Chapter 38%
The grand hall shimmered under golden chandeliers, casting a warm glow over the elegantly dressed guests. Lorenzo brought me here
with our son. Laughter and conversation blended seamlessly with the soft melody of a string quartet. Every corner of the venue screamed luxury, from the towering ice sculptures to the uniformed waiters gliding across the floor with trays of champagne.
Lorenzo’s grip on my waist was firm yet gentle as he guided me through the entrance. He exuded confidence, his presence effortlessly commanding attention. As we stepped inside, a wave of hushed murmurs spread through the crowd.
“They look stunning together.“”
“Lorenzo’s wife is breathtaking.“}
“And their son–what a beautiful boy!
Camera flashes erupted in bursts of white light, but Lorenzo’s men moved swiftly, shielding us from the intrusive glare.
Dorotheo, dressed in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, held onto my hand, his small fingers wrapped securely around mine. His dark stormy eyes sparkled with curiosity, taking in the grand surroundings with innocent wonder. He looked so much like-
No
I shoved the thought away, forcing a smile as I acknowledged the guests around me. Over the years, I had learned to play the role- Lorenzo’s devoted wife, Dorotheo’s loving mother, the picture of perfection in a world where appearances meant everything.
Yet beneath the surface, something never felt right.
That hollow space inside me had never truly disappeared. No matter how much love Lorenzo gave, no matter how much the world admired our perfect life, there was a lingering emptiness I couldn’t explain.X
The evening unfolded seamlessly. Elegant conversations, glasses clinking, polite laughter filling the room. Everything moved like a perfectly choreographed dance.
Until it didn’t
One moment, I felt the warmth of Dorotheo’s small hand in mine.
The next, it was gone.
Panic shot through me, sharp and immediate. My breath caught in my throat as I spun around, my heart slamming against my ribs.” “Dorothea?” My voice trembled as I scanned the crowded room, my pulse hammering in my ears.
Lorenzo noticed the distress in my expression instantly. He stepped closer, his sharp gaze locking onto mine. “What’s wrong?”
“I lost him” The words barely made it past my lips.
His entire demeanor shifted. The warmth in his eyes disappeared, replaced by something cold and calculating. “I’ll have my men search the-”
I wasn’t waiting.”
My heels clicked sharply against the marble floor as I pushed through the sea of elite guests, my chest tightening with every second that passed.
Where was he?
Where was my son?
Then I saw him.”
Dorothea stood at the far end of
nd of the hall.
hall, just a few feet away from the roassive floor–to–ceiling windows
s overlooking
the city skyline.
He wasn’t alone &
A tall man in a dark suit stood in front of him, his presence commanding even from a distance. The moment my eyes landed on him, my breath caught in my throat.⠀
Danus Romano
The man from the news.
He looked exactly the same–tall, powerful, exuding an effortless authority that seemed to shift the atmosphere around him. His dark, piercing eyes were focused on Dorothea, studying him with an Intensity that sent a chill down my spine.
But what terrified me more…
Dorotheo was looking right back at him.
Not with fear.
Not with hesitation.
With something that looked almost like familiarity X
My entire body locked in place, my vision blurring at the edges.
Dorothea
The resemblance hit me like a freight train.
The same dark stormy eyes.E
The same sharp features E
The same presence that made people stop and take notice.
I could barely breathe.
Before I could move–before I could process the reality crashing down around me–Darius slowly crouched to Dorotheo’s level. His Jahression remained unmeadable hit there was something in hie nave I couldn’t dacinhar Ÿ
expression remained unreadable, but there was something in his gaze I couldn’t decipher.
His deep voice cut through the noise of the room like a blade.
“Are you lost, little man?”
“Dorotheo!”
Lorenzo pulled Dorotheo away from the man who had just stolen every ounce of breath from my lungs.
Everything around me faded. The elegant hall, the murmuring guests, the glittering chandeliers–they all blurred into the background. My mind refused to process anything else because my eyes wouldn’t move from him.
And Darius… he was watching me.
His dark gaze held mine, unwavering, intense. There was something flickering beneath his composed mask, something I couldn’t quite name. Was it recognition? Shock? Pain? I couldn’t tell. But I felt it. And it rattled me to my core.
Lorenzo’s voice cut through the haze. “Let’s go ”
I blinked, my breath catching as reality came rushing back. Dorotheo was clinging to Lorenzo’s shirt, his tiny face buried against his father’s chest. Lorenzo’s hand tightened around mine, as if afraid I would slip away.!!
I let him pull me forward, my body moving on instinct. But even as we walked away, I could still feel Darius’s gaze on me. I could still feel something inside me twisting, aching, as if I had left a part of myself behind.
The ride home was quiet. Too quiet.)
Dorotheo had fallen asleep, his small fingers curled into Lorenzo’s coat. His breathing was soft, peaceful, completely unaware of the storm raging inside me. I stared out the window, my thoughts a tangled mess of confusion and unease.X
“You shouldn’t have gone near him.”
Lorenzo’s voice snapped me out of my daze. I turned to him, frowning “What?”
His jaw was tense, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. “Danus.7
Something about the way he said that name sent chills down my spine
“He’s the reason you almost died.“”
My breath hitched. My stomach twisted, my hands instinctively gripping the fabric of my dress. I looked at him, my “What… What do you mean?”
heart pounding.
Lorenzo exhaled heavily, his face darkening as if he had been holding back something for a long time. “You don’t remember, but before your accident… Darius was obsessed with you.”
Obsessed?%
“You chose me over him, and he lost IL He couldn’t stand that we were getting married. He wanted to destroy me. Valeria.”
My entire body went cold.
“Your accident wasn’t an accident.“”
The words struck like a thunderclap, shattering every assumption 1 had clung to for years.
Lorenzo’s voice was quiet but firm, each word landing with heavy finality. “Darius orchestrated it. He wanted to take you away from me. And if I hadn’t found you in time… you would’ve died.”
I couldn’t breathe. The air in the car felt too thick, pressing down on my chest &
Darius did that to me?
