Chapter 56: Luca had an affair
"Are you alright?" she asked softly, her eyes fixed on him when he turned to meet her gaze. "What’s wrong?" Concern flickered across her features.
Before Luca could answer, the butler approached, bowing slightly. "Welcome home, Sir Luca, Madam Sara," he said with a polite smile gracing his face. "Please follow me inside," he added.
Luca held Sara’s hand as they ascended the marble staircase together, entering through the grand doors of the mansion. For Sara, it was her first time stepping into the home where Luca had grown up. The walls were lined with portraits, each capturing the legacy of the De Augustino family in stately frames.
Her eyes widened as the large drawing room came into view. The anticipation grew when she noticed Luca’s parents seated elegantly on the couch, and to her surprise, Ivanna and her parents were there as well.
"Looks like they’ve prepared quite the welcome," Luca murmured under his breath.
They finally reached the center of the room, and both came to a halt. Luca’s gaze swept over his parents with a hint of mockery. "Greetings to my mighty parents, who never fail to insert themselves into my life," he said dryly, refusing even a glance at Ivanna and her family.
Sara’s brows furrowed slightly. She could sense the tension coiling in the air, realizing this encounter could easily erupt into a full-blown argument.
"Take a seat first," Vinni told them, then gazed at Sara.
They both settled on the couch when Sara said, "I was busy at work. Forgive me for not answering your calls."
"Were you busy since yesterday?" Vinni frowned, her tone sharp as she addressed Sara. "You won’t utter a single word. Luca," she added, glaring at her son.
"If you stay respectful to Sara, I won’t," Luca replied, his hand subtly brushing against hers in a silent signal to remain calm.
Sara placed her hand over his, a gentle reminder to stay quiet.
"A lot has been happening these past few days," she began. "I didn’t want to look at my phone or answer any calls."
Vinni’s eyes narrowed. "Why did you throw Ivanna out of the company? Who gave you the right to do that? Don’t forget that you were never our choice for our son!"
Sara’s gaze remained steady in her firm voice. "Then why did you both attend the wedding? If you truly wanted your son to marry Ivanna, you should have stopped it that day. But you didn’t. Ivanna was actively trying to disrupt the company’s environment and deserved to be removed."
As Sara laid out the facts calmly, the expressions on Luca’s parents’ faces darkened.
Sara turned her gaze toward Ivanna. "Did you forget how you were shouting and screaming at everyone there? As the CEO’s secretary, it was my duty to remove you from the office. That’s why you have no right to defend yourself."
Enrique’s face flushed with anger. "Mrs. De Augustino, our daughter was your son’s fiancée! But your son, and all of you, betrayed us. Luca had an affair with this lady, not once—"
"I never got engaged to your daughter," Luca finally cut in. "All of you decided on your own to announce me and her as a couple. I never even spent time with her, because I’ve always despised your daughter. Now, please get out of this house. I don’t want this situation to escalate further."
"Sara, what have you thought about the offer I made to you?" asked Michael.
"I can’t divorce Luca," Sara replied. "I am sorry for declining your offer," she added.
"I don’t understand why I’m being pushed into something I never agreed to," Luca said. "You both know how long I’ve known Sara. Inviting Miss Cavallero and her family here only to stir up drama, what exactly were you hoping to achieve? The day I told you over the phone that I wouldn’t marry the woman you chose for me, I meant it. I wasn’t joking then, and I’m not joking now."
Ivanna’s frustration finally spilled over. "Luca, I’ve always loved you! I know what you’re saying isn’t true. You only helped Sara because she was involved with another man. I don’t understand why you’re lying to everyone." She turned desperately toward Vinni. "Aunt Vinni, you told me that Sara’s ex tried to crash their wedding but failed. They’re both lying to us!"
Luca’s jaw tightened, his fists curling as his patience began to wear thin.
"It seems there’s already been plenty of discussion about us," Sara interjected. Her voice was steady, but her eyes glinted with restrained anger. "Since everyone here seems to know my story so well, let me correct a few details. My ex cheated on me, with my stepsister."
She licked her lips, trying to keep a steady face.
"Did he ever tell you that, Mrs. Vinni?" she continued. "He’d been cheating on me for months. Then he disappeared when I needed him most. I tried contacting him, but he ghosted me. I thought he’d left me for good. I’m certain Asher never shared that part with you."
The room fell into stunned silence. Michael turned slowly toward his wife.
"I heard even Frida has come to join hands with you, Mom, to separate me from Sara," Luca remarked. "Let me not open my mouth because the Cavallero Family is also present here. Mom, just send them away, so that we can talk with calmness."
"There’s no need to ask us to leave," Ivanna’s mother finally raised her voice. "All of you have humiliated us and hurt my daughter. Let’s go, Ivanna." She grabbed her daughter’s arm and dragged her out while Enrique followed them.
"You both think we can’t see through your lies," Michael began and then shifted his focus to Sara. "Luca never respected me. But I expected a lot from you. You chose to live with a man, who is ready to shed the bloods of people around him. I warn you again to leave his life before he ruins it for you."