Chapter 7

The next day, Luca announced that his wedding to Ginevra would take place in two weeks. Serena was dragged to a press conference so that she could 'clear Ginevra's name'.

Camera flashes assaulted her from all sides. Serena's breathing quickened, her face as white as paper.

Ginevra nestled into Luca's arms, appearing as delicate as a flower. "Luca, maybe we should cancel. Ms. Vitale looks terrible. What if something happens..."

Luca looked at Serena. She was wearing old clothes and had lost so much weight that her features looked gaunt. She stood under the spotlight, trembling.

His heart tightened for a moment, but Ginevra's next words crushed that fleeting softness.

"It's just being slandered and misunderstood by everyone. My reputation isn't as important as Ms. Vitale's. Let's just forget it."

Luca's gaze turned cold. He thought about the news online, about all the comments cursing Ginevra, about her crying and saying, "I don't want to live anymore!"

He said coldly, "Let's begin."

Serena lowered her eyes, digging her nails into her palms.

Ever since the day he knocked her into the lake, she stopped expecting anything from him. However, standing here now, she finally understood that it did not take a single moment for feelings to die. It was a slow and painful process.

"Ms. Vitale, you and the Don were childhood sweethearts, but you climbed into bed with Adriano Romano when he extended an olive branch. Is there more to this story?"

"In your intimate videos from five years ago, you looked like you were being tortured. Was that real suffering, or was it all part of your plan?"

"The Don took you and your child in despite everything, so why did you keep fooling around with the family's eldest son? Are you really willing to do anything to become the Don's wife? Is that man in the trending video Adriano Romano?"

The questions stabbed at her like knives. Serena opened her mouth but could not utter a single word. She shook her head and bit down hard on her lip. Tears fell silently.

Luca frowned and opened the social media app on his phone. The latest video showed Serena pinned beneath an unfamiliar man. He had not filmed this, so who did? Had she really gotten involved with Adriano again?

Fury surged through him as his face turned ashen. If not for all these people watching, he would have stormed over and demanded answers.

"It's not like that..." Serena's voice wavered. "It's not like that at all... I was forced..."

No one believed her. They all shoved their cameras in her face. The entire press conference echoed with sounds from that obscene video.

Her depression manifested into physical symptoms, and Serena collapsed softly to the ground. No one caught her.

The camera flashes grew even more frenzied as everyone rushed to film her fall. They put her wretched, agonized state on display for entertainment. Meanwhile, Luca sat on the stage without moving, watching it like it was a show.

As Serena lay on the cold floor, her consciousness fading, her last thought was whether Luca loved her or hated her. If he loved her, how could he bear to send her to another man's bed? How could he bear to let the whole world watch videos of her being violated? How could he bear to watch her collapse here, discarded and alone?

Her consciousness sank, and she fell into darkness. When she woke again, she discovered she had been unconscious for two weeks. Her phone showed dozens of missed calls and a message from Adriano.

[Tomorrow at noon, I'm coming to get you.]

Serena replied: [Okay.]

…

The next day, Adriano's people carried Mattia to the car.

Serena stood by the car door and looked back at him. "Can I trust you?"

Adriano smiled. "Besides me, do you have any other choice?"

His gaze was complicated as he looked at her. From the first time they met, he had told her that Luca was not a good man. Back then, Serena was too blinded by love to believe him. Now, the facts had been laid bare. She had no choice but to believe him.

"I know you hate me," Serena said. "After all, Luca and I were the ones who got you kicked out of the Romano family and made you lose your title as the Don. But Mattia is your biological son. You can't hurt him. In exchange, I'll help you clear your name and give you justice."

She pulled open the car door, her eyes gradually turning cold. "Luca's wedding is today. I'm going to livestream the whole thing. I'm going to demand an explanation for the past version of myself."

Adriano said nothing. He simply accompanied her to the wedding.

At the wedding venue, Luca stood on stage in a white suit. Ginevra walked toward him, dragging a ten-foot train behind her.

When Serena and Adriano appeared together, the guests erupted.

"Why are they here? The two Romano brothers are mortal enemies!"

"After everything Adriano did to Serena Vitale, why is she here with him?"

"Maybe she's upset. Luca said he loved her, but he's marrying someone else. She's probably here for revenge..."

Serena took a deep breath and walked forward step by step.

Ginevra smiled smugly. "Luca, Ms. Vitale and your brother came to congratulate us. Ms. Vitale is really something. I sent so many invitations to Adriano and he never responded, but one word from Ms. Vitale and he showed up."

Luca stared at Serena intently. He had done so much to make Serena and Adriano turn against each other. Yet here they were, appearing together at his wedding? This made him feel like he was losing control.

Luca beckoned to her. "Serena, come here. Don't forget who made you the way you are today..."

Serena looked at Luca with cold indifference. There was no love, only hatred. Even now, he still treated her like a fool he could toy with.

"Of course, I won't forget who made me this way." Serena pulled out her phone. "This contains the full truth about the Romano family's conflicts and how I ended up in bed with Adriano..."