo froze mid–step, eyes widening.

“He’s here,” he whispered, like it was a secret that might vanish if/spoken too loudly.

Then he bolted.

“Happy birthday!” Mateo shouted, throwing himself at Dominic’s legs.

Dominic laughed, genuine surprise breaking through the weariness. He bent down easily, scooping Mateo up into his arms. As he walked towards us with Mateo in his arms, the faint scent of antiseptic reached my nose, the kind that usually came from being in a hospital for too long. My gaze shifted to Alessia who was already seated near the table, composed as ever, a

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Chapter 103

polite smile on her lips. Had Dominic gone with her to the hospital for another visit to her gynecologist?

“Careful,” Dominic said with a smile, pulling me out of my thoughts. “You’re going to knock me over.”

Mateo beamed. “We made you a cake.”

Caterina appeared behind me, hands clasped. “We did,” she said warmly.

Dominic looked up then, his gaze finding frine Something softened there, relief, maybe. Or gratitude.

“You didn’t have to,” he said.

“We wanted to,” I replied.

Eduardo had joined us too, and stood nearby, relaxed but watchful.

Then, Maria brought out the cake. It was simple. Chocolate. Mateo had insisted on strawberries on top because birthdays

need color.

Dominic blew out the candles with Mateo’s help, applause filling the room. For a moment, it felt almost normal. Like he hadn’t been busy at all.

“Open your gifts,” Caterina urged.

Mateo bounced on his heels. “Mine first.”

He thrust a card into Dominic’s hands with crooked letters, crayon scribbles, and a rocket ship drawn with painstaking care.

“I made it,” Mateo said proudly. “All by myself.”

Dominic swallowed visibly.

He opened the card slowly, then picked up the rocket toy Mateo held out next, plastic pieces carefully assembled, a little uneven, but solid. I’d helped a little with that, but it was mostly Mateo’s doing.

“This,” Dominic said quietly, kneeling to Mateo’s height, “is the best gift I’ve ever received.”

Mateo’s grin was blinding. My chest warmed watching father and son interact like they’d always been this way.

I handed Dominic my gift next, a watch, understated, but elegant. It had been rather hard finding a gift for him. What did you give a man who already had everything money could buy? After a lot of contemplation, I’d decided to go with the watch. And when he smiled, leaning in to kiss my cheek, I knew it hadn’t been too bad of a decision.

“Thank you,” he murmured.

Eduardo’s phone rang then. He glanced at the screen and stepped away. “I’ll be right back.

We began cutting the cake, laughter spilling easily enough, though I still felt a faint tightness beneath it all.

As Maria took the cake away to serve it to everyone, I realized Eduardo hadn’t returned.

Thinking that this was as good an opportunity as any to ask him about Alessia and Dominic’s night together months ago, I stood up.

“I’ll call Eduardo,” I said, moving towards the door already.

The hallway was quiet. I followed the sound of his voice to the side porch.

“…..I don’t care if he’s unstable,” Eduardo was saying, low and urgent. “No one goes in without—”

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Chapter 103

He stopped abruptly, probably hearing me approach and turned.

His eyes widened a fraction when he saw me.

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