Chapter 3

Luca stops seeing me. He stops speaking to me.

All he sends is one short message.

Has the purge order been withdrawn?

I reply,

Let’s cancel the engagement.

His response comes almost immediately.

Cancel the engagement? Serena, do you even know what you’re saying?

If you leave Valenti, what family do you think would dare take you in?

Then another message follows.

You will apologize to Elena. Until you lower your head, I won’t see you again.

I block him without hesitation.

Two days before the purge order officially takes effect, Luca’s deputy suddenly comes to find me.

“Miss Serena, the family is holding a banquet in the underground hall tonight. The Boss hopes you will attend.”

I am about to refuse.

But the deputy looks deeply troubled, and I know how stubborn Luca can be when he wants something done.

I have no wish to make things difficult for someone innocent.

So I agree.

Still, something feels strange.

Why would Luca choose this moment to hold a banquet?

The moment I step into the hall, I understand.

This banquet is not meant to send me off.

It is meant to welcome her.

Elena stands beneath the crystal chandelier in a silver-white evening gown, bright and sweet as she smiles.

The moment she sees me, she comes forward at once.

“Miss Serena, you finally came.”

Her voice is light, as if she is truly welcoming me.

“Today is my first day with core access. Mr. Luca said it would be a good chance for everyone to celebrate together.”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t come.”

I look at the new Valenti badge pinned to her chest, and for some reason, I almost want to laugh.

The access I nearly killed myself for three years to earn has been handed to her after a few tears and one so-called joke.

But I say nothing.

I will be leaving soon anyway.

There is no need to care about this kind of show.

I find a seat in the corner and sit down, wanting only to wait quietly until the banquet ends.

But Luca still comes looking for me.

He stops in front of me, his expression dark.

“Serena, why are you sitting here? I saved you a seat at the main table.”

I do not move.

Luca lowers his voice, obvious displeasure threaded through it.

“You’ve had me blocked for three days. Are you not done making a scene? With this many people watching tonight, do you have to embarrass me?”

I remain silent.

His face darkens further.

“At every family banquet before this, didn’t you always sit beside me?”

“Over one little thing with Elena, you want to make the whole room look like this?”

His voice is not loud, but it is enough to draw attention.

Several elders notice and immediately come over with polite smiles, smoothing things over as they half coax, half invite me to the main table.

Only then does Luca’s expression ease slightly.

There is indeed an empty seat beside him.

But not long after I sit down, Elena walks over with a glass of champagne.

She stops naturally on Luca’s other side and smiles at me.

“Miss Serena, you came at just the right time.”

“I was just discussing with Mr. Luca whether we should go riding at the North District estate tomorrow.”

“He said a new white horse arrived there recently. He thinks it would suit me.”

She blinks, her voice soft.

“Would you like to come with us?”

My fingers pause slightly around my glass.

Not long ago, Luca had made me a promise.

Once the harbor routes stabilized, he would take me to the North District estate.

There, in front of every Valenti family member, he would formally announce that I would be his only wife.

Back then, he fastened my shawl for me, his tone unusually serious.

He said he owed me a proper public declaration.

Now, when I hear the words North District estate again, there is no anticipation left in me.

Only a delayed wave of nausea.

I think of the video from the underground club.

I think of the way he held Elena by the waist and lowered his head to kiss her.

I set down my glass, my voice calm.

“You two should go.”

“I still need to hand over the East District accounts. I can’t make time.”

Elena’s eyes light up for an instant.

She hides the joy quickly, thinking no one has noticed.

But Luca’s face turns cold.

For the rest of the banquet, I do not say another word.

After it ends, I am just about to leave when Luca stops me.

The corridor is dim.

He blocks my path, anger pressed between his brows.

“Serena, what exactly do you want?”

“I don’t want anything.”

He gives a cold laugh.

“You refused to sit beside me in front of everyone, and then you rejected Elena’s invitation. Are you trying to let the entire Valenti family know you’re still throwing a tantrum?”

I lift my eyes to him.

He seems even more irritated.

“Isn’t the purge order something that can already be withdrawn?”

“Elena said it herself. It was always just a joke. She was going to remind you to cancel it. You only happened to find out first.”

A woman who dared to go over my head and submit a purge request in my name would kindly remind me to withdraw it?

But I truly do not want to say another word to Luca.

So I only answer flatly,

“I understand. I’ll be sure to thank her.”

“Don’t use that tone with me.”

Luca warns me in a low voice.

“At nine tomorrow morning, I’ll pick you up and take you to the North District estate. That was something we agreed on a long time ago.”

I look at him, and suddenly, it all feels absurd.

He actually still remembers that this was the place we had promised each other.

After saying that, Luca does not wait for my answer.

He turns and leaves.

Only I remain in the corridor, watching his back disappear little by little into the light spilling from the banquet hall.

“Goodbye, Luca,” I whisper.