He Married My Sister. I Stopped Waiting のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

Viola POVOn my first day back in Italy, someone stopped me at the airport exit.Nicholas Valenti. The current Don of the Bellanti family, my former guardian, and the man I had once loved.He had lost some weight in the three years since I’d last seen him. His black suit still fit perfectly. Several of his men stood behind him, stepping aside as I approached.“Viola.”At the sound of my name, I tightened my grip on my suitcase handle. He had always said it that way when I was little.I wheeled my suitcase past him.He reached out and caught my wrist.“The car’s outside. I’ll drive you.”I looked down at his hand. The platinum wedding band was still on his ring finger.He and my sister had been married for three years.“Thank you, Don Valenti.” I looked up. “I’ve already called a car.”His fingers tightened for a moment.“It’s been three years,” he said quietly. “You changed your number. Sent back every letter. How much longer are you going to keep avoiding me?”“I’m here to lay my fath

Viola POVNicholas followed my gaze, drew the bouquet back, and opened the passenger door for me.“The reburial is tomorrow morning. Everything’s been arranged with the priest and the cemetery. Several of your father’s former lieutenants will be there, too.”“Send me the arrangements, please. I’d like to know what to expect.”“Of course.”I canceled my ride and got into the passenger seat.“The cemetery first.”He nodded, placed the white roses on the back seat, and walked around to the driver’s side.There was no music in the car. At every red light, he turned to glance at me. I kept looking out the window.Three years ago, I could sit in this seat and talk endlessly. A canvas I had ruined in conservation class, a place in a school exhibition, something else Mother had forgotten—I told him all of it.Usually, he just listened. The next day, the materials I needed would appear on my desk, or the driver would tell me a ride to the exhibition had been arranged.“Your room’s still there f

Viola POVI left my suitcase in my room and took only my phone and handbag before following Antonio downstairs.If my grandfather was already planning my life after Paris, I needed to tell him to his face that I hadn’t agreed to any of it.At the estate, Antonio led me straight into the dining room.My grandfather sat at one end of the long table. Camilla and my mother, Lydia, were on his left, Nicholas on his right. Two bosses who had once served my father were also there.I paused in the doorway.When my father was alive, he would put down whatever he was holding when he saw me and ask me to sit beside him.Tonight, Antonio pulled out a chair at the far end of the table.Nicholas watched me the entire time. I set down my handbag and sat.“So you’ve finally decided to come home.” My grandfather set down his glass. “I thought you might at least come back a few days early to help your mother prepare for the funeral.”“I came back on the date I was given.”“Nicholas has handled everythin

Viola POV“Yes.”I looked at him. It took a moment to find my voice.“Then what were you going to explain to me at the airport?”He glanced at Mother and Camilla.“Viola, let’s talk alone.”“I was just waiting for you to talk to me in the garden.”His lips moved.“Nicholas,” Camilla said softly. “Could you get me some water? My chest still feels a little uncomfortable.”He turned toward her, then said to me, “Give me a moment.”He walked to the bar, poured a glass of water, and set it beside Camilla. Mother held her shoulder and asked whether she wanted to go upstairs and rest.Camilla shook her head and looked up at him to thank him.I stood by the door, watching them. A moment ago, everyone had been waiting for me to agree to that meeting. Now no one mentioned my answer.“I’m leaving.”Mother glanced up at me but said nothing.Nicholas started toward me.“I’ll drive you.”“No, thank you.”I walked into the entrance hall, moved my handbag to my right hand, and slipped the platinum rin

Viola POVI sent Camilla a message.“Lorenzo has a two-year-old son?”The message was marked as read almost immediately.A moment later, she replied.“Who told you?”My fingers paused over the screen.“You knew?”“Grandfather mentioned it when we discussed the arrangement. Mom knows, too. Viola, he’s just a little boy. You don’t need to be so upset about it.”I stared at her last sentence, then typed:“When were you planning to tell me?”“Meet him first. We can talk about it afterward. Lorenzo is often away on business. He wants a wife who can look after the family. The boy is still young. It’ll be easy for him to grow close to you.”Another message followed.“Once you’re married, you won’t have to work so hard at the gallery anymore, either.”I stared at the screen for a long time before setting my phone on the table.Alessandro didn’t rush me.“She knew,” I said. “So did my mother.”“They admitted it?”I showed him the messages.He read them, then slid the phone back toward me.“At l