Cassandra Reid

I rub my eyes with my hands once more. Again we have to get up early to travel by plane and I fall asleep. I couldn't sleep a wink all night. Ella's words continue to ramble through my head.

Mommy, she called me 'mommy'. And since then, she has not stopped repeating it. It was the first thing she did this morning when she saw me.

Apparently Fede doesn't mind and Adriano has remained on the sidelines, nor has he mentioned it. Could it be they have also accepted me as such? Or on the contrary, are they just ignoring it?

I lean back in the recliner ready to sleep through the flight while we wait for Pietro, who is supposed to bring my hungover best friend.

"We're ready to take off, sir", the pilot reports as soon as my husband's lawyer shows up.

"Perfect".

Leah runs to lie down next to me, of course, to do so she has to push my husband aside, who clenches his jaw hard to keep his murderous instincts at bay.

"I'm sorry, Mister Italian", my friend apologizes, snuggling up