5/5
The End Of a Marriage
Chapter 172
Chapter 61
Carlotta took a hesitant step forward, her gaze darting around the
room before finally settling on Amber. Her cheeks flushed a deep red,
whether from embarrassment or the weight of what she was about to
say, Amber couldn’t tell. “About… about the things you said outside, a
few moments ago, when you saw me with Luca…” Carlotta started,
her voice wavering. “You disrespected him more than you
disrespected me, you know.”
1
Amber stiffened, her arms crossing over her chest defensively. The
accusation, though softly spoken, carried enough weight to sting. She
stayed silent, watching as Carlotta fidgeted, her fingers twisting in
front of her.
“Because…” Carlotta swallowed hard, her blush deepening. “Because
as much as it embarrasses me to admit it, the truth is… he’s never
cheated on you. Not with me, not with anyone.” Her voice faltered,
and she looked down at her feet, unable to meet Amber’s eyes.
Amber blinked, caught off guard. She had expected many things from
this conversation, but not this. “I never said he did,” Amber replied lightly, though there was a cautious edge to her voice. “I always knew
he was faithful to me… at least for the brief nine months we were
1/4
Chapter 172
married.”
Her words were nonchalant, almost dismissive, but Carlotta wasn’t finished. “No!” she interrupted, her voice rising slightly, her tone
insistent. “You don’t understand.”
Amber’s brow furrowed as she tilted her head, confusion written all over her face. Carlotta’s expression was earnest now, her gaze fixed firmly on Amber, as if willing her to understand.
And then it hit her.
Amber’s breath caught as realization dawned, her eyes widening in
shock. “You’re saying…” she started, but the words trailed off. She
couldn’t finish the thought, couldn’t quite wrap her mind around the
implication.
Carlotta nodded, her voice quieter now but no less firm. “After your
divorce,” she began, pausing to let the words settle, “he was never
with me, either. Not in any way that you’re imagining.”
Amber felt her knees weaken as the weight of Carlotta’s confession
bore down on her. Her mind reeled, racing back over the years, over
all the assumptions she had made. She had always believed that, after
their marriage ended, Luca had run straight back into Carlotta’s arms. It had been a bitter comfort, a narrative she had clung to in her
2/4
Chapter 172
darkest moments, justifying her pain with the belief that he had
moved on, found solace in the woman he had left behind.
But now that belief was unraveling, leaving her exposed to a truth she
hadn’t been prepared to face.
Carlotta took a deep breath, her voice softening as she continued. “I
won’t deny that I hoped he would, at first. I thought… I thought that
maybe, after you, he’d come back to me. That I’d get a second chance.
But he didn’t. He couldn’t.” Her gaze faltered, and she looked away,
her voice tinged with a sorrow Amber couldn’t ignore. “Because he
was still in love with you.”
Amber’s heart slammed against her ribs, the air in the room suddenly
feeling too thin. “Why are you telling me this?” she whispered, her
voice barely audible. She didn’t know if she was asking Carlotta or
herself.
“Because you deserve to know the truth,” Carlotta replied simply.
“And because, for all the years I’ve resented you, I don’t think you
ever truly understood how much that man has always loved you. Even
when you didn’t believe it yourself.”
1
Carlotta’s voice cracked as she began, her hands clasped tightly in
front of her like she was physically holding herself together. “The
truth is…” she said, her tone filled with a bitter laugh that didn’t
reach her eyes. “If I had been any other self–respecting woman, I
3/4
Chapter 172
would’ve left him the second time too. I should have.” She shook her
head, letting out a laugh so hollow it made Amber wince. “But I’m a
foolish idiot, aren’t I?”
Comments
Write Comments
1
SHARE
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.
