Page 124 of His Son's Ex

“Dad, come on…” he says quietly.

I cross my arms, keeping my voice level. “Why are you here?”

He hesitates, searching for the right words. “I guess I came to offer my congratulations. And—” He glances past me, where Alessandro is giggling at the cat. “And to meet my little brother.”

A slow burn of anger rises in my gut. I step in front of him, blocking his view.

“You wanted him and his mother killed. Remember?”

He flinches. “I know. I regret it every day. I was blinded by Mom’s greed, by false ambition, by my own stupidity. I just wanted to see him. And to maybe ask for forgiveness.”

Forgiveness. The nerve. I grit my teeth, remembering how he conspired with Linda, how he funneled money to Lombardi’s men, how Eva barely escaped with her life. All for the sake of Luca proving himself worthy of the Bellacino legacy.

He almost cost me everything that mattered.

“You won’t starve,” I reply tersely, “and you won’t wander the streets. I promised that much, my duty as your father, financially. But you’ll never sit at a Bellacino table again. You lost that right the day you nearly got your baby brother killed.”

Pain shadows his face, tears threatening. “But he’s my blood, too.”

“Blood alone means nothing if you betray your family. You chose Linda’s path, and you knew deep down what she was capable of. You could have stopped her, but you let her do it anyway.”

Silence cloaks us. Behind me, I hear a child’s delighted shriek—Alessandro’s discovered something new to chase. My mother swiftly intervenes, guiding him toward the house, away from noticing me speaking with Luca.

Luca’s jaw works as he tries to swallow his pride or perhaps his sorrow. “I understand,” he whispers. “If you need anything—anything at all—I’ll be around. I’m sorry, Dad.”

He waits, hoping for some hint of acceptance, but all I offer is a rigid nod. “You should go.”

His shoulders sag. “Right.”

He casts one last, longing look toward Alessandro’s laughter echoing in the courtyard, then turns and walks away. The guard follows at a distance, ensuring Luca doesn’t linger.

I watch as he leaves, shoulders hunched under the weight of bad choices he can’t take back. At one time, he was a boy who looked up to me like I hung the stars. Now, he can’t even meet my eyes for more than a second. The sting of that betrayal runs deeper than I let anyone know.

I care for him, I do. But I cannot forget. I cannot gamble my family’s future on sentiment.

He’s out of the business, that much is done. But being a Bellacino isn’t just about blood—it’s about loyalty, discipline, and earning your place. If Luca wants to get back in, he’ll have to prove it. Not with words or time. With sacrifice and pain.

And it’ll take more than one act of repentance to clean the blood off his hands.

Until then, I will protect what matters most. Eva. Alessandro. Our legacy.

A soft voice breaks through my thoughts. “Everything okay?”

I turn to see Eva heading toward me. She’s wearing a simple blouse and jeans, soft and casual. But damn, does she look good.

She moves with purpose, something in her expression telling me this moment isn’t just a simple check-in.

My jaw tightens. “Luca came to ask for forgiveness. Wanted to see Alessandro.”

Her eyes flash with terror. She stops cold, placing a hand on my arm. “And?”

“I sent him away.”

She gives a small, understanding nod. “Maybe someday.”

“Maybe,” I reply, though we both know that’s generous. “But not today.”

Her eyes search mine, full of care and concern. “You did what you had to. Alessandro isn’t lacking love.”