The Temporary Wife: Luca and Valentina's Story(58)

He nods and gently brushes my hair aside, his full attention on me. “My father… he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and my mother… well, to be honest, she washed and polished that spoon for him. Mom was one of the many housekeepers his family employed. They never should have been together. They’re from two entirely different worlds, but they fell in love regardless.”

I inhale shakily, my nerves nearly getting the best of me. “When my father’s family found out, they threatened to disown him, but by then, my mother was already pregnant with me. They said she did it on purpose, and they called her a gold digger. They tried paying her off in hopes she’d abort me, but my dad found out. He took her away, and the two of them found a small place together. I think he was trying to do the right thing, but I don’t think he realized what that would entail. All of a sudden, he lost all of his luxuries, and since his family cut him off, most of his network started to snub him too. I guess he thought he’d be fine, and that they’d forgive him once I was born, but they never did. They wanted nothing to do with me.”

Luca plays with my hair as he listens intently. “Then what happened?” he asks, his voice soft.

“My parents struggled for years, and I still remember their frequent arguments. I didn’t truly understand it until years later, but it turns out that he’d started seeing the woman his family initially wanted him to marry. I remember the way he’d act weird about his phone, and the way my mother would always question him. I was so young, yet somehow, I can still remember fragments of their conversations. The shouting, the accusations, and above all else, the way it made me feel. It was hell.”

I let my eyes fall closed for a moment and take a steadying breath. “He was cheating on my mom for about a year, and eventually, he left us when I was seven. I still remember that day vividly, because he was supposed to pick me up from school and he never showed. The school had to call my mother, and when we got home together, he was gone, not a trace left of him. He’d packed all his things and disappeared.”

I inhale shakily, and Luca cups my cheek, his thumb catching the tears I hadn’t realized were falling. “When I got older, I managed to track him down. I just wanted an explanation, you know? I went to his office, but they denied me access. So I left the building and hid outside, certain there was a misunderstanding. I waited for him for hours, until eventually, a car stopped right in front of the building, moments before he walked out. A little boy jumped out of the car and into his arms, and he hugged him so tightly as he swung his son around. Then a woman joined him, and he pressed the sweetest kiss to her forehead. They made for such a beautiful picture, and I finally realized why he refused to see me.”

I squeeze my eyes closed and inhale shakily. “Years later, I found out that he ended up marrying the woman his family chose for him in return for his parents accepting him back into the family. For at least a year, my mother accused him of cheating, and in the end, she turned out to be right. He ended up falling for the woman his family wanted him to marry, and he left us for her. While he started a new life, all I really had was my grandmother. My mom was never the same after he left, and I think it was hard for her to face me.”

I pull away a little to look at him, my touch hesitant as my fingertips brush over the ends of his hair. “That’s why she’s so jaded, and why she’s so concerned about me. She thinks you’re using me, or that I’m just a passing interest to you. My mother is convinced that eventually, you’ll leave me for someone who’s a better fit, the way my father did. She doesn’t trust rich people at all, and she’s never liked that I work for you.” I look away and try my best to ignore the dull ache in my heart. “She’s right, of course. In three years, we’ll part ways, and we’ll both lead our own lives. Eventually, you’ll find someone you’ll actually want to spend your life with, and I’ll be no more than a distant memory. The woman you’ll grow old with will likely be someone who can be an asset to you and who brings as much to the table as you do. I’m prepared for that, but my mother isn’t. She thinks it’s something she needs to protect me from, and it won’t be easy to convince her otherwise. I know I’ll break her heart in three years, but in the meantime, will you please help me ease her worries?”

He nods and cups my cheek, his touch gentle. Luca’s thumb brushes over my lip, and he sighs. “So your mother… she’s been like this all your life? This is the only version of her you’ve known since you were a child?”

I nod and look away. “I have some good memories from before my father left, but none from after that. She wasn’t around much while I was growing up. I was mostly raised by my grandmother, because Mom worked such long hours. Whenever she was home, though, she was just the way she was today. Hurt and lashing out at the world. Now that I’m older, I can see it for what it is. She’s a broken woman, and the shards of her cut everyone who comes too close. I don’t want her words to hurt you too, Luca.”

He nods, his gaze unreadable. “Don’t worry, wife,” he murmurs. “She won’t hurt me.” He pauses for a moment, his gaze roaming over my face. “When you asked me for fidelity, it seemed like you had some scars of your own. Was that strictly related to your parents?”

My eyes widen, and I look away, unable to face him. “No,” I whisper, unwilling to talk about it but unable to lie to him.