Wrong Name on the Will

I could still hear the lawyer's robotic voice echoing in my ears as I walked out of the lawyer's office.

"The will is authentic and valid, Ms. Aurora Fasano."

Authentic and valid.

Those three words shattered everything I thought was the truth in my seven years of marriage.

I wandered aimlessly along the street until I stopped in front of a massive glass window of a restaurant that was very brightly lit.

I saw my family inside one of the private rooms, along with Luca Bernardi, my husband of seven years.

The waiter was holding a three-layer cake in his hands as he approached the table.

Luca was sitting at the head of the table with a little boy about four or five years of age in his lap. They looked like they'd been cast from the same mold.

The little boy grabbed a handful of cake and smeared it all over the place, laughing and giggling loudly as he wiped his grimy hands on Luca's impeccable suit.

Luca was a serious germophobe and would immediately frown if someone even accidentally bumped against him. But now, even with his tailored suit covered in a mess of frosting and icing, Luca still looked at the boy fondly while wiping off the cream stuck to the boy's nose.

I had never seen such gentleness and tenderness in his eyes before this.

"Slow down, Nico. Eat it properly," he said gently and affectionately.

Nico Bernardi was also the first name stated on the will just now.

My gaze shifted, landing on Angela Fasano next to him instead, dressed in a white frock. She was leaning slightly toward him in her seat while wiping off the icing and frosting on Nico's hands.

"Look how much Nico looks like you, Luca," she said.

"Yeah."

Luca just answered perfunctorily without looking up, as his attention was focused entirely on Nico the whole time.

Seated next to them were my dad, Valter Fasano, and my stepmother, Eva Grassi.

"Since it's Nico's birthday today, Grandpa is going to give him a huge birthday gift!" Dad said, taking out a document and handing it over.

"The estate in Bluecoast will belong to Nico from now on!"

I felt all the blood in my body freeze at that point.

Bluecoast Estate was the place Mom promised she'd leave for me before she passed away. And after she left, Dad told me that he would hold on to it on my behalf.

After marrying Luca, he told me that Bluecoast Estate was too far away and out-of-place to go over and clean up often, so I never brought it up again.

As it turned out, the place had been intended to be given to Nico as a gift from the very start.

"Thank you, Grandpa!" Nico said in his childish voice.

"You spoil him too much, Dad," Angela said, chiding Dad softly despite the obvious happiness in her tone.

"Nico is my grandchild. Who else am I supposed to spoil if not him?" Dad responded with a laugh as Eva joined in and agreed with him.

"Also, what's the point of letting Aurora hold on to these things since she's infertile and can't ever have any kids of her own?"

Luca frowned. "Dad, you're not to say such things in front of Aurora next time. You'll hurt her feelings."

"Fine. I won't bring it up."

I stood at the window, frozen like a statue.

So, as it turned out, everyone knew about my infertility issues after all. I felt like such a fool.

Joyous, lighthearted laughter continued ringing out from the private room. Angela helped wipe off the frosting on Nico's mouth while Luca still kept his eyes on the boy.

They looked like the perfect picture together.

I stepped back and turned to leave.

I'd spent seven years of my life being married to Luca and fully devoted to him, and yet, everything had been nothing but a meticulously planned lie after all.

There was no need for any questioning or confrontation at this point.

It was just time for me to leave.