Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad-Chapter 937 : A Whispered Goodbye

*Bianca*

Leo had gone through the trouble of making this big breakfast for me and I couldn’t even manage to take one bite of it. I knew he meant well, but a breakfast wasn’t going to erase his outburst from my brain. I was still feeling sick, but I was feeling more hurt than anything.

He would want a family one day, he had said. The words, “one day,” had been repeating inside my mind ever since he said it. The reality was, I couldn’t wait for ‘one day’. I was pregnant now.

After I saw how he reacted last night, I knew I couldn’t tell him I was pregnant. I knew it would only make things worse. I wasn’t sure what he would say or suggest we do. Suggest I do, rather.

I admit, I had my doubts in the beginning, but I had since accepted my fate. Accepted that I am growing a baby inside of me and that baby was mine. Mine to love and nurture. I wasn’t going to give that up for anything.

I was going to be a mother. And if I knew anything about being a mother, it was that we put our children first. So, that was what I had to do. I had to put my baby first.

It wasn’t a good idea to tell Leo we were having a baby. Just as it wasn’t a good idea that I remained here with Michael still being a huge threat to my life. And now a huge threat to my baby’s life.

As I laid in bed last night while Leo seemed to easily fall asleep, I decided it was time for me to leave. I couldn’t stay here any longer. Even if that meant Leo and I would no longer be together. It was a sacrifice I was willing to make for the safety of my baby.

I was ready to go back home to Italy and be around my family. I needed them most right now. I knew my mother and my entire family would help me raise my baby. Because that was what family did. Leo seemed incapable of understanding that.

He had fought so hard to keep me here even when I expressed to him that I missed my family. All I had wanted to do was go home and see them over the holidays. Leo refused to give me that.

It was my turn to start making decisions for myself. For my baby. I, at least, was going to go home for the holidays. I wasn’t sure what my next move was. My classes were here in the states, but I wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to finish college now that I had accepted that I was pregnant and going to keep my baby.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure about a lot of things. The only thing I was sure of in that moment, was that I was ready to go home.

Once I was sure Leo had left, I walked out of the kitchen and towards the staircase. I figured it would be best if I left while Leo was gone. I knew he’d only demand that I stay if I had told him I was leaving to go home for the holidays. I couldn’t let him dictate my life anymore.

Once I had gotten into my room, I pulled a suitcase out from within the closet. Slowly, I started packing my favorite clothes. I knew I wouldn’t be able to fit everything, and just in case I didn’t make it back, I wanted to make sure I had all of my favorite things with me.

After I zipped a very stuffed suitcase, I plopped down on my bed next to it. I pulled out my cellphone to call my mom, but wasn’t at all surprised that I didn’t have a single text from Leo.

Good, I had thought to myself. It was better that way.

I found my mom’s contact number and hit the call button before letting myself fall back onto the bed. I inhaled a few times as I had gotten myself ready to put on a happy face.

“Bianca!” My mom sang. “It’s so good to hear from you.”

“Hi, mom!” I forced every ounce of excitement out of me that I could.

“How are you? Are you doing all right, my darling?” she asked.

Her voice went from excited to slightly concerned rather quickly.

“Yes,” I lied. “Yeah, I’m doing just fine, mom. I was actually calling to let you know I’ll be coming home for the holidays.”

“Oh, my sweet girl! That is such great news!” she exclaimed. “The whole family is going to be over the moon!”

“I know,” I replied. “I’m excited to see everyone.”

“Will Leo be coming with you?” she questioned.

I hesitated before speaking. “No. Um, he can’t make it, unfortunately. He’s busy with work. So, it’ll just be me and Taylor.”

“Taylor?” she inquired, curiously.

“You remember Taylor from back when we were kids. Blond hair. Kind of goofy,” I informed her.

“Oh, of course! Wow, it’s been a while since you two have spent time together, huh?” she replied, clearly trying to get some more information out of me about it.

“Yeah, I ran into him on campus,” I told her.

Of course, I had to leave out the part about Taylor being a part of a mafia gang and my cousin Mia had sent him to protect me. However, I wasn’t lying entirely since I did first run into him in class.

“What are the odds you running into him in another country like that,” my mom replied. “I’m so happy you two reconnected.”

I wasn’t sure why but it sounded like she was hinting at something.

“I guess so. Anyway, we are going to be leaving later today,” I replied, changing the subject quickly. “I’ll call you when we land in Italy.”

“All right, sweetheart. You be safe, you hear?” she said in a stern voice. “I love you, Bianca.”

“I will,” I assured her, mustering up a smile. “I love you, as well, mom. See you soon.”

Just as I hung up the phone, Taylor walked in. I sighed heavily before sitting up.

“Leo is an idiot,” he said, walking over to sit next to me.

A small laugh escaped me. “Yeah, he can be.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, softly.

I smiled gingerly at him. “I want to go home.”

He nodded, understanding quickly. “I’ll get us a flight right away and we’ll be in the air before the end of the day.”

“Thank you,” I replied, feeling grateful for having Taylor here.

“Does Leo know?” he asked, gently.

I shook my head. “No.”

“Understood. Don’t worry. I’ll be discreet and Leo won’t find out,” he assured me. “At least, not until he comes home to an empty house.”

“I know, I’ll deal with that when the time comes,” I replied, not at all looking forward to that time arriving.

“I know this is hard, but for what it’s worth, I think you’re making the right decision by going home. Even if it is only for a couple of weeks,” he said, placing his hand on my arm and squeezing gently.

I smiled. “Thank you, Taylor. For everything. You’ve been really supportive.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” he replied. “I am your official bodyguard after all, let’s not forget.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle and roll my eyes playfully at him. He always knew how to lighten the mood.

“I’m going to go make some calls and book us a flight. I’ll be back in to get your stuff,” he said, before disappearing into the hallway.

I sighed heavily and walked over to the desk. I sat down and pulled out a loose piece of paper and a pen. With a heavy heart, I wrote Leo a letter.

I explained to him that I wasn’t leaving because I didn’t love him, I was leaving because I needed to do what was best for me. And in that moment, going home to Italy was best for me.

Once I finished writing the letter, I folded it up and placed it inside an envelope. Tears began spilling down my cheek as I reached my hands behind my neck and unclasped the locket Leo had given me. I held it in my hand as I felt sadness seep deep into my bones. After a few moments, I tucked the locket inside the envelope with the letter.

I left the envelope on the desk, hoping he’d find it easily. I could only imagine the panic Leo would go through when he came home to find me missing.

I grab my suitcase from off the bed and walk out into the hallway. Before I can walk away, I turn and stand in the doorway of Leo and I’s bedroom. I glanced at the bed and at Leo’s sweatpants that he had worn last night that were lying in a pile on the floor by the bathroom door. My eyes tore themselves away and locked onto the envelope sitting on the desk. Tears continued to stream down my cheeks as I whispered goodbye.

Taylor came up behind me, causing me to jump.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said, in a calming tone.

He placed his hand on my upper back as he tried to comfort me once he saw that I was crying.

I knew I was making the right decision, but it didn’t negate the fact that it hurt like hell.

“Let me carry that down for you,” he offered, taking the suitcase into his hands. “I got us a flight that leaves in two hours. So, we’ll have to head to the airport right away.”

I nodded, wiping the tears from my face. “I’m ready.”

He gave me a small smile accompanied by arched eyebrows. “I know this is hard for you and I’m so sorry, Bianca.”

“Thank you,” I replied, taking deep breaths to calm myself.

“This might sound like I am not being sensitive to your emotions right now, but I do not mean it in that way at all,” he started to say.

I tilted my head to the side. “Go on.”

“If we are going to get past Leo’s men, you’re going to have to appear happy and willing, if you know what I mean,” he said.

I chuckled. “Right. I’m sure if they saw me crying, they definitely would not me leave with you.”

He smiled. “Exactly.”

I nodded my head, understanding the mission. I dried all of my tears and took a few deep breaths before following Taylor down the staircase. I painted on a smile and acted like everything was completely fine. As if it had been just another normal day.

Leo’s men were perched outside the front door as usual. Taylor greeted them and told them he had orders from Alessandro to escort Bianca around town for the day.

I couldn’t tell if it was Taylor’s charm or the fact that he said Alessandro’s name, but Leo’s men let us pass rather easily. We got into a car that already had a driver inside and headed to the airport. Before the car drove off, I looked out at the compound one last time.

I couldn’t help but burst into tears. The estate had been my home for a while now. It was where I first fell in love with Leo. And now, it was where I was leaving him. My heart was breaking.

Forgetting for a moment that Taylor was sitting right next to me, I quickly pulled myself together. I wiped the freshly spilled tears and turned to look at him.

“Well, I guess I’ll have to start coming up with baby names on my own now that Leo will never know about it,” I said, putting on a strong face.

Taylor sighed and pulled me into a hug.

“Everything will be alright,” he assured me, comfortingly.

More than anything in the world, I wanted to believe him.