Dante frowned. "Happened how?"

The assistant rushed to answer, "The heads of all those rival families of yours… they all showed up, somehow. They said they came to bring you a wedding gift."

Dante's face dropped at once.

His tone went curt. "Ignore them. They're all people I've already broken." 

"If they're looking for trouble, have security throw them out."

He paused, then added coldly, "The only things that matter to me right now are Lorelei and the baby."

"Until I know they're both safe, nothing else exists."

The assistant sounded like he still wanted to push, "Don, but--"

Dante cut him off again, "Do as I told you."

He was about to hang up.

Then, as though something had just surfaced in his mind, he went silent for a beat.

When he spoke again, his voice softened a fraction, "Where's Donna? Has she admitted she was in the wrong? Has she begged?"

"If she has, bring her to the hospital. As long as she'll stay close and look after Lorelei, I'll let it go."'

The assistant hesitated. "I... don't know."

Dante's brows knit together with annoyance. "Forget it. If she wants to be stubborn, then let her sit there and think about what she's done."

He hung up.

Then he slipped his phone into his pocket and turned back to the ER.

His hand had only just touched the door handle when a sharp, tightly controlled voice slipped through from inside.

"I told you I don't want you saving this baby."

Dante froze, his entire body going rigid

Inside, Lorelei's voice was thick with impatience and fury.

"Do you not understand what I'm saying? I want this baby gone. If you make it disappear for me, I'll give you a million."

Her voice was low, but vicious. "This stays between us. Dante is never going to know."

“Then we’ll just say Carmela Russo attacked me and the baby couldn't be saved. That's all"

Dante's brows snapped together.

He shoved the door open.

Everyone inside flinched.

Lorelei went pale on the spot, one hand still suspended in midair.

Dante stared at her.

His voice dropped low enough to sound dangerous. "What did you just say? What does 'get rid of the baby' mean?"

"If the child can be saved, why on earth wouldn't you want that?"

Lorelei's eyes filled at once.

She looked as if she'd just been frightened out of her wits, her voice already starting to shake.

"Don... let me explain..."

Her small face was bloodless as tears rolled, one after another. "If Donna doesn't want this baby to be born, then I'll give Donna what she wants."

She bit down hard on her lip, voice clogged with tears. "She already hates him this much now. What about later?"

"If he's actually born and handed to Donna to raise...She'll find a way to kill him."

Her frightened eyes lifted to Dante's face.

"Rather than waiting for that day---waiting for the baby to suffer, waiting for me to suffer-better now..."

"Before he's born. Before he has any awareness. Before l've poured all my love into him... we should let him go."

Dante shuddered.

In the next breath, he pulled her against him and held her tight. "Lorelei... don't say things like that."

His voice had gone hoarse. "The baby is innocent."

Lorelei trembled against his chest, sobbing so violently her shoulders shook.

Dante's heart had clearly softened.

But somewhere deep behind his eyes, there was a flicker of suspicion he couldn't fully hide.

After a moment, he asked in a low voice "Then what about what you said just now? About blaming it on Carmela Russo?”