Chapter 3

Lorenza froze, her eyes widening in disbelief.

“Nina… how could you accuse me like that?”

The wounded expression on Lorenza’s face only made Leo believe even more that Nina was lying.

In Leo's mind, Nina was simply trying to protect Lucia. That had to be why she was “making things up” against Lorenza.

After all—what mother would intentionally hurt her own child?

Leo's voice turned firm.

“Nina, children shouldn’t lie. And she’s not a stranger. She is your and Nico's biological mother. Without her, both of you wouldn’t even exist.”

“I’m not lying!” Nina insisted loudly.

Tears shimmered in Lorenza’s eyes, but she forced a small, gentle smile.

She quietly tried to calm Leo down. “It’s okay, Leonardo. Kids only lie because they want to protect the people they love. It’s fine if they like Mrs. Moretti. It simply means she has treated them well. That’s what matters.”

But her calm words carried a hidden implication—

That Lucia had taught Nina to say it.

The bruised, pitiful look in Lorenza’s eyes only made anger swell deeper in Leo.

“Where are the maids?” he snapped.

A nanny—Alisha Berri—rushed in.

Leo gaze was sharp as he ordered, “Take the kids away.”

He didn’t even try to hide the fact that he was separating the children from Lucia on purpose.

Alisha quickly carried Nico and led Nina out of the room.

Leo, still fuming, turned and walked away with Lorenza without sparing Lucia a single glance.

---

Lucia remained frozen on the spot.

They were the twins’ birth parents. She felt like she had no right to say anything. No right to defend herself. No right to fight back.

Her chest tightened as she looked at the blood-stained swab still lying there. But beneath the pain… it was the disappointment that cut the deepest.

For six years of marriage, she had run the household and raised the children from infancy so Leo could focus on his work. She had believed she was important to him. She had believed she meant something.

After all, Leo had been loyal. He had treated her with care. He had fulfilled his duties as a husband.

But now she finally understood:

He only did all that because Lorenza wasn’t around.

In just one night, the way he defended Lorenza surpassed everything he had ever done for Lucia in six whole years.

Suddenly, every memory—every tender moment, every smile, every kiss—felt like a cruel joke played on her heart.

---

Later that night, after Lucia showered and lay in bed, she heard footsteps.

Leo had showered too. He got into bed, lying with his back facing her. She lay the same way—back to back, miles apart though they were only inches away.

Silence stretched until Leo finally spoke.

“Lorenza only came because she missed the children. You didn’t have to be defensive. And you definitely shouldn’t have taught Nina to lie. Don’t ever let something like this happen again.”

Lucia blinked slowly, stunned by his words.

“I’ve been raising them since they were newborns,” she said, her jaw clenched tight. “Nobody wants what’s best for them more than I do. So what makes you think I’d teach them to lie?”

“If it’s not you, then who?” Leo shot back coldly. “Lorenza?”

His voice thickened with accusation.

“Do you need me to remind you that she is their birth mother?”

The words stabbed her like a sharp blade straight through the chest.

Six years of sacrifice—

Six years of sleepless nights—

Six years of loving children that weren’t even hers—

Yet all it took was one emotional evening for Lorenza to erase everything she had ever done.

Did none of it matter to him at all?

They said nothing else for the rest of the night.

---

The next morning, Lucia woke up to an empty bed.

It was the weekend—family day. Leo always spent weekends at home with the children.

As she came downstairs, Davide met her at the bottom of the staircase.

“Mrs. Marchesi… breakfast is ready.”

His expression showed he wanted to say something, but he kept quiet.

When Lucia stepped into the dining room, she immediately understood why.

Lorenza had made breakfast.

And not just anything—it was an elaborate spread that covered the whole table.

“Mrs. Marchesi, good morning. Come and eat,” Lorenza said with a gentle smile.

In Leo's eyes, it looked like Lorenza was simply trying to show kindness.

He couldn’t bear it.

“You don’t have to do that,” Leo said immediately. “This is your children’s home. You deserve to live here with peace of mind.”

Lucia froze mid-step.

The words felt like a slap across the face.

Lorenza only smiled softly. “Alright.”

Once Lucia sat down, Lorenza said cheerfully, “Try this. I used to be very good at making crab quiche. Leo used to love it. So I made some for you and the kids.”

Leo's eyes lit up.

He really did love crab quiches.

He didn’t hold back his praise. “It’s even better than I remember. Thank you. But next time, you don’t need to cook. Lucia knows how to make it too.”

Thank you?

Lucia knows how to make it too?

So Lorenza didn’t need to cook, but she did?

Lucia stared into her oatmeal quietly.

She remembered the night she stayed awake caring for a feverish Nico.

Her eyes had been red with exhaustion.

And Leo didn’t even thank her.

Still, she swallowed the pain and chose to believe he was just being polite to a “guest”. So she lifted her head and said, “Yeah, I know how to make it too. But Nina is allergic to crab. She can’t eat this.”

Lorenza blinked. “Allergic? Leo, that must be because she wasn’t weaned properly. You can’t be too protective with kids. They need exposure to germs when they’re small so they can build immunity.”

Leo's expression shifted. He looked at Lucia.

But to be honest, Lucia had taken perfect care of the kids. He really had nothing to criticize.

So he stayed silent.

Lorenza noticed and quickly changed the subject.

“I was thinking of taking the kids out today. Leo, will you come with us?”

She turned to Lucia.

“And Mrs. Marchesi—you should come too.”

Leo cut in sharply. “Just call her Lucia.”

“Alright,” Lorenza said with a small nod.

They just continued talking between themselves, planning everything without even asking Lucia if she wanted to join.

Lucia pushed her untouched food aside.

“You people should go ahead. I’m meeting a friend.”

Leo raised a brow. “What friend? You don’t have friends.”

“I have one who moved to town. I’m going to catch up with her.”

She used to have plenty of friends. But after marrying Leo and moving to Milano, the distance separated her from everyone she knew.

Most of her friends still lived in the capital.

Leo didn’t argue. He only said, “Be careful. Don’t come back too late.”

Lucia nodded and went upstairs to get ready.

---

After she left, Leo reached over and put more food on Lorenza’s plate.

“So your health is really back to normal?”

She smiled sweetly. “I’m fine now. Don’t worry.”

“You must have suffered a lot,” he murmured.

Lorenza lowered her gaze, eyes dim with fake sadness. “It was alright. Things are better now.”

In truth, she hadn’t suffered at all. She just could never talk about her past.

---

Once the kids woke up, Lucia helped them get ready.

She packed their bottles of water, wipes, kid cameras, and extra clothes.

“I’m not coming with you today, okay?” she told them as she crouched to button Nico's jacket. “So be good. Listen to your dad. Don’t run around on your own.”

Nico pouted. “Then who is coming with us?”

“Your dad and…” Lucia hesitated before saying, “…your birth mother.”

“We don’t want her!” Nina burst out angrily. “How can you not be our real mom? That woman is lying! We’ve never even seen her before!”

Lucia sighed softly. “Nina, she is your birth mother. If you keep resisting her, your dad will be upset.”

They didn’t like it… but they nodded. They had always listened to Lucia.

They still couldn’t accept that Lorenza was their biological mother. In fact, the rejection only grew stronger.

When they reached downstairs, Lucia placed a folded paper on the dining table.

“Here’s a list of the kids’ food allergies and eating preferences.”

She didn’t linger.

She changed into fresh clothes and left the house.

---

Lucia spent the rest of the day at her friend Bella’s bar, staying until almost evening.

“Family day, yet you’ve spent half of it with me,” Bella teased, setting a plate of fruits down. “That’s rare.”

Lucia let out a soft, wry laugh.

“What am I supposed to do when the perfect family of four is out there having fun?”

“You can start your own business.”

Lucia shook her head. “There’s no real space for my type of work in Milano.”

She had studied Private Equity Analyst.

But Milano was dominated by mid-sized manufacturing companies. There were no billion-dollar mergers or partnerships happening here.

The only business with massive growth was Marchesi Group, which now dominated the entire southern tri-state area.

But Lucia never involved herself in Leo's work.

“You’re wasting your talent,” Bella said, genuinely pained.

Lucia had grown up surrounded by the businessmen in her family. She’d been studying investments since she was seventeen.

Sharp, disciplined, brilliant—

She built her family’s wealth with her bare hands.

That was why her family opposed her marriage so fiercely.

Leo had two children out of wedlock.

The conflict tore everything apart until she eventually cut ties completely.

But the boy she had secretly loved since school had finally married her. So she had given her all.

Leo never knew any of that.

He assumed she was from a simple, ordinary family in some faraway town.

He assumed that was why her parents never visited.

Lucia's head began to feel heavy.

“No more drinks. I should go.”

Then her phone vibrated.

It was Leo.

He hardly ever called—he always texted—so it had to be about the kids.

She picked up quickly. “Hello?”

Leo's voice was cold. Tight.

“Get to the children’s hospital now.”

Lucia didn’t even tell Bella goodbye.

She simply grabbed her bag and ran out of the bar.