One Night Mistake… Now I Carry the Mafia Heir

Chapter 66: 66/The Final Humiliation

Chapter 66

Stephanie’s Point of View

Silence loomed between us for moments before Alex broke it with a look of quiet reproach a gaze whose weight I felt pressing against my chest, burdening my shoulders. He drew slightly closer and whispered in a deep, sincere voice: "I’m not trying to play the role of your husband, Steph, nor am I trying to fake my feelings... Have you truly erased everything that was between us from your memory so easily? Even if this roof didn’t bring us together, and even if this damned contract didn’t bind us, I would still be the person who carries your worries and fears every spark of pain you feel."

I found no words to rescue me. The truth was that I was utterly distracted, so I simply settled for a slight nod and whispered weakly: "Fine, Alex... I apologize."

He moved slowly, removing his heavy grey blazer and placing it over my shoulders with extreme care, as if I were a piece of glass he feared breaking. He reached out and adjusted the edges of the blazer around me to seal off any vent for the cold breeze.

He let out a sigh of relief and said: "This puts my mind at ease a bit. At least I can ensure your body won’t shiver from this cold."

I lowered my head and began to contemplate the blue ring surrounding my finger. Its brilliant stone reflected the moonlight in a strange way. I asked him in a curious tone, attempting to change the subject: "You mentioned this morning that this ring belonged to your mother... but, where is she now? You’ve never spoken about her in all the time I’ve known you."

Suddenly, the warm glint in his eyes vanished, and his attractive features stiffened as if I had touched a wound that hadn’t yet healed. He looked away and answered with extreme brevity: "She passed away."

My heart sank with regret, and a genuine sadness touched my soul. "I’m truly sorry, Alex. I didn’t mean to bring up your sorrows," I said sincerely.

"Thank you. It’s okay," he replied with a slight coldness, trying to regain his stoic mask.

But my questions didn’t stop there. I continued cautiously: "And your father... where is he in all of this? Why don’t we see him here?"

"He has lived abroad for many years," he answered, staring at the distant trees with exaggerated focus. "He doesn’t interfere much in our affairs."

I frowned in surprise. "Strange... how did he hear the news of your sudden marriage and not even come to congratulate you or attend the ceremony?"

Alex let out an audible sigh of frustration, his features sharpening as he closed the subject with a definitive tone: "Steph, please... this is a complicated topic and I don’t want to get into its details now. Not at this time."

Realizing I had pressed a sensitive nerve, I respected his wish. "Fine, as you wish... I won’t ask again."

As we sat, a sudden light breeze blew, carrying some swirling dust. I felt a sharp sting in my right eye. I squeezed it shut and raised my hand, trying to rub it in pain. Alex noticed my movement and asked with intense concern: "What’s wrong? Are you hurt?"

"I think a speck of dust got into my eye," I said in a pained tone. "It really hurts."

Without hesitation, he placed his large palms around my face, turning it toward him with utmost gentleness. He spoke in a voice that was both commanding and soft: "Stay still for a moment... open your eye, let me see what’s in there."

I opened my eye with great difficulty. He drew so close that his warm breath began to dance across my face, mingling with my own. He began to blow into my eye with incredible tenderness to clear the dust. Then he pulled back slightly and said in a warm voice: "It’s gone now... there’s nothing there. Do you feel better?"

"Yes... thank you," I whispered, embarrassed by his extreme proximity.

But he didn’t pull away, nor did he let go of my face. Instead, he rested his forehead against mine gently, his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that suggested he was trying to read my thoughts. He whispered deeply: "Steph, I want to swear to you that I could never think of hurting you, no matter what happens."

I couldn’t utter a single word. My body was as tense as a tightened violin string, and his closeness made my heart flutter and race frantically. He continued in a burning whisper: "I know you think I betrayed you with your sister or that I have a suspicious relationship with her... and while I do know her, everything going through your head is not true at all."

His warm breath was brushing against my skin, numbing my senses. At that critical moment, when I almost believed him, a mocking and wounding voice pierced the silence from behind us: "Good heavens! Have the palace’s vast rooms become so cramped that they’re no longer enough for you? Have you decided to practice your romance by the pool?"

I startled away from Alex as if struck by lightning. A shiver of fear and disgust ran through my body just at the sound of Cedric’s provocative tone. Then came a pretentious female voice, dripping with fake tenderness, from behind him: "Oh Cedric, darling, leave the lovers alone... they are newlyweds, and they have the right to a little pampering."

I turned slowly and cautiously to see Isabella standing beside him, clutching his arm possessively. I felt my heart tearing to shreds; I couldn’t bear seeing her stand beside him with such confidence. They approached with bold strides and sat on the sofa directly opposite us. Alex spoke with a coldness as sharp as a blade: "Does our presence here disturb your peace, Mr. Cedric?"

"Not at all... I wasn’t disturbed," Cedric replied, crossing one leg over the other with provocative pride. "In fact, the scene was quite entertaining."

Isabella directed her gaze toward me, a fake, yellow smile painted on her lips: "How are you today, Stephanie?"

"Fine," I answered with extreme brevity and coldness.

"Congratulations to you both on this sudden marriage," she said cunningly. "I didn’t have the chance to congratulate you officially on the wedding day."

"Thank you, Isabella. That’s kind of you," Alex replied in a dry tone.

Isabella continued, stroking her hair with a repulsive daintiness: "Stephanie dear, circumstances didn’t allow me to speak with you quietly... I want to ask you to forgive me for acting recklessly and pulling your hair that day.

I truly didn’t know you were Alexander’s lover; my blind jealousy made me think Cedric was cheating on me with you."

The words froze in my throat; I couldn’t speak from the sheer weight of the insult. Alex spoke on my behalf to end her performance: "It’s okay, Isabella. Stephanie has a pure heart; she doesn’t know how to hold a grudge against others."

Cedric commented in a mysterious and mocking tone, his eyes not leaving me for a second: "Yes... yes, certainly... she’s an angel who holds no grudges, isn’t she?"

Then Isabella addressed Cedric with an exaggerated affection that made me feel nauseous: "Look, my darling Ced... your brother didn’t even wait for an engagement period; he married immediately and started his life... when will we finish our procedures and get married?"

Cedric turned toward her with an extremely provocative smile. He spoke loudly, intentionally making sure I heard every word: "Sweetheart, why the rush? Come here now and sit on my lap."

Isabella rose gracefully and sat on his thigh, wrapping her arms around his neck possessively before our very eyes. I sat frozen, watching the scene in total shock. Is this the man who claimed this morning he was forced into this engagement? Is this the one who said he didn’t want to go near her?

"Do you really want us to marry this quickly?" Cedric asked, staring into her eyes with a look of pure defiance directed at me.

"Yes, my soul," Isabella said with a repulsive daintiness. "I can’t bear to wait another day."

Cedric took her face in his hand and began to kiss her deeply and with apparent passion. It wasn’t just a passing kiss; it was long and designed to insult my dignity in front of everyone. I felt the fire of jealousy gnawing at my insides, eating my heart. Despite all the pain and betrayal he had caused me, I realized in that cruel moment that my feelings for him had not yet died, and that was what hurt the most.

I could no longer bear to stay another second to witness this filth. I lunged to my feet with frantic speed, my body shaking violently from the sheer oppression and humiliation. I decided to flee the place before my tears betrayed me and I collapsed in front of him.

Alex grabbed my hand as he rose behind me, trying to calm me, while Cedric’s voice came from behind us, his tone dripping with coldness and provocation as he threw his final words:

"Stephanie, where are you going in such a hurry? Sit a while and enjoy the family gathering... for you to leave like this now would look like a very bad reflection on you."