Chapter 44 Chapter 45
Leah POV
The only reason I came back was Luciano. There was no other reason, no excuse I could give myself that would sound good enough. Everything led back to him. I had tried to convince myself before that I could live without him, that I was strong enough to walk away and never look back.
I told myself I deserved better, that I needed space, that I needed freedom. But all of that had been a lie I told myself to feel strong. The truth was simple and painful, I was nothing without him. Walking away had been the biggest mistake of my life. I had been foolish, blind, and weak. But not anymore. This time, I was not leaving.
This time, I was staying, fighting, and doing whatever it took to get him back. The thought of him being with someone else made something dark twist deep inside me. It made my chest tighten, my hands clench, my mind burn with anger. Valerie. Even thinking about her made my skin crawl. She had no right. No place. Luciano was mine. He had always been mine, even when I walked away. And now that I was back, no one especially not her was going to take him away from me again.
I was still lost in my thoughts when I heard a knock on the door. The sound cut through my mind sharply, pulling me out of my thoughts and into irritation. I didn’t want anyone disturbing me. Not now. Not when I was trying to think, trying to plan my next move carefully. Everything depended on what I did next. I had to be smarter this time. Be more careful. if I had to be. Still, I forced out a response.
“Come in,” I said, my voice already filled with annoyance. I sat on the bed, my fingers tightening slightly as my thoughts continued to run. Luciano was slipping away from me, and I could feel it. It was like trying to hold water in my hands. The harder I tried, the faster it slipped through my fingers. But I refused to accept that. I would not lose him again.
I couldn’t. As for Valerie, a slow, cold smile formed on my lips. She thought she had a choice. She thought she could reject my offer and walk away untouched. She had no idea who she was dealing with. I would make her understand. I would make her feel what it meant to be nothing. What it meant to be used and thrown away like she never mattered.
The door opened quietly, and one of the maids stepped inside. She moved carefully, like she was afraid of even making a sound. She stood at the corner of the room, silent, her head slightly lowered. For a moment, I ignored her. She didn’t matter. None of them did. My mind was still busy, still building plans, still thinking of Luciano. But then I realized something. She hadn’t left. She was still standing there.
I lifted my gaze and fixed it on her. She froze instantly, like she had been caught doing something wrong. Her head dropped even lower, her hands trembling slightly. That only made my irritation grow stronger.
“Why are you still standing there?” I asked, my voice low and cold. The room suddenly felt heavier, thicker with tension, She swallowed nervously before speaking.
“Your father is here to see you, madam,” she said softly.She turned quickly, like she wanted to escape, but I stopped her immediately.
“Wait.”
My voice was sharper this time, enough to make her freeze again. I stood up from the bed and began to walk toward her slowly. Each step I took made her more nervous. I could see it in the way her shoulders stiffened, in the way her breathing became uneven. When I reached her, I stopped, standing directly in front of her, forcing her to look at the floor instead of me.
“Remind me,” I said quietly, my voice dangerous, “what did I say about putting your nose in things that do not concern you?” I tilted my head slightly, studying her. “Why were you standing here? How long have you been in this room? And what exactly were you listening to?”
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Fear had taken over her completely. Her lips trembled, her eyes filled with tears, and she looked like she might collapse at any moment.
For a second, I just stared at her, letting the silence stretch, letting her feel the weight of my presence.
Pathetic.
Before she could try again, I grabbed my purse and threw it at her. The force sent her stumbling back, and the purse hit the mirror behind her. The glass cracked instantly, a sharp sound breaking the silence of the room. For a moment, everything froze.
Then she ran. She didn’t look back, didn’t say anything, just ran out of the room like her life depended on it.
My anger didn’t fade. If anything, it grew stronger. I wasn’t done. I needed to release it, to let it out, to break something or someone until I felt better. I rushed after her, my steps quick and filled with fury, ready to drag her back and finish what I started. But the moment I stepped out of the room, I stopped, My father stood there.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked, his voice firm, his eyes burning with anger as they locked onto mine.
I said nothing. I didn’t need to. He already knew. He always knew. He could see everything in my face, in my eyes the frustration, the anger, the desperation I couldn’t hide no matter how hard I tried.
He took a deep breath, calming himself before speaking again.
“Luciano?” he asked,I nodded slowly.
That was all it took.
His expression softened slightly, and he stepped closer before pulling me into an embrace. I didn’t resist. For a moment, I let myself relax, just a little, letting the tension leave my body as I leaned into him. My father has always been my strength. He understood things others didn’t. He knew how to fix problems, how to make things happen without saying too much.
“Give it time,” he said quietly. “He will come around.”I closed my eyes, listening carefully, holding onto his words like they were a promise.
“You and Luciano are meant for each other,” he continued. “No one can change that. No one can separate what is meant to be. Trust me.”A small smile slowly formed on my lips. That was exactly what I needed to hear. Exactly what I wanted to believe.
My father had power. Influence. Connections. He could move things behind the scenes without anyone even noticing. If anyone could make Luciano return to me, it was him, and I trusted him, Luciano would come back to me. He had no choice.
“And Valerie?” I asked softly, pulling back slightly so I could look at him.
My father’s expression darkened just a little, but there was no hesitation in his voice.
“She won’t be a problem,” he said.
That was enough for me, A sense of satisfaction settled deep inside my chest, replacing the anger that had been there moments ago. Everything was falling into place. I just needed to be patient. Careful. Smart. And when the time came, I would act.
Luciano would be mine again,And Valerie would learn her place, The hard way.
Because in the end, there was only one truth that mattered, I never lose what belongs to me.