Page 58 of My Husband’s New Fiancée

All I see is Valeria — eyes shut tight, brow knotted, body rigid, hands trembling as she presses them against her temples.

What’s happening to her?

Andrea has already rounded the table and dropped to his knees beside her.

“Hey. What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

She doesn’t answer.

Instead, eyes still closed, she leans toward him and collapses against his shoulder.

“It’s okay,” he murmurs. “I’ve got you.”

A surge of pure, irrational jealousy tears through me.

It shouldn’t be him holding her. It should be me.

But I have no right to think that.

Bianca jerks free from my grip and spits venomously,

“Oh, stop the act. All this over one slap? You really know how to put on a performance. You deserve an Oscar.”

“Get her out of here, Dante,” Andrea says very calmly. “Or I swear to God, I’ll do it myself.”

“What?” Bianca protests.

I seize her arm.

“Come on.”

And I drag her out despite her protests.

But before I walk through the door, I look back.

Andrea has one arm wrapped around Valeria’s shoulders. She’s trembling against him.

And the last of my certainty breaks.

Not because of what I’m seeing.

But because of what I finally understand.

I should’ve been the one there.

16. First Revelations

Dante

The conference room door closes behind us, and Bianca immediately turns to me, furious.

“Why are you leaving them alone together? She’s going to try to manipulate him.”

Her voice has lost every trace of softness, bordering on hysteria, the voice of someone who feels the situation slipping out of control.

I don’t answer.

I’m trying to contain my rage.