A SECRET REVEALED

Adriana Pasquale sat in the sterile waiting room of the private clinic. Her handbag was placed on her lap and she grasped it tightly with her hands. The room was quiet, and only occasionally would she hear the beeping sounds of medical devices that reminded her that there were still other people left in the world. She would sometimes hear footsteps approaching the room, but none ever made it to the room. She had been feeling different for the past few weeks, and when she had initially given the situation thoughts as something that might be serious, she conscientiously brushed the thoughts away. But she had today made up her mind to visit a clinic to know her situation. When the nurse finally came to the private waiting room and called her name, Adriana followed her into a small examination room. The doctor, a black woman in her fifties with a kind-looking face, smiled warmly as she entered. 'Miss Pasquale, your test results are in." She paused and scanned Adriana's face. 'You're pregnant." The words hit Adriana like a bullet. She stared at the doctor, and at that moment, her heart might have stopped beating. Pregnant. She was pregnant with Marco's baby. 'Are you sure?" Adriana asked, in a low voice that was barely louder than a whisper. The doctor nodded with a smile. 'Yes, Miss Adriana. Based on your last menstrual cycle, you're about eight weeks pregnant. Congratulations." Adriana's hands quaked as she took the paperwork the doctor gave her. She was completely taken. How can she handle this? This was going to change everything. And to make matters even worse, she knew her dad would never in any way be in acceptance of this. Adriana left the clinic, her mind plagued. She drove home slowly, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. All while she was on the road, her mind was still processing the news. Once back home, she parked her car and made her way inside, she felt heavy within her and felt the need to stay away from everybody's sight, especially her father. The house was quiet, perfect as she had wanted it. She took off her shoes and headed upstairs to her room. Adriana sat on her big soft mattress, thinking of the news she had received. She knew she had to tell Marco. He had to know. She got up and checked if anybody was close to the door, before closing it properly to ensure she was not being listened to. She sat back on her mattress and pulled out her phone to call Marco, her palms sweated as she dialed his number. It rang twice before he answered. 'Adriana," Marco said, his voice warm but cautious. 'Va tutto bene?" (Is everything okay?) Adriana took a deep breath, before she simply stated. 'Marco, I need to see you. It's important." There was a pause on Marco's end of the line. 'What's wrong?" 'I can't talk about it over the phone," Adriana said, her voice now steady. 'Please, just come over." 'Alright. I'll be there soon." Marco finally gave in to her demand and agreed. Adriana ended the call and lay done on her bed and shut her eyes tight. She didn't know how Marco would react to this new development, but she had to let him know. Unknown to Adriana, her father, Matteo Pasquale, had been standing outside her door, listening to the conversation. He saw her when she came out to scan the area before closing her door tightly. His expression became grim when he heard her pleading with Marco to come over. He had always suspected that Adriana and Marco were more than just friends, but he had never talked to her or asked her about it. Now, it seemed, he to…. As Adriana lay on her bed, lost in thought, the knocks on the door came heavy. She jerked up from her bed, her heart skipped a beat 'Who is that?" She asked curiously 'È il padre" (it's father) he responded in his usual cold voice. Adriana hesitated a little before she stood up and went to the door to open it. There he stood, his face was stern, his eyes cold. She went back to her bed to sit before he could even enter the room. 'Adriana," Matteo said, his voice low and calculated. 'Who were you talking to?" Adriana almost choked on her own saliva and breath. 'Oh about that, Father it's nobody serious, Just a friend." Matteo was quiet. He kept looking at her with a deadly smirk on his face. 'Don't lie to me, Adriana. I heard you call his name. You were talking to Marco, weren't you?" Adriana hesitated, then even though she was a bit scared, she nodded. 'Yes. I was." Matteo's countenance darkened even further. 'What is going on between you two? Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? How reckless?" He paused, came closer to her, and continued 'Do you know what happens when Antonio finds out you are seeing Luca's boy?" Adriana stood up, her fists folded at her sides. 'It's not reckless, Father. Marco and I… we love each other." Matteo's eyes widened in disbelief. 'Love? Do you hear yourself, Adriana? You're engaged to Luca Vincenzo, the head of La Mano Nera, and you are telling me, that you are in love with one of his Men." 'I'm not concerned about Luca. I don't love him. I never have." Adriana said curtly while her heart pounded in her chest. Matteo turned away from Adriana, grasping his head with both hands as if his head wanted to fall off. He turned and looked at her, and in a rising voice, he said. 'This isn't about love, Adriana. This is about survival. Our family's survival. Your engagement to Luca is the main thing keeping us afloat. If you jeopardize that, you jeopardize everything." Adriana's eyes filled with tears, but she refused to back down. 'I'm pregnant, Father." Matteo stood still. The words of his daughter kept repeating in his ears… 'Pregnant…. For who?" He didn't talk, he just turned around and left the room. Adriana knew there was a fire on the mountain. She was always more scared of her father's silence than when he spoke. And now he had stopped speaking and had left the room. She knew he was going to try and harm Marco and his presence at the mansion was only going to hasten her father's evil plan. She picked up her phone immediately and texted Marco 'Don't come here, it's not safe" ******