Mistakenly Yours: Contract Marriage With The Billionaire-Chapter 102: Stole my bride

Chapter 102: Stole my bride
The house lights in the auditorium gracefully dimmed, signaling the start of the event. Sara looked around the theater and her eyes froze l fallen directly upon Mathias Picasso.
He was seated only two seats away from her, accompanying his father. A sudden frown creased her forehead just as Luca’s hand moved smoothly over hers, interlacing their fingers in the sudden darkness.
She forced her gaze forward as a young woman in her early twenties, radiant in a spotlight, appeared on the stage and gracefully sat down at the piano.
"Is this your friend?" Sara whispered, leaning in close to Luca’s ear, a surprising hint of accusation in her tone. "I thought you were not involved with any woman except me."
"Are you jealous?" He tilted his head, looking at her in the faint light with obvious amusement. The delicate sound of the opening piano piece momentarily faded into the background as their own private, gentle bickering started. Sara suddenly realized they were sitting in the very front row.
"Stay silent," she commanded in a barely audible hiss, pressing a warning squeeze to his hand.
Luca smiled, utterly unconcerned with the performance unfolding onstage. Instead of focusing on the music, his eyes were solely fixed on Sara’s elegant side profile. After a long moment, he heard her whisper,
"Are you going to keep staring at me? Your friend may ask you about the performance later."
Luca moved even closer, his lips practically brushing her earlobe. "Then, I’ll simply say you kept me occupied with your beauty," he murmured.
Sara turned her head and delivered a fierce, silent glare, though she maintained a polite smile fixed on her lips for the benefit of the audience.
From two seats beside them, Mathias watched the interaction. His gaze was narrow and burning. All he could clearly see was Luca’s triumphant smile and Sara’s back turned toward him. ’She was supposed to be mine,’ the bitter, possessive thought echoed in his mind.
"Focus ahead, not me," Sara whispered again, her tone slightly more insistent. Luca nodded, his gaze finally shifting toward the stage, though his attention remained squarely on the woman beside him.
~~~~
At last, the dazzling performance came to an end, and a gentle, appreciative applause erupted throughout the grand auditorium. The young pianist rose from her seat and offered a graceful bow to the audience. Her eyes quickly scanned the front row and landed on Luca, to whom she flashed an even brighter, more personal smile.
Sara felt a sharp jab of irritation seeing how readily Luca returned that smile, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face.
Finally, everyone began filing out. Luca and Sara joined the stream, making their way toward the main exit.
However, the moment Sara caught sight of the glaring lights and mass of media personnel waiting just outside the doors, a wave of dizziness hit her.
The scandal surrounding her loss of the company had not died down, and she knew the flashes would be relentless.
"We will use the back exit if you want," Luca said immediately, his hold on her hand tightening reassuringly, recognizing her sudden distress.
"That will be much better," Sara stated, taking a quick breath. She then subtly challenged him. "By the way, don’t you want to see your friend, the pianist, now that the show is over?"
"Umm... I already saw her on the stage," Luca said dismissively, already pulling her gently toward the less-trafficked back exit, prioritizing their escape over any lingering social obligation.
"Luca! Why are you not using the front entrance?" Mathias’s voice rang out sharply through the relatively empty back corridor, instantly stopping the couple.
Sara turned around first, and a strange discomfort filled her at the sight of him.
"Hey, Sara!" Mathias called out, offering her a familiar, lingering smile. Luca immediately turned, positioning himself firmly in front of his wife, blocking Mathias’s view.
"Don’t greet my wife. Take your original path, Mathias," Luca said bitterly.
"Come on, Luca! You still act angry all the time," Mathias remarked, his own tone laced with provocation. "I should be the one getting furious, don’t you think? You stole my bride and forced her to marry you, didn’t you?"
The polite smile that had been fixed on Mathias’ lips instantly vanished, replaced by a grim expression.
"Forced her?" Luca chuckled. "Your bride? Keep your mouth in check, Mathias. I may break it," he warned in an intimidating tone.
Sara spotted movement behind a pillar and saw the camera lens with a hidden face behind it. It was a er. She quickly stepped right up beside Luca, wrapping her fingers tightly around his arm, and instantly flashed a brilliant, performative smile at Mathias.
"Let’s save this for another time, Mathias," she chimed sweetly, her words defying the tension. "Luca and I really have to go home. Mother and Father are waiting for us."
"What are you—" Luca began, utterly confused, but Sara immediately gazed at him, cutting him off with a swift, silencing intensity in her eyes.
"A er is over there, behind that wall," Sara whispered urgently, her lips barely moving.
Luca glanced in the direction she indicated and saw the toe of a shoe sticking out from behind the wall.
"Mathias, I’ll talk to you later," Luca ended the confrontation with a final, stern gaze. "I know you have a lot to talk with me." He took Sara’s arm and left the corridor immediately, pulling her toward the exit.
As they were finally outside, Sara let go of his arm. "You shouldn’t have argued with him," Sara said.
"Don’t ever smile at him," Luca stated, turning to her fully, "even if it’s fake."
"You also smiled at that pianist, I mean, your friend," Sara murmured.
"Hey, that pianist is my cousin, Simona Rivera," Luca finally revealed.
"What? Wh-why didn’t you say it before?" asked Sara.
"I enjoyed your reaction, that’s why," Luca stated. "She’s the only cousin I talk to," he added.
"We didn’t even bring anything for her," Sara muttered.
"Why do we have to bring anything for her?" Luca confusedly stared at her.
"It was her musical event, that’s why," Sara replied with a disappointed gaze.
"Well, you’ll see her again. For now, let’s go," Luca stated.
"No, let’s see her now," Sara requested.