Chapter 52 HATE THE WAY YOU HURT
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ADELINE
I sat on my bed, my legs crossed as I stared blankly at my phone. My mind was still spinning from the pictures and the threatening call I had received earlier from Elena.
The weight of confusion, betrayal, and anger pressed heavily on my chest. I could not believe it. How could Luciano hid this from me? I should be aware of his past and specially now that his past had come in my way. Our way. Our life.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t hear the door creak open.
When I finally noticed, my head snapped up to see my mother, Bianca, stepping into the room. My frown deepened when Bianca quickly closed the door behind her and turned the lock.
We never had a good relationship. Never had that mother - daughter thing going on and she rarely came to see me and every time she came, it was all for her benefit or to show others.
“What are you doing?” I asked, my voice uncertain as I set my phone aside.
Bianca ignored the question, walking toward me with a determined expression. I could not really comprehend what she was up to this time. She sat down on the bed beside me, her shoulders tense, and exhaled sharply.
I looked at her in confusion, wondering what this was about. Well, whatever it was, this time, it looked serious.
Bianca finally turned to me, her piercing gaze making me shift uncomfortably.
“I know,” Bianca said, her tone steady but laced with accusation.
I blinked, my heart skipping a beat.
“You… know what?”
I asked hesitantly, though a sinking feeling already formed in my stomach.
“I know you have something going on with Luciano,” Bianca said bluntly, cutting straight to the point.
My eyes widened in shock, and embarrassment washed over me like a tidal wave in an instant. My heart pounded like a drum and my palms started sweating. If she found out then maybe, others also-
My cheeks burned as I scrambled for words, trying to come up with some kind of excuse, anything to deflect the conversation.
“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I stammered, avoiding my mother’s intense gaze.
But Bianca wasn’t letting me off the hook. She narrowed her eyes, her tone sharp as she asked,
“Are you crazy, Adeline? Luciano is a man twice your age. He’s your father’s best friend, for God’s sake! Do you have any idea what you’re doing?”
My embarrassment quickly morphed into irritation. I crossed my arms over my chest, my expression hardening. Why was it bothering her? What did she had to Do with my life?
“Why does that matter? I’m not a child, and I—”
“Not a child?” Bianca interrupted, her voice rising slightly.
“What do you think everyone would say about your father if they knew his daughter was throwing herself at his best friend? Do you want them to think you’re some kind of… of whore?”
My jaw dropped, and anger flared in my eyes. “Excuse me?” I snapped, my tone defensive. How could she say it to me? I was not fucking multiple men or being desperate.
“I am not a whore. Just because I have feelings for someone doesn’t make me—”
“Feelings?” Bianca cut me off again, her tone dripping with disbelief.
“What feelings, Adeline? You’re infatuated with a man who couldn’t care less about you. Do you really think Luciano would choose a teenager over Elena?”
I froze at the mention of Elena, my stomach twisting. I shook my head, trying to push the thought aside.
“Luciano isn’t with Elena. He—”
Bianca scoffed loudly, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me slightly. This made me look at her in disbelief. Why was she being over the edge?
“Wake up, Adeline!” she said, her voice full of frustration.
“Luciano has been in love with Elena for years. Years! Do you have any idea what they shared? Do you even know why they aren’t together anymore?”
I stared at my mother, my heart pounding. It felt like I was stabbed at my heart. I didn’t like where this was going, but I couldn’t stop myself from asking,
“What are you talking about?”
Bianca released my shoulders, leaning back slightly as she crossed her arms.
“Your father,” she said bitterly.
“He’s the reason they aren’t together. Years ago, your father separated them. Luciano loved Elena, but your father came between them. Do you really think Luciano would just forget about that?”
I shook my head, trying to process my mother’s words. In love? For years?
“That doesn’t make any sense. Why would my father—”
“Power,” Bianca snapped.
“That’s all it ever is with men like them. Your father saw Luciano as a threat, so he drove a wedge between him and Elena. And now, Luciano’s playing his revenge game, and you’re just a pawn in it.”
My breath hitched, my throat tightening as Bianca’s words sank in. My father wouldn’t. No- my father would never do that to someone.
“You’re lying,”
I said weakly, though my voice wavered.
“Luciano wouldn’t… he wouldn’t do that.”
Bianca laughed bitterly, shaking her head.
“You think you know him, but you don’t. He’s using you, Adeline. You’re nothing more than a means to an end. He’s after your father’s power that you possess, and this is how he’s getting it—through you.”
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them away, refusing to let them fall.
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked, my voice trembling.
“You don’t even care about me.”
Bianca’s expression softened slightly, though her tone remained firm.
“You’re right. Our relationship hasn’t been perfect. But I’m your mother, and I can’t stand by and watch you ruin your life over a man like him. If you don’t believe me, ask Luciano about Elena. He’ll tell you the truth and then maybe you can decide for your own good”
I looked away, my mind a chaotic mess of thoughts and emotions. I didn’t want to believe what Bianca was saying, but the doubt had already been planted, and it grew with every passing second.
Elena threatening me with confidence about Luciano. Luciano hiding his past from me. This was all coming together.
Bianca stood, straightening her blouse as she glanced back at me.
“Think about what I’ve said,” she said quietly. “Before it’s too late.”
With that, she turned to leave the room but stopped midway and turned to face me once again.
“ and if you’re sensible enough to decide, let me know the decision about Valentino. He will keep you happy even after knowing you love someone else “
My heart ached with unbearable pain as I clenched my chest. Was Luciano really deceiving me? Was I a mere pawn for his revenge on my father? If it was true ……
Then it’s the worst way to hurt me and I hate the way he’s doing it.