Chapter 101
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Chapter 22
The next morning arrived not with the resolution Luca had hoped for, but with fresh burdens weighing heavily on his shoulders. It was just past eight when his phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with news he hadn’t expected. Carlotta’s elderly great–aunt had fallen down the stairs at her vast estate, and the situation was grim.
Without a second thought, Luca was out the door and racing to the hospital, his mind already spiraling. By the time he arrived, the entire Forentino family was there, cloaked in a somber mood. Luca couldn’t help but notice the way they exchanged glances–furtive, assessing. It wasn’t the kind of worry that comes from fearing the worst, but rather the quiet waiting that comes when an outcome feels inevitable. They weren’t talking about recovery or hope, no one mentioned prayers for a miracle. Instead, their conversations danced around logistics, responsibilities–what would need to happen next. There was no hysteria, no wringing of hands, just a stillness that felt almost resigned.
Occasionally, he’d catch one of them casting a sidelong glance toward Carlotta, the only one in the room with tear–streaked cheeks, her eyes
red–rimmed from grief. They would offer her soft pats on the shoulder, murmuring their condolences, but even that felt half–hearted, as though their minds were already elsewhere. Perhaps on the estate–the sprawling legacy the old woman would leave behind, something more permanent than the frail body she’d inhabited for 102 years.
The tension in the room felt stifling, and Luca had to suppress the urge to step outside for air.
Inside the sterile hospital walls, Carlotta sat beside him, a shell of herself, Her face was pale, her hands trembling as they clutched his. While the others hovered like vultures, she was the only one truly heartbroken. Her great–aunt had been her escape as a child, the only warmth in a › cold, loveless upbringing under her strict mother’s watchful eye. Luca could feel her grief, raw and tangible, as she sat there, her silent tears slipping down her cheeks.
“Luca,” she whispered, her voice cracking. He squeezed her hand in return, feeling powerless. He tried to console her, but what could he say? The doctors were grim, the list of injuries extensive: a dislocated hip, a broken femur, and a serious spinal injury. The prognosis wasn’t good. Still, Luca clung to hope for Carlotta’s sake, praying silently that somehow, someway, her great–aunt would pull through.
Then his phone buzzed again–his secretary, reminding him of a board meeting he couldn’t afford to miss. He cursed under his breath, his mind torn in two. He didn’t want to leave Carlotta, not like this, but duty called. He kissed her forehead softly, promising he’d return as soon as he could, before rushing to the office, his mind spinning
The day dragged on in a haze of business reports and yearly objectives, his mind only half–focused. He forced himself through the motions, though his thoughts kept drifting back to Carlotta, to the hospital, to the fear that gnawed at his insides. When the meeting finally ended, it was six in the evening. His heart sank as he glanced at his phone–three missed calls from Carlotta, and several more from her family.
Dread washed over him as he dialed back, and when Carlotta answered, her voice broke with the words he feared: “She’s gone, Luca,”
Ms. Olympia Aldobrandini had passed away that afternoon, her body giving out after suffering internal bleeding. But that wasn’t even the worst of it. The news hit harder: her entire estate–every penny of that $58 million fortune–had been left not to the family, but to her nurse, Anna María, a woman who had cared for her for over 20 years.
When Luca returned to the hospital, it was chaos. The Forentino clan, once somber, had transformed into a pack of wild animals. They were screaming, cursing in rapid–fire Italian, their voices echoing through the corridors as they hurled threats at the bewildered nurse. The lawyer stood there, pale and trembling, unsure of what to do, while Anna Maria’s wide eyes darted around in fear, caught in the eye of the storm.
11:50 Thu, Feb 5 BND
The End Of a Marriage
Chapter 102
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
