Chapter 4

Hospital.

Luca was peeling an apple while staring absently at his phone.

Valentina noticed his distraction, and a wave of anxiety tightened her chest.

“Luca… are you waiting for someone’s call?”

“No.”

He forced a smile, set the phone aside, and continued peeling the apple.

Normally, when he stayed at the hospital with Valentina, I would get jealous and keep messaging him, asking him to come home earlier.

But today, I didn’t send him a single text.

Looking at him, a quiet unease slowly rose within Valentina.

Ever since last night, he has been acting strange.

“Is he still worried about Bianca?”

“No, I can’t let anything between them spark back to life.”

“Luca, my head hurts a little… can you rub it for me?”

Valentina clung to his arm, voice soft and sweet.

Luca put down the apple and gently pressed her temples.

Valentina took the chance to lean into his chest and confessed:

“Luca… I love you so much. I just wish we could be a real couple.”

His face darkened instantly and he pushed her away.

“Valentina, I told you before. The one I love is Bianca, not you.”

“Don’t ever say things like that again.”

Valentina’s face went pale. She stared at him, stunned.

“Luca… you’ve cancelled the wedding with Bianca. Are you still waiting for her?”

“That has nothing to do with you.”

He stood up, showing no emotion. “Rest well. I should get going now.”

When he returned home, he instinctively called out, “Bianca,”

but no answer came.

His heart tightened as he rushed upstairs.

The room was empty.

Not just empty—Bianca’s belongings were gone too.

A wave of panic hit him. He halted a servant and demanded,

“Where is Bianca? Where did she go?”

The maid jumped, startled.

“M–Miss… she… she left.”

“Left? Where did she go?”

“I don’t know. She didn’t say anything. She just took her suitcase and walked out…”

Luca felt his chest collapse inward, pain suffocating him.

Hands trembling, he pulled out his phone to call Bianca.

But then he saw the message Bianca had sent.

The video—

Valentina’s cruel, venomous face—

made his entire body tremble with rage.

“That bitch!”

He roared and slammed his fist into the table.

“Prepare the car! To the hospital!”

He wanted to hear Valentina explain this—face-to-face.

Storming out, he called one of his men:

“Inform Valentina’s family. Tell them to come to the hospital immediately. I have things to say.”

He hung up, got into the car, and sped off.

On the whole way, he kept calling my number, praying this was all a mistake, that Bianca would pick up and tell him it was just a joke.

But the only response was the cold, automated voice:

“The number you have dialled is unavailable…”

His heart felt like it was being cut open, but the only thing he can do is to urge the driver to go faster.

Meanwhile, Bianca’s father and Marco had also seen the video she sent.

Her father’s brows scrunched tightly together.

“This is not real. Valentina would never do something like this.”

Marco’s face darkened as well, though doubt flickered in his eyes.

“Did we… truly misjudge Bianca?”

“No way!”

Father shot to his feet.

“Valentina has always been obedient and kind. How could she do such things?”

“This must be Bianca’s revenge. She made up these things to frame Valentina!”

He immediately dialled Bianca’s phone—

only to hear nonstop busy tones.

“How dare she not answer?!” His whole body shook with anger, and he ordered a man to prepare the car and headed for the hospital.

He would make Valentina explain herself!

Marco’s expression was far more conflicted.

He thought of what Bianca told them yesterday…and guilt flickered in his heart.

Could Bianca have been telling the truth?

No… impossible.

Valentina was so kind, so innocent—

she would never do such a thing.

This had to be something Bianca fabricated to take revenge.

He drew a deep breath, then followed into the car, heading toward the hospital.