Mated To The Deranged CEO

Chapter Two

Henry Santiago, the only man who could rival my mother’s icy composure with his calculated charm. Wealthy, handsome, charismatic, and the life of every party he graced.

To the world, he was perfection wrapped in silk. To me, however, he was nothing but an immature playboy, more interested in the thrill of conquest than anything meaningful.

I stared at him with thinly veiled disgust, wondering how I had ever agreed to his proposal—or had I even agreed? What if I’d been drunk when it happened? Worse, what if he had been the man I’d slept with last night?

The thought sent a chill down my spine, and I was seconds away from spiraling when his hand wrapped around mine. His hopeful, almost pleading gaze locked onto me, breaking my train of thought.

“Don’t look at me like that, Luna,” he murmured. “Tell me the truth. Did you sleep with a stranger last night, or did he force himself on you? I can track him down and—”

“I slept with him,” I interrupted, stepping away. His presence was suffocating, his cologne a toxic cloud that seemed to cling to my skin.

“And I don’t remember you being part of this family. Whatever I do has nothing to do with you.”

“Of course I’m part of this family,” he retorted, his voice tinged with indignation. “I’m your fiancé. I refuse to believe you’d indulge in something as reckless as a one-night stand.”

“No, you’re not my fiancé. We never even got engaged. I’m too young to be married,” I shot back, fists balling at my sides. My anger flared as I eyed the bouquet in his arms, imagining myself setting it on fire and using the ashes to scrawl "No" across his forehead.

“Mother!” I turned to her, desperate for clarity. She sat unfazed, watching the exchange like a detached observer. “You didn’t promise my hand in marriage to him, did you?”

“I did,” she replied, her voice calm and devoid of emotion. “And there’s nothing you can do about it—not even your father has a say in this matter.”

I felt a sharp pang of betrayal. Her words stung like a blade to the chest. It was as if she had auctioned me off, and Henry had been the highest bidder. Could this day possibly get any worse?

“Take a bath, Luna. We’re going to the hospital,” she said, her voice dragging me out of my reverie.

“I’m not going anywhere. You won’t change my mind,” I stated firmly, turning on my heel and storming out of her study. Her calls followed me, but I didn’t stop until I reached the sanctuary of my bedroom, slamming the door shut behind me.

---

“I dropped something for you at the house. Open it once you arrive, alright?”

Father’s voice was gentle, his eyes brimming with unspoken emotion as he held me close. Leaving him was harder than I had anticipated, but I had to. I couldn’t continue living under the roof of a woman who valued control over love.

It was evening now. I had managed to avoid Mother all day, focusing on packing and convincing Father that everything would be fine. I promised him I’d find a job after the baby arrived—if there even was a baby.

“I’ll miss you both so much,” I whispered, burying my face in Damian’s chest. He held me tightly, his arms strong but trembling slightly. I knew he was trying not to cry.

“What do you think she’ll say?” I asked in a hushed tone, scanning the room to ensure Mother wasn’t lurking in some shadowy corner.

Father and Damian exchanged shrugs, but I could tell they were bracing for something. I smiled, shaking my head. I was leaving to claim my freedom—what could go wrong?

“Luna Giovanni!”

The sound of her voice made my blood run cold. Why did the universe hate me so much? I turned to find her standing there in white silk pajamas, her expression livid.

“Mother, what is it—”

“How dare you try to leave this house without informing me?” she demanded, her voice like a crack of thunder. “You think you can abandon your duties to live like your so-called friends, alone and idle?”

“What if I did?” I snapped, standing tall and meeting her gaze. I refused to waver.

“Your only duty in this house is to be a hostess and the obedient daughter of a selfish and arrogant woman. But guess what, Mother? You lost the right to dictate my life long ago.”

Her eyes blazed with fury. “How dare you speak to me like that? I am your mother, Luna. Have some respect! Send the guards to retrieve your things at once.”

Steam practically billowed from her ears. She was beyond furious, but I didn’t care anymore. If I didn’t stand my ground now, I never would.

“No,” I said firmly. “You may be my mother, but I won’t let you control me any longer. You lost every right to be my Mother the year you turned me into a model and Hostess!"

"Look at how successful you are now. I did all that," Mother said, her voice sharp and full of pride as though her actions were a badge of honor.

"And I appreciate it, Mother," I snapped back, my voice trembling as anger swirled within me. "But I was seven then! You made me what I am now—rebellious, exhausted with life, and sick of all this wealth!"

The argument had escalated quickly, and I could feel the heat rising in the room. From the corner of my eye, I spotted Damian and Father leaning against the doorway, a tub of popcorn and a soda in hand, casually watching the drama unfold like a live soap opera.

"I did what I did so you could have whatever you wanted! What else do you want, Luna?" Her tone was exasperated, but it only fueled my frustration.

"I don’t want to work under you anymore. I don’t want to be shackled to the company. I want to live alone, to work hard and build my own legacy. I want to have a baby because I want to, not because guilt or obligation pushed me into the arms of a man I don’t even love. I want to be myself, not this puppet you’ve been controlling!"

My voice dropped lower as I continued, calm but firm. "I want my life to be mine."

Her gaze hardened, though a flicker of confusion danced in her eyes. "You will never have a baby for a stranger—not in my house, not as my daughter."

"Then I cease to be your daughter from this day onward."

The world seemed to freeze at my words. A heavy silence hung in the air, the tension so thick it felt suffocating. For the first time in my life, I felt a wave of relief crash over me, lifting the weight I’d carried for years.

I felt great.

Free.

No guilt.

No regrets.

Just freedom and the faint taste of happiness on my tongue.

"Since you are so ungrateful, you also cease to be my daughter from this day onward!" Her voice cracked as she hurled the words at me, her composure slipping. She stormed up the stairs, each step pounding with the force of her anger. Moments later, the distant sound of her bedroom door slamming echoed through the house.

I stood there, motionless, letting her words sink in. I had been disowned. Yet, I felt no sorrow, no pain. Only an overwhelming sense of liberation.

I turned to Damian, who had frozen mid-bite of popcorn. "Well," I said, cracking a small smile. "Looks like Coral Havens has a new occupant."

With that, I grabbed my bag and walked out, leaving the suffocating walls of the Giovanni mansion behind. The future awaited, and for the first time, it was mine to shape.