All Chapters of The Auctioned Bride: Chapter 121 - Chapter 130

By the time I finally woke in the morning, the sunlight was already slipping through the curtains in thin golden lines. The bed felt too big without Valerio in it, too cold, too quiet. I blinked slowly and reached my hand across the sheets like he might still be there, but my fingers met only soft fabric.Then I noticed something on the pillow beside me.A small folded note.I sat up, rubbing my eyes as I picked it up. His handwriting…messy but recognizable..covered the tiny paper.“Good morning, Dolcezza.You were sleeping so beautifully that I didn’t want to wake you.I have work, but I’ll be back soon.Marco will take care of your breakfast…I don’t trust any of the maids for now until they are fully monitored.I’ll see you later, Dolcezza.I love you.”And a tiny heart drawn at the bottom.A tiny crooked heart.I actually laughed a little. The almighty, terrifying, powerful Valerio…drawing a heart like a shy teenager. I pressed the note to my chest for a second before placing it ca

It felt like something had been carved out of my head. Like a memory I should’ve held onto tightly had slipped right through my fingers. A missing piece. A blank space. No matter how much I tried to grasp it, it dissolved like sand.When I slowly opened my eyes, it hit me again…that dizzy moment of not knowing where I was, followed by the slow recognition of the ceiling, the scent of his cologne, the warmth of the sheets.This had become a ritual. Sleep, pain, waking up confused.Only today… today was different.Valerio was sitting right next to me, just staring. Not even blinking. His elbows rested on his knees, hands clasped together, but his eyes…his eyes were fixed on me like he was terrified to look away.“Valerio?” I whispered.His shoulders relaxed. “You’re finally up,” he said, leaning forward to kiss my forehead.I blinked at him, and something warm spread through my chest. “How long have you been waiting?”“I lost count,” he said with a small smile that didn’t fully hide the

The morning sun filtered gently through the curtains, soft and warm on my face, but it wasn’t enough to ease the heaviness in my chest. Wedding preparations had begun before I could even fully grasp that I was engaged. Valerio didn’t want to waste time, and I couldn’t blame him. Everything in this house always moved fast…his decisions, the guards’ footsteps, the news that traveled quietly through the hallways.He had suggested we skip an engagement ceremony entirely and just go straight into planning the wedding. At first, I had thought he was rushing, that maybe he felt pressured, but when he held my hands and told me he “couldn’t wait for me to be his wife,” the words had felt too sincere to question. And honestly… I didn’t want the noise. I didn’t want another crowd or gathering or ceremony. One big wedding was enough.Still… the preparations around me felt repetitive, too much like the birthday celebration we had only just finished. The decorators, the caterers, the fabric samples

It was tomorrow.My wedding.I stood at the centre of the room with my wedding gown on, barely breathing. It didn’t feel real. Valerio had ordered it days ago from India, and now it clung to my body like it had always belonged to me…light ivory, soft silk, a veil so long it trailed behind me like a river.“You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen, Miss Althea,” Rose, the maid helping me, whispered.“Thank you, Rose.”My voice sounded small. I couldn’t stop staring at myself. I really… looked beautiful. Different. Like someone whose life was finally taking shape.Rose was adjusting the back of the dress when she suddenly froze, eyes widening for a second She dipped her head quickly, whispered “Excuse me,” before she walked out swiftly.I frowned, turning to ask her if something was wrong…then I saw him.Valerio stood at the door.His eyes… God, I’d never seen them like that. Soft but burning. Bursting with pride, with love, with something that felt like he’d been waiting for this

I nodded, even though my legs felt like paper. The maids helped adjust my dress one last time, smoothing the fabric, lifting the veil, fastening a small pin at the back.Marco returned, standing tall, waiting.“Whenever you’re ready, Miss.”I swallowed hard. “I’m ready.”He offered me his arm… something he had never done before. It surprised me so much I blinked.He looked away awkwardly. “Mr. Valerio asked me to walk you downstairs so you don’t trip.”A laugh slipped out of me. “Of course he did.”I placed my hand on Marco’s arm carefully so I wouldn’t wrinkle my dress. The door opened, the hallway stretching long and bright.Each step echoed softly. The house was full, but everywhere we passed, guards lowered their heads respectfully. Maids froze with awe in their eyes. Even the older staff smiled at me like they were seeing a daughter of the house.Everything was quiet, but alive.At the bottom of the staircase, Marco let go and stepped aside. Two other guards opened the large wood