Chloe’s face twisted with fury as she continued ranting, her voice growing louder with each breath. "You expect to just accept this? To smile and pretend like nothing happened? Do you have any idea how humiliating this is for ?" Her hands flailed in frustration as she paced back and forth.
Liam finally sighed, rubbing his temples before eting her furious gaze.
"Chloe, calm down," he said firmly. "You’re overreacting."
"Overreacting?" she scoffed, eyes blazing.
"You just postponed our wedding because of—"
"Because of the sha and embarrassnt it would bring," Liam cut her off, his voice cool and controlled.
"This has nothing to do with Valentina in the way you think."
Chloe narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms as she waited for him to explain.
Liam exhaled and took a step closer.
"Imagine what will happen on our wedding day when the dia gets wind of the fact that Valentina, who was once the most sought-after woman in the country, married a nobody. A man with no known background, no connections to any of the top families." His voice was even, calculated.
"The disgrace will be too much—not just for , but for your family too."
At that mont Chloe’s lips parted slightly, her expression flickering between anger and understanding.
Liam continued, his tone colder now. "People will talk. They’ll compare. They’ll mock us. Our wedding will beco a joke—overshadowed by the revelation that Valentina married a complete nobody, yet sohow, she ca out looking like the winner, because everyone will be talking about them. Can you live with that, it’s out wedding, and we are supposed to be the talk of the city then Valentina or that holess husband of hers?"
Still Liam’s expression remained cold as he continued, his voice steady and firm.
"The news will spread like wildfire, Chloe. The sha that will co with it—it’s going to be unbearable. Do you really want our nas dragged through the mud? Do you want our wedding to be rembered for the wrong reasons?"
Chloe clenched her jaw, refusing to respond.
At that mont Liam sighed and folded his arms.
"It’s better if we get Valentina back into the family first. Once she’s back under your family control, they can do whatever we want with her. If they manage to bring her back tomorrow, then the wedding will go on as planned. But if it takes longer than that, then we have to find a way to speed up the process. I don’t have ti for distractions, and neither do you."
Then Chloe’s lips pressed into a thin line. The re thought of Valentina being a factor in their wedding plans made her stomach churn with rage, but Liam wasn’t done.
"You need to understand, Chloe," he continued, his tone growing sharper.
"We’re about to sign a multi-billion dollar contract. This isn’t just about us—it’s about power, reputation, and influence. The last thing my family need is unnecessary attention. Whether it’s gossip, scandal, or whispers in elite circles, I won’t allow it."
At that mont Chloe gritted her teeth, her nails digging into her palms.
"That’s why I’m postponing the wedding," Liam finished, his voice final.
Liam exhaled and leaned back, his eyes sharp as he watched Chloe. "Your father already agreed, Chloe. He said they’ll take care of it imdiately, so there’s nothing for you to worry about."
Chloe clenched her jaw, her hands tightening into fists at her sides even more. She wanted to argue, to scream that Valentina should have never been a factor in her life again. But she knew Liam had a point.
The contract his family was fighting for—it wasn’t far from being signed. And if this news got out now, that Valentina, the once-renowned first daughter of the Callum family, had married a nobody—a beggar—it would be catastrophic.
Chloe could already imagine the headlines, the whispers, the laughter at her expense. Social dia would tear her apart, turning her wedding into nothing but a joke. She couldn’t afford that. None of them could.
She swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing herself to remain composed.
For the first ti since the conversation started, Chloe fell silent.
**
It was the next day, and the morning sunlight stread through the windows as Valentina stood near the balcony, lost in thought. Today was a day she had never been able to face with pride, a day that always brought nothing but quiet sorrow.
She turned to Raymond, her voice softer than usual.
"It’s my mother’s rembrance day today. Ever since I was born, I’ve never really been able to celebrate it. I was... ashad." She hesitated, her fingers gripping the railing. "My father never bothered to do anything either. It was like she never existed to him."
Then Raymond leaned back against the wall, watching her closely. He could see the emotions flickering in her eyes—the pain, the longing.
"But now," Valentina continued, her voice growing steadier, "now that I have my life back, now that I am back, I’ve decided to do it. I want to honor her, even if it’s just for myself."
Raymond pushed off the wall and walked over to her. "Then let’s go together."
Imdiately Valentina blinked. "What?"
Raymond gave her a small smile. "You’ve never introduced to your mother. Since today is her rembrance day, it’s the perfect opportunity. Let co with you."
Imdiately Valentina stepped closer to Raymond, wrapping her arms around him in a gentle embrace. She rested her head against his chest, her voice muffled but firm.
"No," she whispered. "Not today."
Raymond didn’t move, didn’t speak. He simply let her hold onto him as if grounding herself.
"It’s been years," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Years since I last went there. I couldn’t do it before—not when I looked like that. I couldn’t face her with my scars, not when I felt like I had already lost everything."
Raymond exhaled, his hands resting on her back. He understood.
"This ti, I just want to go alone," she admitted.
"I want so quiet ti with her. Just and her, like it used to be." She pulled away slightly, looking up at him.
"Maybe next week, or another ti, I’ll take you with . But today... today is just for and her."
Raymond searched her face for a long mont before nodding. "Alright," he said softly. "I understand."
Valentina gave him a small smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach her eyes, before stepping back.
"I’ll be preparing sothing special for her. It’s sothing I always wanted to do."
"If you need anything, just call ," Raymond told her.
Imdiately She nodded.
Without another word, she turned and went to get dressed.
By the ti she stepped out of the house, she was draped in a long coat, a scarf wrapped securely around her face.
The weight of old habits was still heavy on her, even though she no longer needed to hide.
Reviews
All reviews (0)