The night before the wedding, at the bachelor party, my fiancé Don Dominic was challenged to a round of truth or dare. “Dominic, tell us the proudest thing you’ve ever done.” He answered without hesitation: “Spoiling the woman I love until she’s got temper.” Our friends exchanged glances, teasing him to tone down the lovesick act. Even my best friend Serena couldn’t resist a jab. “You’re so lucky, Isabella. Having a man like that wrapped around your finger—you’d better hold on tight.” My face burned red amid the catcalls, and I gave Dominic a playful punch to the chest. What I didn’t notice was that after he said those words, his gaze had locked onto Serena and never left. Not until Serena lost a dare. The penalty: pick anyone in the room and say, “Honey, I’m carrying your baby.” I was already reaching for my phone, ready to record her flustered reaction. But Dominic, who’d been slumped over drunk just seconds ago, went stone-cold sober in an instant. He pulled Serena into his arms, eyes rimming red. “Baby, you’re finally ready to admit it?” I stood frozen. My phone slipped from my fingers and clattered to the floor. Serena struggled violently. “Dominic, you’re drunk!” He only held tighter, voice thick with hurt. “I’m not drunk. You’re my wife, Ser—” I could feel it, the next syllable was about to land. But Serena slapped him across the face without a second’s hesitation, cutting the name short. Dominic clutched his reddening cheek. Whether sober or not, he lurched toward the trash can and vomited. Marco smoothed things over with a laugh. “Bella, he’s just too happy—drank way more than he should’ve. You girls keep chatting. I’ll get him cleaned up.” Serena watched my face anxiously, then cursed under her breath. “Two glasses of bourbon and he’s pawing at me like a lunatic. If your wedding weren’t two days out, I’d have broken that hand off at the wrist.” Normally I’d have laughed and played peacemaker, the way I always did when they bickered. But tonight, something in me had gone quiet. Maybe it was those two sentences. Or maybe it was the folded documents that had slipped from Dominic’s jacket pocket when he stood—the ones I’d picked up before anyone else could see. City Clerk’s Office. I hadn’t had time to read the details before two signatures at the bottom caught my eye. One was Dominic Valenti. The other was Serena Hayes. I clutched the papers, my fingertips like ice. “He probably just mistook you for me—he was hammered. Once he sobers up, I’ll make him apologize.” Serena visibly relaxed, waving it off. “Forget it. I’ll let it slide this once. But if he treats you badly after the wedding, I’m settling old scores and new ones together.” After she left, I excused myself under the pretense of checking on Dominic. I needed a quiet corner to open those documents. At the end of the corridor stood a man. Dark suit. Silver-gray cufflinks. His features bore a passing resemblance to Dominic’s, but colder, more contained. His gaze fell to the strand of old beads around my wrist—and stayed there a long time. Rosa had worn that bracelet as far back as I could remember. When her eyes failed, she’d pressed it into my hands and told me never to take it off. As we passed each other, the man murmured: “Stay away from the Valenti family.” I froze. By the time I turned around, he had already disappeared around the corner. Before I could process what he’d said, I heard Dominic’s voice drifting from a side room, talking to one of his men. “Boss, that was way too close tonight. If Serena hadn’t reacted fast, Bella would’ve found out everything.” Dominic lit a cigarette. His tone was lazy, indifferent. “If Serena hadn’t stopped me, I would’ve told her the truth a long time ago.” “But Don, when your mother was paralyzed from the stroke, it was Bella who stayed at her bedside day and night. And back when you were starting out and the Morettis cornered you in that alley, she took a knife for you.” Dominic’s voice didn’t waver. “She debased herself. What was I supposed to do about it?” “If she hadn’t schemed her way into my life, I wouldn’t have had to pretend to be broke all those years just to drive her off.” “Still, she’s been loyal long enough, and I’ve gotten used to having her around. I don’t mind giving her a wedding.” “But the marriage license belongs to Serena. Only Serena.” I slid down the wall, legs giving out beneath me, and crumpled to the floor. I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood, refusing to let a single sound escape. In the dim light of the corridor, I finally read the documents in full. This was not our marriage license—mine and Dominic’s. It was a marriage license signed that very afternoon at City Hall by Dominic Valenti and Serena Hayes. Tucked inside was a Polaroid. In it, Serena leaned against Dominic’s shoulder, smiling like a real bride. I suddenly remembered: Dominic was supposed to meet me at City Hall that afternoon to register our marriage. He’d gone dark instead. I’d stood outside the building in a downpour for two hours. Called him a hundred times. No answer. He’d finally shown up at dusk, apologizing—said he’d been preparing tonight’s party, wanted to surprise me, lost track of time. Now I knew the truth behind his tardiness. He’d been at City Hall registering a marriage with my best friend. I staggered back toward the private room, clutching my phone with its shattered screen. But the instant before I pushed the door open, I caught a glimpse through the crack— There, under the spotlight at the center of the room, Serena and Dominic were locked in a deep, lingering kiss.
The same friends who’d been cheering for me just minutes ago were now raising their glasses in a circle, laughing and toasting the two of them. The banner reading “Dominic’s Last Night of Freedom” had been torn down. In its place hung a new one: “Serena & Dominic.” And the custom balloons printed with my name lay trampled on the floor, smeared with mud and shoe prints, deflated against the tiles. “Boss, after all those years holding back, you’ve finally handed over your virtue!” That was Marco, Dominic’s most trusted lieutenant. He’d told me more than once: “Bella, I envy what you and Don have.” “Boss, your undercover game is on another level. Signing a marriage license without even giving us a heads-up? That’s three penalty drinks, minimum.” That was Luca, a family capo. He’d always said he wanted to find a devoted, capable woman—just like me. “How’d you keep it airtight? That little watchdog of yours had her eyes on everything. One whiff of this and she’d have torn the roof off.” Tony. Dominic’s college roommate. Last year his father needed brain surgery. I was the one who pulled strings to find a top neurosurgeon, fronted twenty thousand dollars, and handled everything. “Exactly. Ten whole years, Boss—having to fake affection with someone he couldn’t stand. Just imagining it makes me feel suffocated for him.” That was Gina, my junior from university. When she’d been fired for getting pregnant, I’d gone with her to a lawyer, fought the wrongful termination suit, and made sure she got her settlement. I stood there, listening to their laughter and congratulations for the happy couple who’d finally found their way to each other. And I felt as though something had been scooped clean out of my chest. I wasn’t the princess who got her happily ever after. I was the villain. The scheming obstacle standing between true love. The stumbling block on their path. A dog. Called when needed, kicked aside when not. Loyal to the end, and never once treated as human. But Dominic, you promised me. Today was supposed to be our day at City Hall. I could endure your humiliation. But Rosa, my blind adoptive mother in the nursing home, she couldn’t wait. Her only wish was to see me settled. To know I’d have someone to lean on for the rest of my life. My phone buzzed. A message from Dominic. Asking where I’d gone. Before I could reply, I heard Serena’s voice from inside the room, pitched low: “You don’t think Isabella figured something out, do you?” Dominic said: “No way. If she knew, she’d already be causing a scene.” “She’s terrible with directions, probably got lost. This place is a maze. If some creep dragged her off, that’d be a problem.” I ducked around a corner, slipped out through the back door, and crouched behind a dumpster. When Dominic found me, he was out of breath, forehead slick with sweat. But the expression on his face was unmistakably irritated. “Where the hell did you wander off to? Phone calls unanswered, texts ignored—do you even know what today is? Could you, for once, stop making my life harder?” Halfway through, he seemed to realize he’d been too harsh. He backpedaled. “That came out wrong. I was just worried. You know how I get.” Serena hurried over too, dripping with false concern. I looked at the jacket draped over her shoulders. Dominic’s jacket. The one I’d ironed with my own hands that morning. I dropped my gaze. When I lifted it again, I’d plastered on my usual silly grin. Same as always, I threw my arms around Dominic’s neck with a bright laugh. “I got lost, silly. You know my sense of direction is hopeless. But I figured you’d come find me, so I just waited like a good girl.” The instant our bodies pressed together, Dominic went rigid. His eyes slid past me reflexively to Serena. I used to think that stiffness meant he was flustered by my sudden affection. I’d feel secretly thrilled for hours. Now I understood. It was guilt. It was caution. It was fear that Serena might be jealous. And I’d been too stupid to see it. But now wasn’t the time to tear off the mask. During the embrace, I slipped the marriage documents back into his coat pocket. Dominic didn’t notice a thing. He took it for clinginess, visibly relieved, and pinched my cheek. “You. Always keeping me on my toes. You must be exhausted—let me take you home.” On the drive back, he said he had a surprise for me. He took me to a bridal boutique.
The saleswoman brought out a gown with a beaming smile. A satin mermaid-cut wedding dress, delicate seed pearls stitched along the waist. Serena sidled over, eyes wide with envy. “Isabella, isn’t this the one you spent forever staring at? I thought this idiot hadn’t been paying attention, but I guess he’s got a shred of sense after all.” Dominic said: “I wasn’t careless before. I just had more important things to handle. Doesn’t mean I wasn’t paying attention.” On any other day, I might have wept with gratitude. But now, I simply looked at the white dress. It was beautiful, yes. Beautiful enough that a receipt fluttered out from inside the hem. Same day. Same store. Dominic had purchased another gown. Handmade couture. Ten times the price of mine. He noticed my lack of reaction and assumed I didn’t like it. I shook my head. “It’s not that. I just—suddenly want to see my mom.” “Now?” Dominic hesitated. “But I still need to go drop off—” “I’ll go alone.” I cut him off and called a car to the nursing home. Rosa lived in the long-term care wing. She heard the door open and fumbled upright, her trembling fingers finding my face. “Why are you crying? Did something go wrong at the registration today?” “No, mom. I just missed you.” “My eyes may be gone, child, but my ears work fine. Happy tears and sad tears don’t sound the same. No matter how well you pretend, something always slips through.” I sniffled. “Dominic and I talked it over. Things are hectic with his family right now, so we’re pushing the registration back a bit.” Rosa frowned. “He can afford to wait. The baby in your belly can’t. Are you going to let that child come into the world without a name? Let people point fingers?” The blood drained from my face. My fingers trembled as they pressed against my stomach. Right. There was still the baby. Mine and Dominic’s. I’d planned to tell him the good news after we’d registered. Rosa groped for my wrist, and her fingertips found that strand of old beads. Her hand went rigid. “The Valentis—have any of them seen this?” I blinked. “What?” She was silent a long time. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. “This bracelet. Don’t let them see it.” “Mom, why?” Rosa’s face had gone deathly pale. “The Valenti name is not clean.” I assumed her illness was dredging up old memories she’d rather forget, and gently squeezed her hand. “Mom, that’s all in the past.” Just then, my phone rang. HR. From my company. “Ms. Isabella, your access to the Valenti Logistics project has been suspended. Please come in within the next two days for a handover.” I stiffened. “Suspended? On whose authority?” “Mr. Valenti. He indicated that your pregnancy has caused health complications requiring extended medical leave. The project lead was reassigned this afternoon to Serena Hayes.” I gripped the phone. “I never requested medical leave. I never agreed to relinquish the project.” “I’m sorry, but system permissions have already been updated. Mr. Valenti submitted all relevant documents, including your prenatal report.” I curled into a corner of the corridor, ice spreading through my veins. I don’t know how long I sat there before my phone screen lit up. Serena had just posted on Instagram. The photo showed Dominic in profile, a glittering skyline behind him. The caption read: At every crossroads in my life, you’ve been there to see me through. I stared at that photo and suddenly laughed. So that was it. Serena and I worked at the same company, in the same department. My performance had always outpaced hers. Management had told me, finish this project, and the promotion is yours. Dominic had yanked me off the track to make room for her. Only by removing me could she rise. Rosa came shuffling over on her cane, lowered herself beside me, and wrapped her thin arms around me. I buried my face in her shoulder and wept. “Mom, I don’t want this baby anymore.” “Then don’t keep it.” Her voice shook, but it was firm. “As long as a woman is still breathing, she can start over anywhere.” I bit my lip and cried for a long time. “Dominic—I don’t want him either.” Rosa was quiet for a long while. “I wanted you to have someone to lean on. But more than that, I want you to be happy. If he doesn’t make you happy, then let him go.” Slowly, she raised her hand and ran her fingers through my hair, the way she used to when I was small. “My Isabella is so good. You’ll find someone who truly treasures you.” The OB-GYN clinic was in the adjacent building. Rosa sat with me outside the consultation room, her hand clasped around mine—the way she used to hold me crossing the street when I was little. After I’d made the appointment, I told her to go back and rest. While I waited for the nurse to call my number, I spotted Serena at the end of the hallway. She was supporting Rosa by the arm, chatting and laughing. I shot to my feet, blood rushing to my head. How dare she go near my mother? Didn’t she look at Rosa and think of the tuition, the living expenses—scraped together cent by cent over all those years? Didn’t she remember that it was us who took her in, gave her a bed to sleep in? I rushed after them, burst into the ward. It was empty.
Watch👉 https://cps-front.novelix.live/app-api/ext/new/20260728NlUNc3qJAv 🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “Novelix” app 🔍 search for “ni470049”, and watch the full series ✨! #Novelix
Leave a Reply