Chapter 26%
Miranda’s smirk returned as she turned her attention back to the screen, watching as Penelope–her child, the one she had abandoned without a second thought–curled into Valeria’s side, clinging to the love she was so desperate for!!
It was almost laughable, really
The girl had been nothing more than a burden when she had been born, an inconvenience that Miranda had discarded as easily as an old dress, placing her in a charity center without so much as a second glance.
But now?
Now, she was useful.
Now, she was the perfect little pawn.}
She had spent years training Penelope, molding her, teaching her how to be exactly what she needed to be a weapon disguised as a helpless, innocent child.!!
And Valeria, so desperate to fill the void in her heart, had walked straight into her trap…
Miranda took another slow sip of her wine, allowing the bitter amusement to settle deep in her chest.
“She won’t see it coming,” she whispered, her voice dripping with satisfaction. ‘She’s so desperate for a daughter, she’s practically setting herself up for destruction.
Penelope, so eager to please. So desperate to be loved. Poor, stupid girl. It was almost pitiful. But pity had no place in this game. Because in the end, there would only be one winner. And it would be her.”
-VALERIA–S
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, there was a sense of peace settling into my bones, a rare moment where the weight of the past didn’t feel quite so suffocating.
Amara–no, my Amara–was here, her tiny fingers clutching my hand with unwavering trust, as if I were the only thing that truly mattered in her world. And in return, I treated her like she was mine, because in every way that counted, she was.
We had spent the entire morning at the park, her laughter ringing through the air as she ran across the grass, her little legs carrying her from one adventure to the next.
She played with the other children, her giggles blending with theirs, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt something inside me settle a quiet, fragile kind of happiness that I hadn’t realized I was still capable of feeling.
She called me Mommy.
And I called her my daughter.
It didn’t matter that she wasn’t mine by blood. It didn’t matter that we shared no genetic connection. Blood had never meant love anyway.
But just as I was about to push her on the swing again, my phone rang
I answered cautiously. “Who’s this?”
“Miss Moretti, this is Dr. Salvano, I’m calling regarding Lorenzo De Luca,
For a moment, I said nothing, my entire body going still as his name sank into my mind, dragging me back into a past I had worked so hard to leave behind. I hadn’t allowed myself to think about him for days.
I pressed my lips together, “What about him?“}
“He’s awake,” the doctor said simply.X
My grip on the phone tightened instinctively. So, he survived. Of course, he did. The bastard was too stubborn to die.
“I see,” I murmured, my eyes drifting back to Amara as she twirled in circles, trying to catch a butterfly that danced just beyond her reach.!! “He’s asking for you, Valeria,” the doctor added.
I scoffed, shaking my head. “Let him ask.“}
“He saved your life,” he reminded me, as if that single act could erase the years of damage, the betrayals, the pain.
“And he ruined it too,” I shot back without hesitation, my voice colder than I expected it to be.
There was a pause on the other end, a moment of silence that felt heavier than it should have. Then, softer this time, he said, “He looks regretful ”
I closed my eyes briefly, inhaling slowly. Regretful. As if regret had ever been enough. As if it could fix the wounds he had left behind.
“I think about it,” I muttered before hanging up, unwilling to entertain the conversation any longer.!!
Before I could dwell on it, Amara tugged at my hand, her bright eyes looking up at me with pure excitement. “Mommy, let’s go to the
I forced a smile, pushing everything else aside. “Of course, baby”
But even as I said the words, I already knew the truth.
I was going to see him. Just once. Because despite it all, I was only human. And once–I had loved him.X
The moment I stepped into Lorenzo’s hospital room, he was already awake, sitting up in bed, staring out the window with a distant
hrastinn that I couldn’t muutamaad. Hi
fara use nalar
nual his hadu visiklu waskar but there was still enmathing ismin tak ablu
expression that I couldn’t quite read. His face was paler than usual, his body visibly weaker, but there was still something unmistakably sharp in his eyes when he finally turned to look at me.
I met his gaze without hesitation, my expression indifferent. “You look like shit,” I said bluntly, my voice devoid of
sympathy.
A rough chuckle escaped him, but it lacked any real amusement. “Still as heartless as ever, I see, he murmured, his voice hoarse “And you’re still as stupid,” I shot back, crossing my arms.}}
His smirk faded slightly, the weight of reality settling in as his eyes flickered to the small figure standing beside me. And then, just like. that he froze.”
His body went rigid, his breath hitched, and I watched as the color drained from his face in an instant.
“Valeria,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, his eyes locked onto Amara with something between confusion and disbelief. “Who is that?”
I followed his gaze, glancing down at Amara, who stared curiously at him, unaware of the storm brewing between us.
“My daughter, I answered smoothly, my tone leaving no room for argument.
His eyes snapped back to mine. “What?
“I adopted her I clarified, watching his reaction carefully. “She’s mine now“l
