Chapter 111 THE WELCOME HOME IS OVER

Chapter 111 THE WELCOME HOME IS OVER

••Luciana••

Roman’s eyes were dark with a simmering, dangerous anger. Mildred’s interruption hadn't just broken the moment; it had reminded us exactly where we were. We weren't on a secluded beach anymore; we were back in the shark tank.

Mildred didn't take the hint easily. She knocked on the door again, her voice sharp as she called my name. I had to pull away from Roman, smoothing my clothes with shaking hands.

“We’re coming!” 

I shouted loudly, loud enough for her to hear through the heavy wood. I waited until I heard her footsteps retreating before I looked at my husband.

“We need to go, Roman. Everyone is waiting.”

He didn't move for a second. He just stood there, his chest heaving, looking like a man who wanted to burn the whole house down.

As we started walking toward the grand staircase, I kept glancing at his face. 

I was carrying a secret that felt like a hot coal in my throat. I didn't know whether to tell him. He had just fought with Theo, his brother in every way that mattered, and now I had to pile this on him? It felt cruel. But then again, it felt selfish to let him walk into that dining room unprepared.

——

Earlier, when we had first pulled up to the estate, Roman had left me for a few minutes to talk to the lead guard. I was about to head inside when Mildred appeared out of nowhere. She didn't have her usual smug look; she looked panicked.

She grabbed my arm and dragged me into a quiet alcove near the gardens.

“Luci, listen to me,” she whispered, her eyes darting around. “I over heard Mother and Father arguing in the study earlier. It was bad. I’ve never heard mother raise his voice like that at Father.”

“Mildred, they’ve been married for decades,” I said, trying to brush it off. “They’re allowed to argue.”

“No, it wasn't just an argument,” she hissed, gripping my arm tighter. “I heard what was really going on, I heard what he said. Father is getting a new mistress. He’s bringing her here, Luci. To the house.”

My heart stopped. In this world, men had mistresses, but they kept them in penthouses across town. Bringing one into the family home while your wife was still living there was the ultimate insult. It was a declaration of war against Nadia.

“I wanted to tell Roman,” Mildred said, her voice trembling. “But I didn't want him to think I was eavesdropping or trying to stir up drama. 

What do you think? Should I say something?”

I looked at her and saw the genuine fear in her eyes. I told her I’d handle it. But as I watched her walk away, I felt sick. 

How could I tell Roman this? He was already at his breaking point. His father taking a mistress while his mother was still being treated like a ghost in her own home? It was too much.

As we descended the stairs and began the long walk toward the formal dining hall, my mind couldn't take it anymore. The weight of it was crushing me. If I didn't tell him now, he’d find out in front of everyone, and Roman’s temper wasn't something that should be tested in public.

I reached out and drew him closer, pulling him into a small hallway just off the main path.

“Roman, wait. I need to tell you this before we have dinner,” I whispered.

He frowned, looking down at me. “What is it, Luci? Can’t it wait? My father is already expecting us.”

“No, it can't,” I said. I stood on my tiptoes and whispered the words directly into his ear. I explained what Mildred had seen and heard. I told him about the mistress.

The change in him was instantaneous. His entire countenance shifted. The warmth he usually had for me vanished, replaced by a cold, predatory stillness that made my blood run cold. He looked like he wanted to go hunting.

“He’s doing what?” Roman’s voice was a low, vibrating growl. He turned immediately, his eyes searching the hallway. “I’m going to find my mother. I need to see her.”

“Roman, stop!” I grabbed his hand, holding on with everything I had. 

“Keep calm. Please. You know the Theo matter is still unsettled. You’re already on thin ice with your father after the Serbian mess. Don’t make any uncertain moves right now. We walk in there, we stay level-headed, and we see what’s actually happening.”

He looked at me, his eyes blazing, but slowly, he nodded. He took a deep breath, adjusting his jacket, and we continued toward the dining room.

When we arrived, the room was eerily quiet. Don Lorenzo’s seat at the head of the long, mahogany table was empty. Nadia’s seat, to his right, was also empty. We sat down in our usual spots, the silence of the room feeling heavy and oppressive. We waited, the only sound being the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner.

Then, the doors opened.

Don Lorenzo walked in first, his face as unreadable as stone. But he wasn't alone. Walking a step behind him was a woman I didn't recognize at first. She was tall, dressed in a gown that screamed wealth and arrogance.
But as they got closer to the light of the chandelier, my jaw dropped. My heart plummeted into my stomach, and I felt a sharp, stinging jolt of jealousy.

It wasn't a stranger. It was Katya Morotz.

The same Katya, Roman had a long, intense history with. The one woman whose name used to make me feel like a second-rate choice. The one woman I knew had once held Roman’s heart, long before I ever entered the picture.
The silence in the room became deafening. You could have heard a pin drop as the realization hit everyone at the table.

Katya didn't look at the floor or act ashamed; she walked in like she owned the place. She glanced at Roman, a slow, triumphant smirk playing on her lips, before her eyes settled on me with a look of pure, cold disdain.

“Good evening,” Don Lorenzo said, his voice smooth and utterly lacking in remorse. 

He gestured to the woman beside him. “I’m sure most of you remember Katya. I’m taking her as my mistress, so this is a formal introduction.”

I felt Roman’s hand under the table. He was gripping the arm of his chair so hard I heard the wood groan. 

My own heart was hammering against my ribs. It wasn't just a mistress. It was this mischievous witch, who always showed off her closeness with Roman to make me feel jealous.

The "Welcome Home" was over. The war had just moved inside our own walls.