I didn’t even realise that I had passed out until I woke to the empty space beside me. Luciano was already standing by the window, shirtless, running a hand through his hair.
His eyes found me still curled on the bed, still wearing the clothes I had pulled on after he finished, before he looked away.
"Penelope." His voice was quieter than usual.
“I was angry about the test.”
A pause.
“So I was rough with you.”
Rough.
As if bruises could be softened by choosing a different word.
My body still reeling from the shock, flinched when he came close wordlessly and kept a transparent glass box on the bed.
My breath caught instantly. Inside rested a blue sapphire pendant.
For years, it had been my favorite piece in the Moretti vault. A family heirloom passed down through generations of Moretti wives who were cherished by their husbands.
Once, I had accidentally touched it during a family banquet when Luciano’s coldly told the butler: ‘Send it for cleaning, its all dirty now.’
Now he kept it there without a word like a makeshift band-aid meant to mend my trampled heart.
He paused, then added, almost like an afterthought "Are you okay?"
The man who had threatened my father's life, treated my body as a tool and spoke of children like business assets wanted to know if I was alright.
I swallowed the bile rising in my throat.
"I will be." I said softly. "If you help me with something."
I lowered my gaze, hiding the storm rising beneath it.
His brows furrowed slightly. “What is it?”
I opened a drawer and withdrew several prepared documents. “I want to secure Ian and Lucas's future.”
Luciano’s eyes softened instantly, a flicker of pity reflecting in them.Then something else….something almost smug.
“Penelope, I know everything.” he said, almost under his breath. “You’ve always put me and the children first.”
“Don't worry,” he added, almost gently. “I won't mistreat you.”
Taking the documents from my hands, he barely skimmed through them, before signing without hesitation.
Pressing a kiss to my forehead he smiled. “Prepare Kiara's welcome banquet today. Make sure everything is perfect.”
Then he left. The moment the door clicked shut, my gentle facade disappeared.
Slowly.
Carefully.
I opened the documents.
At the very bottom, beneath Luciano Moretti's signature, were the papers I had hidden among the property forms.
DIVORCE AGREEMENT- Penelope Solon no longer a part of Moretti Family.
My fingers tightened. At last, after fifteen years of loving him t was finally over.
I threw the documents into my suitcase and continued packing.
Luciano wanted all the pleaures: the purity of his childhood sweetheart and the utility of the loyal wife he believed would never leave his side.
Too bad I was finished giving..
His family, his support or even his love, he could keep them all to himself!
With that I picked up the Moretti pendant I once desired like a dream and weighed it in my palm, a miserable smile clouding my eyes as I contacted the biggest auction house in Rome..
[Sell this pendant to the highest bidder in two days. Five years ago my wedding jewelry costed 10 million euros, make sure you get rid of that thrash and convert it into hard cash today.]
Since my father’s life is so cheap to you Luciano, I will drain all your resources and transfer him back to the Solon family.
Soon the day of Kiara's welcome party arrived.
The Moretti estate was drowning in the sickly sweet scent of red tulips as the grand doors swung open.
“You must along with her, Penelope.” Luciano murmured under his breath, his hand settling on my shoulder in a light squeeze. “Don’t embarrass me.”
Wearing a high-slit white gown, Kiara looked like an angel descending from the heavens, unlike my plain self, who was almost invisible.
"Sister!" She held my hands, yet her eyes strayed toward Luciano, looking at him like she was wronged.
“I was so worried about you.” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “Do you… hate me, Penelope?”
I stilled.
“We are sisters, but you never once came to see me in the hospital.” Her lashes lowered, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. “I almost thought… you didn’t want me to wake up.”
A few nearby guests had already begun to turn, drawn in by her soft, breaking voice.
“I was just busy.” I replied coldy not wishing to even look at her eyes shining with hidden pleasure.
I was about to turn away when her loud voice made me freeze in my tracks.
I was about to turn away when her loud voice made me freeze in my tracks.
“Penelope, no matter what happened to our families, I never would have guessed that my own little sister would become Luciano's surrogate."
The word landed like a slap.
My body froze.
"If Father knew" she continued, her voice trembling with manufactured sorrow, "he would be so sad."
“Shutup!!”
She flinched just enough to look convincing before a vicious gleam sparked in her eyes..
“I know” she rushed to say, shaking her head as if blaming herself. “You’re angry… you have every right to be. It’s all my fault.”
“After I fell into a coma, you had to become your brother-in-law’s surrogate and even gave birth to mine and Luciano’s children.”
Her tears flowed even harder.
“I-I don’t blame you for sleeping with my fiancé, Penelope. Now that I am back, I will surely compensate you. Whether it's money or jewelry that you fought with me for all those years, I will give it all to you.”
Kiara’s tears trickled, acting like a saint who was showing mercy.
[I always thought Penelope was the victim. Turns out she's just a greedy gold-digger who seduced her sister's husband!]
[To think she acted so noble all these years when really, she was just renting out her womb for cash and jewels.]
[A lowly woman like that doesn't deserve to be Donna of the Moretti Family. No wonder Luciano is giving the position back to the real one!]
My eyes shook violently as my vision swarmed red with rage when Luciano’s gaze bore into my skull.
Cold, sharp and heavy with warning.
‘Endure it. Don’t forget who’s been supporting your family.’
I almost sneered.
Setting my wine glass down with a heavy thump, I looked Kiara dead in the eyes.
"If you're so sorry, sister, then perhaps you can find a good man for me to marry.
Since you're so generous with compensation, don’t forget to include the grand villa and mansions my biological father transferred to you, an adopted daughter he took in out of charity."
Kiara’s smile froze, the gentle, fragile mask flickering dangerously.
“Penelope!” Luciano’s eyes darkened. “It seems you has drunk yourself to madness.” Luciano’s dark eyes locked into mine as his hand clutched my arm tightly, making blue bruises bloom on my skin.
His voice dropped in rage. “Don’t act all innocent and wronged, its not like you didn’t went out of your way to seduce me to fuck you. Now that Kiara is extending her hand for forgiveness, why can’t you just accept it?!”
With that, he pushed me away like a pest before walking toward Kiara and pulling her into his arms as though she were something precious.
“Penelope has no reason to be angry. If anything, she should apologize to you properly.”
His gaze remained cold.
“She stole your place beside me and tried to surpass you because of her ugly jealousy.”
He wrapped an arm around Kiara's waist.
“I will make sure she spends the rest of her life repenting for her sins.”
My chest tightened painfully.
Despite knowing the years of neglect I had endured by his side…
The miscarriages.
The drugs.
The way he had used my body as a vessel for Kiara's future children.
Luciano still spoke about me like I was a child throwing a tantrum.
My heart sank beneath an anguish so deep I thought I might drown in it.
