Chapter Ten: The Truth Unraveled
715 Words
The chapel air turned to ice.
Emily’s gaze darted between Luciano and the woman—*Alessandra*—who shared his striking features. His *sister*. A sister he’d never mentioned. A sister Isabella had clearly known about.
Luciano’s hand found Emily’s, his grip almost painful. “This isn’t how I wanted you to find out.”
Isabella looked like she’d been slapped. “You—you told me she was dead!”
Alessandra’s smile was razor-thin. “Reports of my death were greatly exaggerated.” She stepped forward, her designer heels clicking against the stone floor. “Thanks to *you*.”
The accusation hung in the air.
Emily’s mind raced. None of this made sense. “Luciano, what’s going on?”
Before he could answer, Vittorio’s voice boomed from the chapel entrance. “*Basta!*”
He stood there, leaning heavily on a cane, his face pale but his eyes blazing. The crowd parted as he limped forward, stopping beside Alessandra.
“You were supposed to stay hidden,” he growled at her.
She lifted her chin. “I’m done hiding.”
Vittorio exhaled sharply, then turned to the stunned guests. “Everyone *out*.”
No one moved.
“*NOW!*”
The chapel emptied in seconds, leaving only Emily, Luciano, Alessandra, Isabella—and Vittorio.
Silence.
Then—
“Start talking,” Emily demanded.
Alessandra sighed. “Five years ago, I uncovered evidence that Isabella was working with the Caldwells. That she’d been manipulating my father into laundering their money.”
Isabella’s face twisted. “Lies!”
“The night I confronted her,” Alessandra continued, ignoring her, “she arranged to have me ‘killed’ in a car accident. Only I wasn’t in the car.” Her voice wavered. “Our father was.”
Emily’s stomach dropped. *Oh God.*
Luciano’s jaw was granite. “We faked Alessandra’s death to protect her while we gathered proof. But Isabella had allies everywhere. We couldn’t risk—”
“*You used me!*” Isabella shrieked. “All these years, letting me think I’d won—”
“No.” Vittorio’s cane cracked against the floor. “*You* used *us*. And now it’s over.” He nodded to the chapel doors.
Two armed guards stepped in, seizing Isabella by the arms.
She thrashed. “You can’t do this! I’ll expose everything!”
Alessandra pulled a flash drive from her pocket. “Too late. I’ve already handed over the evidence to the authorities.” She smiled coldly. “Enjoy prison, *cara*.”
Isabella’s screams faded as she was dragged away.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Emily turned to Luciano. “All this time… you let me believe the worst of you.”
His eyes were raw. “I couldn’t risk telling you. Not until Isabella was dealt with.”
“And now?”
He cupped her face, his thumb brushing her cheek. “Now I want to start our marriage with *no* secrets.” He dropped to his knee again. “Emily Carter De Luca—will you *really* marry me? For better or worse?”
Tears blurred her vision. She’d come here as a pawn in a game she didn’t understand. But now—
“Yes.”
The priest, who’d been hiding behind the pulpit, cleared his throat. “Shall we… continue?”
Vittorio barked a laugh. “*Santo cielo*, just kiss her already!”
Luciano didn’t need to be told twice.
Epilogue: One Year Later
Emily adjusted the strap of her sundress as she stepped onto the villa’s sunlit terrace. Below, the Mediterranean sparkled, endless and blue.
“You’re supposed to be resting.”
Luciano’s arms slid around her waist, his lips brushing her bare shoulder.
She smiled, leaning back against him. “I’m pregnant, not an invalid.”
His hands settled gently over her barely-there bump. “*Our* baby.” The wonder in his voice still made her heart ache.
Alessandra’s laugh carried from the garden, where she played with her toddler—the son no one had known existed until after Isabella’s arrest. The family was still healing, still learning. But they were together.
Emily turned in Luciano’s arms. “Remember when this was all just a business arrangement?”
His kiss was slow, sweet, and full of promises. “Best deal I ever made.”
- Writer
