One Night Mistake… Now I Carry the Mafia Heir

Chapter 64: 64/The Ash of Love

Chapter 64

Cedric’s Point of View

She kept her eyes closed in total stillness, her features as calm and serene as an angel’s so much so that my heart trembled with fear for her.

Despite all the rage that had been incinerating my chest because of what I’d heard and what I thought she had done behind my back, at that moment, I felt nothing but the ache of remorse tearing through my insides.

My hands were still shaking as I contemplated her pale face. Suddenly, my grandfather broke the heavy silence with his stern voice, standing like a mountain at the threshold: "Cedric... follow me now."

I looked at him with desperate attachment, my eyes never leaving Stephanie’s face. "Grandfather, please..." I said in a broken voice. "I will stay here by her side until she opens her eyes."

But my grandfather did not budge. He replied in a firm, decisive tone that brooked no debate: "I said come, Cedric. Leave the room immediately."

I stood up, my body weighed down by tons of worry, and walked out of the room with stumbling steps. As soon as we were in the hallway, I spoke with clear objection, bitterness coating my throat: "Grandfather, how can you ask me to leave now? How can I leave Stephanie alone when she is in this weak state?"

My grandfather stopped and turned to me with icy coldness. He spoke words that were like an arrow piercing my chest: "Stephanie is not alone, Cedric. She has her husband, Alexander, and he alone is responsible for her now."

My body stiffened completely at his harsh, realistic words. I looked at him in total bewilderment, a shock paralyzing my thoughts. Seeing the hesitation in my eyes, he continued in a sharp tone: "Listen to me well. If you do not intend to respect the rules and leave Stephanie alone, I will be forced to remove you from this palace immediately, and your feet shall never cross its threshold again for as long as you live."

I felt a deep stab to my pride; a sense of humiliation surged through my body. "Has it come to this?" I asked in a faint voice, shocked by the cruelty of the man who had always been my support. "Are you throwing me out of my home, Grandfather?"

He fixed his sharp gaze on my eyes. "Yes, I will, because you do not respect the existing reality. Stephanie is now married to Alexander, and any approach toward her from you is an insult to this house and to your brother."

In that dark moment, as I tried to process my potential expulsion, the echoes of Stephanie’s loud laughter with her friend Kira resonated in my ears as if it were happening now.

I remembered her provocative words, her laughing about my brother and how he "tore her dress" to be with her. A sudden, shocking chill swept over my burning emotions, as if a mountain of ice had fallen onto my fires. Something inside me broke forever in that instant; the love shattered and turned to ash. I clenched my fist until my bones cracked, then slowly released it. I spoke in a flat, emotionless tone: "Grandfather, I promise you... I will not go near Stephanie again, and I will not enter her room after today."

My grandfather paused for a second, looks of surprise and relief appearing on his weary face. "Are you truly serious about what you’re saying? Have you finally realized the gravity of your actions?" he asked skeptically.

I took a deep, cold breath, shifting my gaze away from the door of her room which, minutes ago, had represented my entire world. "Yes," I said with icy resolve. "Stephanie will be nothing more than the mother of my twins. She will be nothing else to me from now on."

I saw his features relax visibly.

"Excellent, my son," he said with dignity. "I am very pleased that you have come to your senses and realized the right path before it was too late."

I nodded with mechanical agreement and said with total coldness: "Yes, do not worry about this matter again. It is over."

He pointed toward the end of the hallway. "Now, go to your room and rest. I will stay here with Stephanie until my heart is at peace."

I took one last look toward her door. I felt a bitter lump burning my throat, but I hid it behind a mask of total stoicism. "Fine... as you wish," I said curtly.

I turned and walked away with heavy steps, leaving behind all the memories, all the promises, and everything that had bound me to that room and its occupant.

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Stephanie’s Point of View

I opened my eyes with extreme difficulty; my eyelids felt as if they were made of lead. I struggled to gather the scattered fragments of my memory and understand where I was and what had happened to me. I was greeted by the calm, dignified features of Mr. Victor. He was sitting on a wooden chair beside the bed, watching me with eyes full of concern. "Stephanie, my daughter... are you awake? Thank God for your safety," he said in a tender, reassuring voice upon seeing me move.

I tried to speak, but my voice came out weak and dry. "What happened? Why am I lying here like this?"

"You lost consciousness suddenly, my dear," he answered, patting my hand with fatherly gentleness. "It seems your blood pressure dropped sharply, but the doctor examined you and confirmed you are fine now."

At that exact moment, memories crashed into my mind like a destructive storm: Cedric’s filthy words, the look of humiliating contempt in his eyes, and the poison he spat in my face with unforgivable insolence.

I felt a severe tightening in my chest, as if the oxygen had suddenly vanished from the room. "Tell me truthfully, do you feel any pain? Are you okay now?" Mr. Victor asked with great concern.