Chapter 46: As my next heir
"I won’t pretend you’re without fault," Luca said quietly. "In moments of despair, you don’t always make the best choices. But... at least you put yourself on the line. You chose to marry me, the jerk you claim to hate."
Sara chuckled, a small, reluctant smile tugging at her lips.
"Everyone close to me ends up betraying me," she muttered, her voice low. "Will you do the same? Just tell me, so I’ll be ready."
"I don’t backstab," Luca replied firmly. "And I have no intention of betraying you. Marrying you... it was necessary. You came to me at a time when I needed you the most." He met her gaze steadily. "So don’t think your choice was wrong. Marrying me was the best decision you’ve ever made."
Sara’s eyes softened, but her voice was barely above a whisper. "It would have been better... if you had loved me."
Luca’s gaze lingered on her. His hand reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. "Tomorrow will be your first day as my secretary. I hope you do well in your job," he said, his tone steady but warm.
Sara tilted her head, a teasing glint in her eyes. "If I pester you during work, will you be angry?"
"No. I won’t," Luca replied calmly. "You can’t pester your boss, if anything, the opposite will happen."
"We’ll see," Sara murmured, her expression softening. "I couldn’t ask Julia about her and Diego. I felt it wouldn’t be appropriate after she suddenly started throwing a fit. I never kept anything from her, but she never told me the truth about her and my stepbrother."
"You don’t need to ask her," Luca said smoothly. "The interrogation will reveal everything. But let’s not dwell on work right now. Remember, you brought me here reluctantly, even though our honeymoon period isn’t over."
Sara arched an eyebrow. "We are in a contract marriage. Honeymoon periods are for people who truly love each other," she corrected.
Luca leaned slightly closer, his voice dropping. "If I say I love you... will you let me enjoy it fully?"
Sara’s lips quirked, but she ignored him. "Let’s go back. It’s dinner time, and I’m famished." She tried to rise, but he caught her hand, pulling her gently back down.
"Answer me," Luca demanded, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made her pulse quicken.
"For that, I’ve to love you too, no?" Sara raised her an eyebrow. "That way both of us will enjoy. Don’t you think?" She pressed the tip of her finger on his cheek. "Love should happen both ways."
"So, you really don’t love me," Luca again asked to confirm.
"No. How many times do I have to say it so that you can understand?" asked Sara. She pulled back her hand, looking away for a moment.
"I never fail in anything. You’ll start loving me soon," Luca said in a low voice, pulling back his hands. Sara was quick to rise while Luca held his jacket before standing up.
~~~~
At the dinner table, Frida’s eyes lingered on her father, who ate quietly, lost in thought.
"Dad, I have something to ask you," she began, her voice steady but cautious.
Adam lifted his head, lowering his spoon onto the plate, and dabbed his mouth with a napkin. "What is it?"
"I think you should announce your heir," Frida said firmly, meeting his gaze.
Adam’s eyes narrowed. "What are you saying? Why bring this up all of a sudden?" His glare was sharp.
Marcella’s voice cut in. "Forgive her, honey. I’ll talk to her after dinner." She shot a stern look at her daughter.
"Dad, she’s not wrong," Diego interjected.
Frida’s voice grew stronger, her frustration simmering. "We are your kids too. Did you ever really consider us anything other than stepchildren? I set up my own business, without taking a single penny from you, yet you never acknowledged me."
Adam’s fork hovered mid-air. "Didn’t Sara invest in your business?" he asked cautiously.
"Yes, she did. But–"
"I was the one who asked her to," Adam replied. "I never considered you two merely as stepchildren. It’s not that—I... I didn’t find you both as capable as..." He faltered, the words hanging as he refused to speak Sara’s name.
"You didn’t consider us worthy, did you?" Frida asked softly, her voice quivering. "But what did Sara ever do to you? Can’t you see, Dad? Our family’s name and reputation don’t carry the weight they once did.
"Brother Diego was naive in his early years. You know why he made mistakes with the finances, he wanted to prove himself, Dad. And yet... you always saw Sara as everything, while we were left in the shadows."
Marcella watched her husband’s expression shift, the weight of Frida’s words sinking in. "Frida is absolutely right," she said. "I never asked you to give anything to my children. It’s not that we’re against Sara, but she never treated us as her own. She didn’t even care about your company, honey. And as for me... she always made it seem like I and my children were at fault.
"I think if you choose Diego as your next heir, things might turn out better. He’s still with Falcone Industries, working hard to reclaim it from Luca."
"Dad, we’re going to officially register a complaint against Sara soon," Diego added. "Some of the managers and our old investors have already agreed. I need an authority to back it up. "You’re getting older, and I don’t want the burden to fall entirely on you. Let me handle some of the work too."
Adam listened to them while contemplating quietly.
"It’s better to leave this matter untouched. Luca has the final say on the company," he finally pronounced. "However, I will announce you as my next heir," he declared.
Their faces lit with joy as soon as Adam uttered those words.
"Thank you, Dad. I won’t let you down. I promise," Diego promised with joy radiating in his eyes.