The Heir He Left Behind Chapter 10
Two weeks after Landon left, I went for a walk and ran into Elena.
But she’d lost all her old arrogance. She clung to my hands, begging me to save her, to send her home.
“Cassie, please… I’m begging you.” She knelt on the ground, clutching my legs.
David tried to drag her away, but I stopped him.
“Contact her family.”
“You’re too kind,” David muttered.
I smiled. “You don’t know me very well.”
I motioned for him to lean closer and whispered a few words.
A few days later, Elena’s family got a message: pay ten million dollars, and their daughter would be returned
safely.
At the same time, they found out Dante had abandoned Elena overseas.
A bitter feud erupted between the two families. Elena was forced to marry Dante.
Rumor had it the wedding was a farce. On their wedding night, Alessio beat her. Her family retaliated. The
two families tore each other apart.
I was very happy to see that.
Oh, and that ten million? I didn’t keep a cent. I donated it all to children’s charities and orphanages.
Landon had promised to be back before the baby came.
But by my thirtyninth week, there was still no word.
The tension at the estate grew thicker every day.
I called David. “Run background checks on all the staff.”
We let go of the ones who weren’t loyal anymore. We locked the gates.
Three days before my due date – still nothing.
David couldn’t take it anymore. He insisted on going to Mexico.
I was on the verge of breaking. “Go. Whether I live or die, I need to know the truth.”
But he was the one Landon had left to protect me. He was torn. “But, ma’am…”
Landon had enemies everywhere. Just two days ago, David’s men had caught several heavily armed strangers lurking outside the gate.
“Go. I’ll be fine.” I smiled and held out my hands. “See? Cassie Moretti doesn’t break.”
David stared at my hands still scarred, still not fully healed.
Tears ran down his face. “I’m not leaving. I’m staying. I have to protect you. Protect the Don’s child.”
I wanted to tell him to go.
But before I could speak, a sharp, tearing pain ripped through my belly.
The contraction was so fierce I couldn’t talk. As the agony swallowed me whole, only one thought remained.
I’m not going to make it. I’ll never see Landon again. He won’t be there when the baby comes.
He’d once asked if I was scared. I’d said no.
But I was. I was scared of the pain. Of being tortured. Of being beaten and starved and frozen. Of the scalpel
about to cut into my body.
Landon, I wish you were here. I wish you were here.
David and the servants rushed me to a private hospital.
They’d just wheeled me into the delivery room when, before the nurses could close the door, a strong hand
pushed it open.
“Cassie.”
It felt like a dream.
I tried to open my eyes to see if it was him – then a large, warm hand gripped mine.
“Cassie.” Landon leaned down and kissed my forehead. “I’m back.”
The delivery went fairly smoothly. The doctor said I was in great shape – I could deliver naturally.
Landon, on the other hand, fell apart. He got kicked out midway for “interfering with the medical staff.”
But he stood outside the door crying, while I cried inside.
David was terrified when he saw it.
Landon ordered him never to tell anyone. But as soon as I left the delivery room, David couldn’t wait to spill
the secret.
I laughed. Then I cried.
When the baby was three months old, I’d fully recovered. We took him to be baptized.
Sitting in the church, Landon.said, “Cassie, you don’t know how much guilt I carry.”
I looked at him. “Then I’ll keep praying for you.”