All Chapters of The Return Of The Betrayed Bride : Chapter 281 - Chapter 290

The penthouse was pitch black, except for the glow of dozens of candles flickering on the floor.Damien stepped out of the private elevator just after 11:47 PM. His expensive shoes clicked on the cold marble. His shoulders ached. His head throbbed. Another endless day of meetings, lies, and pretending everything was fine. He yanked his tie loose with a tired sigh and dropped his briefcase.Then he saw her.Sophia sat cross-legged right in the middle of the huge living room, like a little girl waiting for a bedtime story. But her eyes… those eyes weren’t innocent. They were empty, dark holes that swallowed the candlelight.A half-empty glass of red wine rested in her hand. Red wax from the candles had dripped everywhere, staining the white marble like fresh blood.She didn’t move. Just stared straight at the wall.Damien’s heart slammed against his ribs. He knew this version of Sophia. This was the calm right before she exploded.“Sophia?” he said softly, careful not to startle h

FAVINO PENTHOUSE – 7:00 PMAmelia dumped her purse upside down on the kitchen table for the fifth time. Lipstick, receipts, and coins spilled everywhere.“Where the heck are my keys?” she grumbled.She checked the counter. Nothing. The coat hooks by the door. Nothing. Even Leo’s toy box still nothing. She poked her head into the bathroom.“Mommy, what’s wrong?” Leo called from the couch. His cartoons were blaring, and his stuffed owl was tucked under his chin.“My keys, sweetie,” Amelia said, forcing a smile. She walked over, kissed the top of his messy hair, and ruffled it. “You’re smarter than me, you know that?”“Did you look in your pocket?” he asked, eyes big and serious.She laughed softly and patted her jeans. Empty. She checked Alejandro’s jacket hanging by the door—still nothing. The key hook by the garage door was bare.“Ugh.” She yanked the spare key from the drawer. “I’ll be right back, baby. Don’t open the door for anyone, okay?”“Okay, Mommy.”The elevator ride down f

Amelia looked at the crying maid with soft eyes. Clara’s tears spilled over her cheeks like rain. “Thank you, Mrs. Favino. Thank you,” she whispered. “I swear on my mother’s life—I’m telling the truth. I didn’t plant that receipt. I would never hurt you.”Alejandro stared at his wife like she had lost her mind. “Amelia, what are you doing?” he said sharply.“You heard me,” Amelia replied calmly. She stood up and walked over to Clara. “You’re not getting fired. Go home. Take care of your mother. We’ll sort this out later.”Clara grabbed Amelia’s hands, sobbing harder. “Thank you… thank you so much. I won’t forget this. I swear on my mother’s life—I didn’t do it.”“I believe you,” Amelia said gently, squeezing her hands. “Go now.”Clara gave Alejandro one last sad look. “I’m sorry you don’t believe me, Mr. Favino. But I’m not your enemy.” Then she hurried out.The door clicked shut.Alejandro spun toward his wife. “What the hell was that, Amelia? You just let her go? She was on the c

FAVINO PENTHOUSE – THREE DAYS LATER – 2:00 PMMarisa Favino sat on the expensive couch like a queen on her throne.At seventy, she still looked closer to sixty. Money had a way of slowing down time.Amelia sat directly across from her, hands folded neatly in her lap. On the outside she looked calm. Inside, she was screaming.“Forty days,” Marisa said coldly. “I gave you forty days to get pregnant. That was months ago, Amelia. Months.”“I’ve been busy—” Amelia started.“Busy?” Marisa’s voice sliced through the air like a whip. “Busy destroying your marriage? Busy starting silly wars with Catalina? Busy humiliating my son at that charity gala in front of the whole world?”Amelia’s jaw tightened. “That’s not fair.”“Fair?” Marisa let out a short, icy laugh. “Life isn’t fair, my dear. I didn’t raise my son to marry a woman who can’t even give him a child. A real Favino heir.”Amelia flinched but held her ground. “We already have Leo. Alejandro loves him like his own.”“Leo is not his bl

He turned and walked toward Room 412, leaving Amelia standing alone in the noisy hallway.Machines kept beeping. Doctors kept shouting.Amelia slid down the wall, buried her face in her hands, and whispered, “Who is doing this to me?”FAVINO PENTHOUSE – 8:00 PM – SAME DAYThe penthouse was deathly quiet. The kind of silence that pressed on your chest and made every breath feel loud.Amelia sat alone on the huge couch, knees pulled to her chest, staring at nothing. Alejandro was still at the hospital. He hadn’t come home. He wasn’t answering her calls or texts. Just radio silence.Her phone buzzed.Katherina: Valentina and I are coming over. We heard what happened to Marisa. We’re not letting you sit here alone.Amelia typed back with shaking fingers: Okay.Thirty minutes later, the elevator dinged. Katherina and Valentina stepped out, both in comfy clothes, carrying bags of food that smelled amazing.“Amelia…” Valentina said softly, rushing over and pulling her into a tight hug. “Ho