In the Cemetery

Sarah sought any excuse to get closer to Dimitri now that Laura wasn't in the office. With Laura out of the picture, she felt she had a clear path. In her mind, Dimitri had only married her sister to annoy her, and she believed Laura willingly played along by helping with the organization of the black wedding.

Behind the mask she wore at the church, Sarah laughed at the irony. However, upon learning that Dimitri's father had taken Laura to live in their mansion, Sarah felt irritated. She needed to quickly find a solution to catch him.

She couldn't comprehend the connection between Luke and Dimitri but assumed it must have been a strong friendship for him to seek revenge for Luke's death. With all this in mind, she headed to the office.

"Do you know what day it is today?" she asked, pretending to be distressed.

"I don't, and I don't care. I have to sign several documents today, so I hope you won't bother me with your nonsense," Dimitri replied. He couldn't stand her but tolerated her as a loyal ally in making Laura suffer.

"I can't believe you've forgotten. Unbelievable, considering the supposed great friendship between you two. Today is the anniversary of Luke's death—two years since that terrible day. I'm going later to bring flowers to his grave, in case you want to join me."

Dimitri had forgotten the date, as it wasn't pleasant to remember what had happened. Visiting his own grave intrigued him at that moment.

"Fine, we'll go as soon as I finish signing all this," he said, hurrying to sign the documents to visit Luke's grave. He had never been curious about where his former body lay.

They left the corporate office together, ignoring the curious glances from employees. Rumors circulated in the office that there was something more between them, fueled by Sarah herself.

Dimitri drove to the cemetery, following Sarah's directions. He realized Luke's remains were in an old city cemetery where his grandparents were also buried.

"Luke was a very special man. His only flaw was falling in love with the wrong woman. If he hadn't, he'd still be alive," Sarah spoke venomously, always aiming to turn everyone against her sister.

Dimitri parked the car, then sat in silence for a few minutes, hands still on the steering wheel. A chill ran down his spine; it wasn't easy to imagine that beneath all that soil lay what was once his body.

He walked behind Sarah, even though he already knew the direction of the family crypt where his grandparents rested. The old cemetery differed from others in the city, with paths winding between huge trees leading to graves. Some crypts and mausoleums stood amidst a beautifully manicured garden.

Dimitri abruptly stopped upon reaching a massive crypt resembling a grand Italian villa. He placed a hand over his chest, trying to calm his racing heart. Ares made his appearance at that moment, the hawk perched on a nearby tree branch, observing them intently.

Sarah immediately recognized the bird and picked up a stone from the ground near her shoe.

"That stupid bird again. Luke never had a clue how much I hate it, always watching everyone who approached him," she said, annoyed, throwing the stone towards Ares.

"You better not disturb Ares if you want to keep your job, understood?" Dimitri warned.

Sarah felt irritated hearing Dimitri's words, nodded while looking down. She wished that awful bird would disappear; she would take care of it later.

Dimitri took a few steps until he stood in front of where his remains rested. It felt too strange for him. He stood there for a few minutes, unmoving, gaze fixed on his name, Luke Lombardi.

Inside his mind, he tried to find some explanation for why and how it had all happened.

Sarah discreetly observed him. Seeing his expression, she thought he genuinely felt a lot of affection for Luke.

After a few more minutes, Dimitri turned around and, without uttering a word, began to walk away. Sarah, not understanding his behavior, followed, trying to match his pace. But it seemed impossible; the thin heels of her shoes sank into the ground.

"Dimitri, wait," she said. Seconds later, she let out a scream, and Dimitri turned just in time to see the girl fall to the ground.

"Damn it!" he grumbled in annoyance, then turned to approach her.

"I've twisted my ankle; I'm sure of it," Sarah moaned while placing her hands on her ankle, rubbing it.

Dimitri said nothing, just took her into his arms to carry her to the car. It was obvious Sarah would take advantage of the situation. She rested her head on his strong chest.

He felt the urge to throw her to the ground, but he restrained himself. After all, she was injured. He would take her to the nearest hospital. He carefully placed her in the passenger seat.

"Thanks!" Sarah was about to say more when, in the distance, she saw a woman dressed in black—a blonde with long, straight hair.

Dimitri saw her too; there was no doubt that the beautiful woman was Laura. He had made it clear that she was forbidden to leave the house. He immediately turned to follow her, paying no attention to Sarah. The girl was left alone and frustrated, always just on the brink of achieving something, her sister would appear.

"Laura! Always, Laura. You have no idea how much I hate you, sister," she exclaimed bitterly, on the verge of tears.

Meanwhile, Dimitri silently trailed Laura. He had noticed his father's car in the distance, and he was sure that she had used some dirty trick to persuade Boris, the chauffeur, to drive her.

Laura walked quickly toward her beloved's grave, holding a large bouquet of white roses in her hands. A beautiful red rose stood out in the middle of the bouquet.

She stopped in front of Luke's grave, unable to contain her tears. She knelt to the ground, questioning why life had been so cruel to take her love away in such a manner.

"I miss you so much. Everything would be different if you were by my side. Our son needs you; he'll grow up without his father. I hope you're watching over us from wherever you are. I love you too much, my love. You don't know how much I would give to see you once more, to touch your face. It would be the best gift."

Dimitri had heard every word Laura spoke. How could there be such a hypocritical woman? Yet, he couldn't help but acknowledge once again how beautiful she was. The whiteness of her soft skin contrasted with the color of her clothes, making her appear even fairer. She wore her long hair loose, just as he liked it.

He considered her words a mockery and, unable to restrain himself, approached her. As soon as she sensed his presence, Laura looked up, and Dimitri's intense blue eyes seemed to want to pierce Laura's soul.

She tried to explain her presence in that place outside the Petrov mansion, where she was not supposed to leave. However, he didn't allow her to speak. Dimitri approached her and forcefully grabbed her arm.

"I think I wasn't clear enough," he said as he pulled her arm forcefully to make her stand. Laura let out a discreet groan; it was evident that his grip was causing her pain.