Chapter 3

Charlotte POV:

"We can set you up with so many wonderful young men, Charlotte," my mom declared, her arm linked with my dad's. "You just say the word. Our little girl deserves the very best."

My dad nodded in agreement, his gaze warm and reassuring.

"Absolutely, princess. No more secrets. You deserve a love that can be shouted from the rooftops."

Alberto, meanwhile, was completely engrossed with Daniella.

He held her hand, his thumb gently stroking her knuckles, a small, intimate gesture I knew all too well.

My blood ran cold.

The pain, sharp and suffocating, flared again.

It was a slow burn, a constant ache that throbbed with every glance, every whispered word between them.

A sudden, fierce anger, cold and calculated, simmered beneath my carefully constructed facade.

He thinks he can do this? Erase me? Replace me?

He thinks he can get away with it?

I took a deep breath, a dangerous spark igniting within me.

I turned to Alberto, my voice clear, cutting through the background chatter.

"Actually, Dad, Alberto's right. I'm not looking for anyone right now," I began, a sweet smile playing on my lips. "I actually already have someone."

The festive atmosphere around us seemed to freeze.

Laughter died. Conversations faltered.

Alberto's hand, which had been stroking Daniella's, stilled.

His smile, previously so effortless, became rigid, a mask of forced politeness.

He turned to me, his eyes wide, a silent warning flashing between us.

Don't you dare, Charlotte.

A bitter laugh bubbled up in my chest.

Oh, but I will, Alberto. I absolutely will.

"He's actually quite established," I continued, savoring the subtle tremor in his posture. "A successful architect, just like you, Alberto. Owns his own firm."

Alberto's eyes darted around, a desperate search for an escape route, a way to control the narrative.

Panic began to cloud his usually composed gaze.

He tried to subtly shake his head, a silent plea for me to stop.

But the pain he' d inflicted, the humiliation, was a raging fire within me.

I ignored his silent plea, my gaze locking with his, a silent challenge.

My heart was pounding, a wild drumbeat against my ribs, but a strange sense of power coursed through me.

"He's a lovely man," I added, a saccharine sweetness coating my words. "Very kind. Very attentive. And best of all, he believes in honesty and transparency in relationships."

Alberto's face drained of color.

His hand tightened around Daniella's, almost imperceptibly.

I felt a surge of satisfaction, a dark, potent emotion.

This is what you get, Alberto. This is what you deserve.

The throbbing pain in my chest, the one that had been constant since I saw him kiss her, intensified, a sharp reminder of his betrayal.

But now, it was accompanied by a flicker of something else: vengeance.

I looked away from him, my gaze sweeping over my parents.

"But it's all very new," I clarified, a casual shrug. "So we're just enjoying getting to know each other. No need to rush anything."

Alberto visibly sagged with relief.

The tension in his shoulders eased, and a faint flush returned to his cheeks.

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

Just then, my dad's phone rang, pulling him away from the conversation.

"Honey, I'll just take this call outside," he said, giving my mom a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Be careful, sweetie," she called after him. "It's cold out there."

Daniella, ever the solicitous fiancée, turned to me, a warm smile on her face.

"Charlotte, it's getting late. Would you like us to drop you home?" she offered, her voice kind, almost maternal.

My stomach churned.

The thought of being trapped in a car with them, breathing the same air, pretending everything was fine, was unbearable.

"No, thank you, Daniella," I replied, my voice cool. "I'll be fine. My parents are still here."

But Alberto, ever the controller, stepped in.

He placed a hand on my arm, his touch sending shivers of revulsion down my spine.

"Nonsense, Charlotte," he said, his tone firm, leaving no room for argument. "It's on our way. It's the least we can do."

He steered me gently but firmly towards the exit, his grip on my arm a silent command.

The night, which had started with hope, was quickly descending into a nightmare.