Chapter 2

Lorenzo’s man had already driven off, but Lorenzo had no intention of letting me leave.

Two armed bodyguards blocked my path.

“This is a public street,” I said, looking at him. “Tell your men to move.”

Instead, Lorenzo came closer. “You deliberately hid from me for three years because you wanted me to come looking for you, didn’t you?”

Just then, a dull ache tugged low in my abdomen.

I pulled the bag of medication protectively against me. “You think too highly of yourself. Who would still want you?”

Lorenzo clearly didn’t believe me.

“You hid for three years because you were waiting for me to come back.”

He took another step, utterly certain of himself.

“You loved me for more than a decade, Serafina. I know you can’t let go.”

I looked at him and found him ridiculous.

“Three years later, and you’re still just as full of yourself.”

Viola lightly caught Lorenzo’s arm, though her gaze kept moving between my coat and the pharmacy bag.

“Don’t be angry. Maybe her life hasn’t been going well. That’s why she’s saying such cruel things.”

I looked coldly at her.

“How I live is none of your business.”

Viola put on her usual innocent expression. “Serafina, I’m only worried about you.”

I nearly laughed.

“Your way of worrying about me is telling me to become Lorenzo’s mistress?”

She stepped back, her eyes immediately filling with tears.

Lorenzo’s face hardened.

“Viola has done nothing but consider your feelings. Don’t be ungrateful.”

I watched him stand protectively in front of her. One was skilled at pretending to be innocent, and the other was always eager to believe her. They truly deserved each other.

Half an hour later, Lorenzo’s man hurried back with a printed marriage record.

“Mr. Vitale, we found it. Miss Serafina did legally marry three years ago.”

The smile vanished from Lorenzo’s face.

He snapped his gaze toward me. “You’re really married?”

I met his eyes calmly.

“Why are you surprised? Weren’t you the one who told me to marry a homeless man?”

The veins stood out on the back of his hand, and his voice carried the anger of a man who had somehow been betrayed.

“You actually married some random man just to get revenge on me?”

“I don’t need your permission to marry anyone.”

His face darkened completely.

“Who is he? Where is he now?”

Lorenzo’s man glanced at me before answering in a low voice.

“The mute homeless man from the alley behind the hotel that night.”

Lorenzo froze for a second, then burst out laughing.

There was no guilt in it, only condescension.

“I knew it. You were still trying to spite me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself. Who I married has nothing to do with you. We ended the moment you threw away that ring three years ago.”

I turned to leave.

Lorenzo stepped in front of me and seized my wrist.

“A mute vagrant thinks he deserves to be your husband? One word from the Vitale family, and he’ll disappear.”