The Boy
We reached a gated community lined with elegant, sprawling houses, each more breathtaking than the last. The lawns were perfectly trimmed, the architecture luxurious but tasteful. Bella glanced over at me and explained,
“This is where most of the men live, but also some high-ranking civilians, politicians, government people, you know.”
As we drove further, the homes grew more spaced out until we passed through a lush green stretch with no buildings at all. Then the car slowed as we entered what I could only describe as a cul-de-sac. There were two houses facing each other, one in the middle, and one standing grandly at the very end of the road. That last house—the largest and most luxurious demanded attention.
Bella casually pointed to one of the two facing houses. “That’s where I live, with Cyrus,” she said, gesturing to the left. “And that one across from us? That’s the city's capo’s place.”
As we continued, she nodded toward the house positioned in the centre of the four. “That’s where my dad, the Consigliere, lives.”
I turned to her. “Oh, so that’s where you grew up?”
“Yeah,” she nodded. “We’ve always lived close to the Cincinnati.”
Finally, the car pulled up in front of the last and grandest house, the Cincinnati estate. The driver brought it to a gentle stop, and Bella stepped out first before turning to me with a warm smile.
“So, here it is,” she said. “The Cincinnati estate. Welcome home.”
I stepped out, taking in the massive structure. I had to admit, my own home was huge, but this house… this was another level of beauty and power. It radiated wealth and history.
Before we went inside, Bella stopped me. “Let me give you a little tour around first,” she offered.
So we began walking, circling around the house.
I was taken aback by what I found at the back of the house. It was breathtaking, an expansive green space stretched out beyond the property. At first, there was a flower-filled area, followed by a beautifully crafted maze, and then a vast open lawn that seemed to spill endlessly toward what looked like a forest. It was serene, magical.
There was a large pool nestled into the back of the house, grand and elegant, fitting perfectly with the estate's air of quiet luxury.
I stood there in awe. How could a place like this exist in this city? It felt like something out of a dream.
I turned toward Bella, and she was watching my reaction with a soft smile. “Told you,” she said. “This is the shelter behind the house. I love it out here. And during summer? It’s just the best.”
Then she reached for my hand. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
We entered through the back kitchen door, where I was quickly introduced to the cook and then to two maids. Everyone seemed polite but a little guarded, probably trying to figure me out.
Bella guided me through the house, showing me room after room, the movie room, the dining room, and even a piano room. It was a lot. The house was a world of its own, filled with quiet opulence and history stitched into every detail.
“And now,” she said with a twinkle in her eye, “the last important person you have to meet.”
She opened a door and said, “This is the family room.”
We stepped in, and my eyes fell on an older woman sitting cross-legged on a mat. Next to her was a little boy, probably around two years old. The woman was gently playing with him, her fingers dancing over his small hands as he babbled and giggled.
As soon as Bella walked into the room, everything in her shifted, her body softened, and her face lit up.
The little boy saw her and immediately got up and toddled across the room with tiny, wobbly steps. Bella scooped him up into her arms and covered his face in kisses. He laughed, squealed, and threw his arms around her neck in pure delight.
And I stood there, watching this intimate, beautiful moment. It was a moment that made my heart go oooh...!!
The woman turned to look at me. She didn’t say a word, just observed. Her silence made the air feel heavy for a moment. Then Bella turned toward me, walking over with the little boy in her arms.
“Hi,” she said softly, “um, Sarah, this is my son.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” I replied, offering a small smile. “He looks a lot like you.”
Bella shook her head. “No, he doesn’t. He looks like his daddy. He looks like Cyrus.” Her voice softened.
I shifted slightly. “Yeah... I think he looks a little like both of you... He’s very, very handsome.”
“Oh, thank you,” she said with a smile. “Let me introduce you properly. This little one is Cesar. Cesar Cyrus Cincinnati.”
Then, unexpectedly, she handed the baby to me.
I froze.
I had never carried a baby before. I was the last born in my family, and I rarely went to family events thanks to my dad, so I never got much baby experience. I awkwardly adjusted him in my arms, unsure of how to hold him right.
At first, he just stared up at me with those big curious eyes, his small fingers grabbing at my necklace. He was calm, just watching me, studying my face like he was trying to figure out who I was.
“It’s okay,” Bella said gently, noticing my stiffness. “He’ll get used to you.”
She reached out and took him from me, thankfully saving us both, and then walked over to a spot on the mat and sat down with him.
She introduced me to the nanny, Margaret. Apparently, Margaret had once been Cyrus’s nanny, long before Cyrus “stole” her, as Bella put it with a teasing smile. Now, she was Cesar’s nanny too.
Margaret soon excused herself, leaving Bella and me alone with the baby.
Bella placed Cesar gently on the mat and handed him some toys. He giggled as he played, occasionally glancing up at her with a smile that could melt anyone’s heart.
I sat beside them quietly, just watching her with him. Watching how natural she was, how instinctively she knew what to do—how her love wrapped around her son like a warm blanket.
And I wondered… Would I ever have this?
Would I ever sit like this with my child?
Would I ever hold something that was mine, that I created with love?
Would I ever have this moment?
Because right now, being with Cullen felt like a dead end. He wouldn’t even touch me. How could we talk about children?
So I just sat there, eyes on Cesar, a lump in my throat.
Wondering. But also fearing the answer.
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