Chapter 5

Luci pressed her lips together and gritted her teeth. She told Lorenza, “Go ahead.”

Luci stayed in the hospital all night, watching over Nico, with Nina sitting quietly beside her. She did not step away even for a minute.

As for Leo and Lorenza, who had said they would “be back soon”?

They never showed up.

A bitter pain settled deep in Lucia’s chest.

Earlier, on Lorenza’s W******p chat, the picture Leo sent her was clearly taken at home, asking Lorenza if he bought the right items.

That kind of care… that wasn’t just co-parenting.

It wasn’t just being considerate.

It was the care a man showed a woman he still loved.

Lucia wondered—was Leo still in love with Lorenza?

At first, she believed Leo was simply making up for the past. After all, Lorenza gave birth to his twins, and he even said it himself. But now, after everything…

After the way he spoke…

After he reminded her that “a stepmother is just a stepmother”…

The last six years were beginning to feel like nothing but a hired responsibility.

As though her entire worth was tied to the children.

When the kids were fine, she was praised as a capable wife.

But the moment something went wrong?

She became “the stepmother” again—convenient to blame.

No matter how much she poured into that house, she could never compete with Lorenza’s title of birth mother…

Even though Lorenza had done absolutely nothing.

By 9:30 p.m., Nico finally finished his IV drip. He looked up weakly and said, “Mom, I’m okay now. Can we go home?”

Lucia thought for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. Let me discharge you. You and Nina should stay here. Don’t go anywhere.”

“Okay!” he chirped.

Lucia left the ward but kept looking back every few steps.

She had no one helping her.

Leo didn’t even bother to send Alessia, their nanny.

She was terrified the kids might wander off or get lost in the hospital.

Outside, she begged a nurse to watch the twins, then rushed through the discharge process.

Minutes later, she was outside hailing a cab to take them home.

---

When they arrived, the Marchesi residence was blazing with lights, with several luxury cars lined in front.

Lucia remembered that Leo said he was meeting friends.

So the “meeting” was happening right inside their house.

“Mom, that car expensive?” Nico asked, pointing.

Lucia glanced. “Not really.”

It honestly wasn’t.

Back then, any random car she casually stepped into was worth more than the entire lineup outside.

But the moment she opened the front door, she froze.

Her chest tightened as though something exploded inside her.

The house wasn’t just busy.

It was lively.

The cheers and laughter hit her like a slap the second she stepped in.

“Kiss her! Kiss her!”

“Leo, don’t be shy!”

“Come on, Lorenza! You two have kids together—what’s there to be embarrassed about?”

Everyone was having the time of their lives.

Not a single person noticed Lucia and the kids walk in.

The maids saw her—but the look on Lucia’s face scared them into silence.

Across the room, Leo stood face-to-face with Lorenza.

Lorenza smiled shyly at the crowd. “Stop it, you people. Leo and I were engaged before, but that one is in the past.”

One of Leo’s friends, Pietro, laughed loudly.

“Oh please. It was fate that got you guys seperated. See now—Leo's company is public, and he has reunite with his childhood sweetheart. Let him kiss you to celebrate!”

As they teased, Leo looked at Lorenza.

She stepped in to calm them—always the one appearing gentle, considerate, perfect.

And he, once again, looked guilty.

Before he even realized it…

He leaned in toward her cheek.

“Kiss her! Kiss her!”

The chanting grew louder.

One of Leo's childhood friends, Matteo, stayed silent, frowning, but everyone else was excited.

The room fell quiet in anticipation.

Then—

“Having fun?”

Lucia’s voice sliced through the room.

Leo jerked back like someone poured cold water on him.

Lorenza stiffened too.

No one expected Lucia to show up.

Lucia felt her heart tear apart.

If she had walked in seconds later, they would have kissed.

And she knew Leo.

He never did anything he truly didn’t want to do—even under pressure.

So if he leaned in…

It meant he wanted to.

He still loved Lorenza.

The realization nearly choked her.

She had been at the hospital alone with the kids, while he stayed here flirting with his ex and entertaining guests.

Leo friends had seen Lucia before, but not enough.

To many of them, she was simply a lucky woman.

An ordinary girl with no title or pedigree who “hit jackpot” by marrying the former most eligible bachelor in Milano.

Some believed she was just a glorified housewife who got two ready-made kids.

But technically… she was Leo's wife.

Which made what he and Lorenza were doing inexcusable.

“Lucia! You’re back!” Pietro called out. “But weren’t you at the hospital?”

Lucia smiled faintly. Her eyes drifted toward Leo and Lorenza.

“Yes. I was.”

The room stiffened.

Nina marched forward angrily.

“Dad, you said you were meeting friends for a short time and you’ll come back quickly.”

Nico crossed his arms.

“You don’t even care about me again! I almost died, and you’re here partying with who caused it. I don’t like you anymore!”

The guests exchanged uneasy looks—they didn’t know about that.

Leo swallowed hard.

He had planned to return.

But Pietro dragged him back… and then someone invited Lorenza again… and time slipped.

Lucia looked around and said, “You are Leo friends. You’re welcome in our home. But please, have some decency. Signora Lorenza is our guest. Show her the respect she deserves.”

Everyone heard the message behind her words.

Then Lucia turned to Lorenza.

“Signora Lorenza… did you forget he’s married?”

A heavy silence dropped.

Lucia—who always smiled—was confronting someone publicly for the first time.

Lorenza stammered, “I… I didn’t—”

Leo stepped forward.

“Lucia, that was harsh.”

“Harsh?” Lucia repeated, eyes red.

“I was at the hospital with our children while both of you were here about to kiss in front of everybody. Have you ever heard of decency?”

“That’s enough!” Leo barked.

The whole room went still.

Lucia froze.

His anger…

His tone…

Everyone watching.

Her mind drifted to their wedding day.

To when he held her hand and said, “I do.”

Six years of giving her life…

Only to be called “stepmother.”

To be mocked silently by his friends.

Something inside her cracked.

Maybe…

Maybe it was time to stop being Mrs. Marchesi.

Stop being a stepmother.

And be Lucia again.

She blinked her tears away, smiled faintly, and said:

“Alright then. Carry on.”

Leo’s chest tightened sharply.

He reached out instinctively, but she stepped away, leaving him hanging.

Nina ran to block her.

“Mom, where are you going? Carry us with you!”

Leo quickly grabbed Nina and held Nico’s wrist.

“I’ll stay with you,” he said quickly.

Lorenza moved closer too.

“I’m here as well.”

Their perfect unity—father, mother, children—stabbed Lucia deeply.

They were the real family of four.

She was just an extra.

Matteo stood immediately.

“Lucia, I’m sorry,” he said. “Pietro drank too much. He wasn’t thinking.”

Pietro tried to argue, but Matteo glared at him sharply.

“We’re leaving,” Matteo said.

Outside, in the car, Pietro yelled, “Why did you defend her? That Lucia girl just got lucky! Does she even deserve respect?”

Matteo snapped coldly, “Leo married her. She is his wife. What is Lorenza doing living in their house? And you were shouting for them to kiss? Are you sick?”

Pietro huffed. “Oh please, someone like her marrying Leo is jackpot! She even got two free kids. Taking care of them is small work. Why is she forming offended?”

Matteo leaned forward and asked, “If your sister married a man with two kids and cared for them for six years, would you talk like this?”

Pietro opened his mouth—

Stopped halfway.

---

Back at the Marchesi residence, Lucia reached the foyer and paused.

There, on the shoe rack, was a forgotten phone.

The screen was lit—displaying a group picture.

Leo was a teenager in it.

What caught her eye was the shirt he wore.

It matched Lorenza’s shirt perfectly.

A couple’s shirt.

Leo still kept that same shirt carefully ironed and hung in the closet.

No one was allowed to touch it.

Lucia always knew it mattered to him.

She assumed it was a gift from his mother.

Never—never did she imagine it was from Lorenza.

The moment it hit her, she felt like she had been stabbed in the chest.

Tears spilled down her face uncontrollably.

She turned and walked out.

Leo saw her leaving.

He quickly told Lorenza, “You should rest.”

“Mom!” Nina and Nico rushed after Lucia.

They caught up to her outside.

Nina tugged her hand.

Lucia looked down, tears on her cheeks.

“I’m going to my friend’s place tonight. Stay at home. Behave.”

“No!” Nico cried instantly.

Nina, shaking with anger, said, “If anyone should leave, it’s her. Mom, you’re the one who belongs here!”

Lucia froze.

Because… Nina was right.

She should be the one who belonged.

But Leo never made her feel that way.

Leo followed them outside.

Hearing the children’s words, he suddenly realized how much they preferred Lucia over Lorenza.

Images of Rina caring for the kids flashed through his mind.

“Lucia,” he said softly.

She didn’t look up.

The sound of his voice pulled her straight back to the day they first met at the prep class.

More tears fell.

“Do you still love her?” she asked.

Leo did not answer.

Lucia laughed painfully.

“So that is yes.”

“You’re my wife,” he finally said. “That’s what matters.”

Her eyes widened.

“So I’m just a wife on paper? That’s all?”

She had been raised like royalty.

Yet now, she felt like she had lost everything—voice, dignity, identity.

She wanted to ask him…

Did you marry me just to raise your children?

The truth slammed into her chest.

She had abandoned everything for him—her family, her career, herself.

Every step… was a mistake.

Her parents weren’t chains;

They were her dignity.

Tears fell like broken pearls.

“Lucia…” Leo whispered.

He had never seen her cry like this.

He stepped forward, wanting to hold her—

But Lorenza suddenly cried out behind them.

“Lucia! Wait—Ah!”

She slipped down the stairs.

Leo spun around.

“Lorenza!”

He scooped her up without hesitation and rushed her to the car.

The engine roared as he sped to the hospital.

Lucia stood there, staring into the darkness.

Her heart went numb.

Everything inside her—hope, strength, belief—shattered completely.

Late that night, with only the maids around, she had no choice but to put the exhausted twins to bed.

She sat by Nina’s side, stroking her hand.

Whenever Nina defended her, she felt like maybe—just maybe—her efforts were not wasted.

But now… she also understood how a child could anchor a woman painfully to the wrong place.

The door creaked open.

Leo entered.

Lucia looked at him once—then looked away.

“Are they asleep?” he asked.

“Yes.”

She stepped out of the room and walked toward the master bedroom.

Her voice was cold, almost unfamiliar.

“We need to talk.”

Leo pressed his lips, silent.

Inside the bedroom, Lucia sat down quietly.

Then she looked up at him and said:

“Let’s get a divorce.”