Home / He Married His Adopted Sister the Week Before Our Wedding / Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Lahat ng Kabanata ng He Married His Adopted Sister the Week Before Our Wedding: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

11 Kabanata

1

Alex and I had been together eight years. Five of them we spent secretly married.He never once announced to anyone who I was.He said he had too many enemies, and keeping my name out of the light was how he kept me safe.I never agreed with that, because I was the brightest jewel of the Moretti Family and I did not need anyone's protection.But I always lost, every time, to that gentle, restrained look in Alex's eyes.Five years of marriage, and Alex had never acknowledged me in public.My position inside the Castellano Family was an awkward one.Even the household staff joked behind my back that I was the Castellano Family's uncrowned Donna.It finally boiled over into another fight between Alex and me.And this time Alex gave in. He pulled me into his arms."I'm sorry, Valeria. I ignored how you felt. Please forgive me."Give me a chance to make it up to you. I'll give you the biggest wedding anyone has ever seen."Then Alex got too busy, and planning the wedding landed back on me.

2

I read those records over and over, sitting alone in the bedroom the entire night.Early the next morning I drove back to the Moretti estate.I said to my brother Matteo, the Don of the Moretti Family, "I'm canceling the wedding."And get a lawyer to draw up divorce papers for me."Matteo raised an eyebrow."You've thought it through?""I've thought it through."Matteo looked at how serious my face was and finally set down his pen."Five years ago I was against you marrying Alex in secret, but I respected what you wanted."So tell me what changed your mind."I unlocked my phone and set it on his desk."Alex had a wedding with his adopted sister in New York."Matteo went quiet. He didn't look at my phone."Understood. I'll notify the Family that the wedding is off."You'll have the papers in five minutes."It didn't even take five. The Family lawyer put the divorce agreement in my hands.Matteo even pressed the Family's wax seal into the paper.That was his answer.With that done, I too

3

Late that night, as I walked out of the bedroom with my suitcase, the butler followed me."Where are you going, ma'am? The ceremony is tomorrow. Won't you wait for Mr. Castellano?"I stopped and smiled."Moretti tradition. I have to spend tonight at my family's house."Matteo will bring me to the church himself tomorrow."The butler's face relaxed. He bowed his head and withdrew.I dragged the case down the hallway.Passing the room belonging to Alex's mother Martina, I heard voices inside.Her door wasn't fully shut."Well? Did your ceremony go smoothly?"Such a shame. If I hadn't been worried Valeria would notice, I could have come to your wedding."That ring suits Lilith beautifully, though. I always said it should have gone to her."I suddenly remembered the first time I met Martina, five years ago.Back then I was the only jewel of the Moretti Family, and I came in full of hope that the elders would accept me.Martina was warm to me, too. She held my hands and smiled at me like th

4

Alex followed me to the door.The night wind pulled strands of hair loose at my temple. He stopped and tucked them behind my ear."Mother didn't mean it the way it sounded."Lilith grew up in the Castellano house. It's just habit, that's why she said the three of us were family."I didn't argue with him."That friend of yours who got married in New York. That was Lilith?"Alex's step faltered."Yes.""And the gift, she's the one who told you to bring it back for me?"He nodded."Yeah. Lilith said some of the luck should rub off on you."I laughed softly."Do you have photos from the ceremony? Let me see."Alex's throat moved."There's nothing worth seeing.""Why not?"I tilted my head."Is the groom too ugly to show?"Alex went rigid, his lips pressing thin.He always pressed his lips together when he was guilty.I watched him for two seconds, then laughed out loud."I'm kidding."Still, why not just tell me it was Lilith's wedding? Why make up someone running North America?"Alex stay

5

There was no priest.There were no lights.There was no processional music.And there was no one from the Moretti Family at all.Only empty pews remained beneath the painted saints staring down in silence from the dome.Alex stood in the doorway holding a delicate ring box.Inside was that one-of-a-kind red diamond, and the smile on his face drained away by degrees.Someone behind him spoke up quietly."We're at the right church, aren't we?""Maybe Valeria isn't ready yet. Let's wait a bit."Someone else tried to make a joke of it."She can't have run out on her own wedding, can she? Ha!"Martina frowned and clicked her tongue."Do the Morettis raise their girls with no manners at all? Leaving everyone standing here!"It's not as if Alex couldn't do better."Alex answered none of them.He walked past all of them, alone, deeper into the church.His friend Luca hurried after him and grabbed his arm, dropping his voice."Tell me the truth. Does Valeria know?"Alex stopped and turned his h

6

Lilith hid her hand behind her back on reflex.It was already too late.Martina stepped forward and brazened it out."I only lent it to Lilith to wear for a little while..."Nobody said a word.Nobody there was stupid.The silence spoke for all of them.But Alex seemed not to notice any of it.He only stared at Angela, urgent, hoping."Where is Valeria? Angela, I'm begging you, tell me!"You're closer to her than anyone. You know where she is, don't you!"Angela didn't answer. She took a step back and looked at Alex with disgust."Alex, Valeria loved you. She really loved you."The only jewel the Moretti Family had, and she agreed to five years of a secret marriage! Five years of swallowing it!"She ran your Family business for you! When you were attacked she sat outside that operating room two days and two nights without closing her eyes! Lilith humiliated her in front of guests over and over and she took it, for you!"And you! What did you do for her? She deserved so much better than

7

"You're telling me to get out?"Lilith's voice went shrill."Alex, you're telling me to get out for her?"Alex turned to look at her, his eyes red."If it weren't for you, Valeria wouldn't have left!"If you hadn't kept telling me weddings set you off, I would have married her properly years ago!"Then his eyes lit up again."That's it, my wedding with Lilith was fake. Angela, tell Valeria for me!"Alex looked at Angela and explained in a rush."Ever since Lilith's ex-boyfriend Antonio was shot at a wedding, weddings have triggered her."A few days ago Lilith told me her doctor suggested that having a wedding of her own might help her get past it, so I..."Lilith's eyes filled. She stared at Alex in disbelief."So now it's all my fault? You're the one who agreed to it!"You're the one who said Valeria would never find out!"Did I drag you to New York in ropes!"Angela watched the two of them tear at each other, then picked up the flash drive I had left on the altar.She pushed it into

8

I didn't see the farce with my own eyes.But Angela recorded it and sent it to me.At the end of the video, Alex bolted out of the church, leaving Lilith and Martina behind.Everyone stood watching the two of them and muttering.Martina was still refusing to bend. She raised her voice at the people around her."Valeria is being ridiculous. It was a form of treatment for Lilith. It wasn't a real wedding. It doesn't count!"Nobody backed her up.Fine, call the wedding a treatment.Was the ring the Castellanos had passed down for generations also a treatment?Martina had always cared about appearances, and once she saw the contempt in everyone's eyes, the smile finally slid off her face.Lilith was still trying to protect her image in front of Martina.She made a show of taking the blame on herself."It's all my fault. Don't blame Alex..."I was too selfish. I made him come to New York with me..."Martina's anger found its outlet in a heartbeat.She pointed a shaking finger at Lilith."Of

9

"No... no, protecting you was real."Part of the reason was Lilith..."Alex's fists were clenched, the knuckles white."Every time you brought up having a wedding, Lilith found out and threatened to kill herself."I promised Antonio I'd keep her safe...""So you offered me up instead?"I cut him off."No, Valeria, believe me, you're the only person I love!"He explained fast, like he was afraid I'd turn and go."That recording isn't complete! Lilith cut off what came after."I told her that once the ceremony was done, we'd act like none of it ever happened."I wanted her to move on and stop interfering in our life."Valeria, from now on you'll have all of me. Please, give me one more chance. I'll make it right."I lifted my eyes to him and smiled."Alex, do you think I left because you had a wedding with Lilith?"Alex faltered."Didn't you?""No."I looked at him, my voice level."What I hate most is being lied to."And you have been lying to me all along."I didn't give Alex room to a

10

In the end Alex left the Moretti estate in pieces.I walked the other way and didn't look back.Later Angela told me Alex had thrown Lilith out of the Castellano Family.That surprised me."Didn't he promise Antonio he'd look after her? He just threw her out?"Angela rolled her eyes."He promised all of us he'd be good to you forever, too!"A man's promises are worth listening to and nothing more."I thought that was the end of it.But I underestimated Lilith.A few nights later Angela sent me a link out of nowhere.Then she sent ten exclamation marks in a row."Look at this right the hell now!"I opened it. Lilith had posted a long piece on the private network the Families all used.The title was, "Some Loves Are Wrong From the Very Start."She wrote that she and Alex and Antonio had grown up together, the three of them inseparable.She said Antonio had died at a wedding shielding Alex, and weddings had terrified her ever since.She said Alex had promised Antonio he would take care of

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