Chapter 371
Chapter 371:
I wanted to tell him the truth. I wanted to tell him that I had never felt anything for that man. I never loved Félix De Luca. How could I, when I had barely known him before my father forced that engagement on us? But how was I supposed to explain any of it when he never let me get more than a few words out?
“Then why did you marry me? Was it because of him p>
A lump rose in my throat as I nodded, knowing this was the question I had feared most since realizing how much he truly mattered to me now.
“I knew it,” he said, his voice trembling with barely contained anger as his fists tightened at his sides.
“It’s not what you’re imagining, Daniel p>
“Then tell me what it is. Did you marry me just to throw it in his face?” A bitter laugh escaped him. “Now it all makes sense. You kept insisting you didn’t marry me for my money p>
“Please, just let me speak,” I begged, my voice breaking as tears blurred my vision.
“Oh, I should let you speak? What for — so you can pretend none of this is real?” He stepped closer, his presence filling the space between us. “Did you think I wouldn’t look into your past? I hired a private investigator to dig up everything p>
The shock of it hit me, but nothing could have prepared me for what came next.
“Do you want to hear what he found p>
𝘍𝗼𝘭lo𝗐 u𝗌 𝗼𝘯
His hands closed around my shoulders.
“Layla. Layla Angeles — the woman you swore was an old friend — used to work for your former fiancé. And you weren’t searching for her because you missed her. You were hunting her down so she could explain your affair to him. You cheated on him, and he caught you in his own bedroom with his best friend p>
“What the hell—” The words escaped me as I pressed a hand to my chest, my breath coming in sharp, painful bursts.
“Where did you get that filth?” I demanded, teeth clenched, tears streaming down my face.
“Where did I hear it? Straight from your former fiancé himself, my dear p>
“So that’s what he told you? And you simply believed him — just like that p>
“Of course I did p>
“Don’t you dare speak to me about love, Sophia Del Mundo. That’s a word you use whenever it suits you. I’d bet you said it to your former fiancé too, and look how that ended. You betrayed him p>
“That is not true! Why can’t you believe me for once? He tried to assault me six years ago! Yes, Layla worked for them — and I was desperate to find her because she is the only witness to what Félix did to me p>
“Incredible. You actually expect me to believe that, sweetheart? Maybe that story worked on Félix and his father, but you won’t fool me p>
Hearing him drag my father into it made my fists clench. A wave of anger surged through me before I could stop it.
“He saw through your story back then, just as I’m seeing through it now. Félix knew the truth. And when his family tried to forgive you, you chose to run — from your engagement, from everyone who had trusted you p>