CHAPTER 75: – LOREDANA –

"I would say they are," Antonio answered.

Fernando frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"She smiles a lot," the man answered. "And Viviana Di-grassi is not a woman who smiles. She seems happy and seems to have added a nice weight too compared to when she lived with her family."

"Is that so?"

Fernando’s face fell. He thought back to that day at the Di-grassi family dinner. The way Viviana had behaved at the mere act of her stepsister kissing the bastard. Was she really in love with this man? Viviana? In love?

His eyes narrowed into slits. "I wonder what it would feel like if I crushed the source of her current happiness."

Antonio blinked, unsure what he meant by that.

Fernando smiled at him. "Antonio, I care for Viviana. And it worries me that she doesn’t know she’s married to a monster." He asked, "You’re a hundred percent sure that man isn’t human, right?"

"I’m more than sure." Antonio held an unwavering expression.

"Well then, I want to expose him."

"Huh?"

"To her, of course." Fernando laughed. "People would just think I’m crazy if I popped that sort of news online. Besides, he’s an unknown lowlife. Viviana, on the other hand, I can pop this bubble of happiness she has around her right now. I can show her she’s married to a monster; it’s just how..."

He rubbed his chin.

"We need to do it in a way that even if her brain tells her it’s not real and that it’s a lie, her eyes know what they saw, and she can’t deny it."

Antonio’s gaze grew distant, and he breathed out, balling his hands. "Boss."

Fernando eyed him.

"What?"

"I think I know a way," Antonio said. "I have a plan. A way the truth can be shown to Lady Di-grassi. That is if you’re willing to hear me out."

Fernando squinted his eyes. His lips curled ever so slowly, and he scoffed, "Spill it, Antonio. Tell me what this plan of yours is."

——-

Nikolas watched his mother, Loredana, who sat quietly on the one-man sofa in the large living room. She wasn’t saying a word but was rather staring at the floor, and it was unnerving him.

She’d asked Lucian to leave them alone, not to interrupt, yet she wasn’t saying a word.

He sighed. "Mom, will you please say something?"

Loredana slowly lifted her head to meet his gaze. "How long has it been?"

"What?" Nikolas blinked.

"How long have you been married?" she asked.

He took a deep breath. "A month and a few weeks now."

Loredana blew out a sharp breath. She pinched the bridge of her nose, seeming to collect herself. "Nikolas–"

"Mom, listen, it’s not that I didn’t want to tell you or that..." He dragged frustrated fingers through his hair. "It’s just that I knew you wouldn’t approve of it."

"Because I hate humans?" She lifted a brow.

Nikolas looked away from her.

"I’m your mother, Nikolas."

His stomach clenched.

"So what if I didn’t like humans? You’re my child. If I could say yes to Francesca, who was the first human to ever marry into our family, why wouldn’t I say yes to yours? So what if it makes me unhappy in the first place? I never would stop you from marrying her."

A bitter smile spread across her face. "You didn’t tell me. I had no idea my own son had gotten married, and I had to find out one way or the other. Not even Lucian would tell me the truth." She chuckled softly.

Nikolas shook his head at her. "I’m sorry. I know that I messed up, and it’s really not an excuse, but..."

"But what?"

"You said Francesca was the last human that will ever be married into this family," he said. "My relationship with my wife was and is complicated. I couldn’t involve you yet because you could–"

"I could ruin it for you, is that what you want to say?" Loredana got to her feet. She stalked toward him. Though he was at a much taller height than her, her presence was pressuring. "I’d say no to a human, that’s a truth that can’t be changed–"

"Why?" Nikolas finally asked. "I don’t understand. Why do you hate them this much? What is it that they’ve done so bad that you are like this to every human you lay your eyes on?"

"Because they’re horrible creatures, but you wouldn’t understand that!"

"And how am I supposed to understand if you won’t tell me anything! You tell us nothing, yet dump these useless expectations on us. It’s exhausting, and I’ve had enough of it." His jaw ticked in irritation. "You can’t love a human, you can’t be with a human, human this, human that, what is your reason? Why do you hate them so much?--"

"NIKOLAS!!!" Loredana yelled at him. "That’s enough!"

"And there we go again," he said. "You never explain. Ever. But regardless, you expect endlessly from us and hope we follow blindly."

Loredana’s eyes flickered. Her lips trembled, and her hands balled beside her. "I am your mother."

"Yes, you are. But I’m your son too, and I think I deserve an explanation if you’re going to be this way." Nikolas spoke softly. "If you’d told me what your reason is, maybe I’d understand you more. Maybe I wouldn’t have had to keep this from you, worried that you might..."

"Mom." The door into the living room slammed shut behind Lucian, who’d rushed in. He’d heard the arguments and had rushed over as quickly as he could. His eyes ping-ponged between the both of them. "Nikolas...?"

"Are you happy?" Loredana asked toward him.

Lucian shook his head. "Mom, I didn’t mean to. It’s just–"

"I asked him to keep it a secret. He wouldn’t have done so otherwise. Don’t blame him," Nikolas interrupted.

Loredana slowly shook her head. She turned away from them and began pacing the room. ’You can’t be with her."

"What?" Nikolas turned.

"You can’t be with her, Nikolas." Loredana refused. "Humans... you just can’t. Not you. You’re going to regret it. She will hurt you, and you... You don’t understand anything, and I’m only trying to protect you."