Mistakenly Yours: Contract Marriage With The Billionaire-Chapter 129: Darkness of my world

Chapter 129: Darkness of my world
"Someone poisoned your grandfather! How? He used to be at home, where only your parents lived. Then, how?" Sara’s mind raced as her heart rate increased rapidly, finally understanding the origin of the conflict that dragged Luca into such a mess.
"My parents didn’t live in the house most of the time," Luca answered. "I told you they would stay away because of their social and philanthropic businesses."
"The traces of the poison were so small that they could never be found out until he fell seriously ill. And it never definitively happened in the house," Luca continued, detailing the difficulty of the investigation.
"Grandpa would go out, have lunches or even sometimes dinner outside if he would meet his allies. He was fully involved in the business of the mafia, so I couldn’t follow his movements everywhere. Indeed, his business always fascinated me, but my deeper reason to enter it was to find out who targeted my grandfather and why. My relatives aren’t trustworthy either, and my parents, frankly, don’t know anything about that world. And they will never want to."
"Luca, you should have shared with them," Sara argued gently, resting her hand on his injured arm. "They would have understood your motivation. And they could have been of help in finding the culprit behind Grandpa’s murder."
"No," Luca answered, his voice thick with emotion. "My parents aren’t that strong when it comes to things like this. They would have wanted me safe rather than finding out who poisoned Grandpa. I loved my grandfather so much. He died so painfully, writhing in pain every single day, asking for his death."
Recalling that agonizing time, Luca’s eyes brimmed with tears, a rare display of vulnerability that showed Sara the true depth of his motivation and pain.
’He didn’t go to the police because he knew they wouldn’t have either found out who did it. He decided to put his life on the line. Seven years ago when the war for inheritance broke, he saved his parents and somewhere me, too,’ Sara thought, finally piecing together the true timeline of danger.
"After your grandfather passed away, how did you cope by yourself? Why didn’t you let me get close to you? I was your friend. Even though we always fought, the friendship existed," Sara murmured, holding his hand tightly in a gesture of shared comfort.
"Keeping you away was crucial at that time," Luca replied, his gaze distant with the memory of that isolation. "I managed to cope," he added simply.
"You never let it show on your face that so much was going on with you. Did Remo help you since that time onwards?" Sara then curiously inquired about his trusted ally.
"His family did, yes. They offered support, but they don’t know any of the specifics of my investigations," Luca explained. "When you proposed to me seven years ago, my family band I were the target of many gangsters and small mafia groups vying for control. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you, or worse, having them target you to get to me. That’s why I rejected your feelings in the most cruel way I could think of."
His voice softened with deep regret. "It hurt me too, seeing you like that. But I had to let you go. I truly believed you were never meant to be in my world. But seeing you crush apart after so many years, I decided to step in again, not knowing I would soon bite my own words. I tried to convince myself that I didn’t need your love. I wouldn’t have to love you either. But everything fell apart just by staying near you."
"I finally admitted to myself how much I love you, and how much I want you by my side, despite the darkness of my world. That’s why I regret so deeply that I let Asher enter your life, who ultimately butchered your heart."
"I’m selfish, right?" Luca peered into her eyes. "I know I’m selfish. And, you still hate my work," he murmured.
"Luca, you’re wrong. My views have changed too. I’ll support you in everything. Find out who killed your grandfather. I am with you. Do whatever you have to do," Sara stated, holding his hand tightly.
Luca smiled, and hugged her, kissing the top of her head.
~~~~~
Frida picked up the glass of water and sipped from it nervously. She repeatedly checked the time on her watch, her patience clearly wearing thin.
"Why isn’t she here? I thought we agreed to meet up," Frida muttered to herself. Finally, she saw Paulina walking toward the reserved table, and she quickly rose to her feet.
"Good evening, Mrs. Montes," Frida greeted her with a forced smile and extended her hand out. Paulina shook hands with her briefly before lowering herself onto the chair, placing her expensive handbag carefully on the next empty seat.
Frida immediately called for the waiter and ordered coffee along with pastries for them.
Once the waiter left, Paulina began, her expression guarded. "I met Sara. None of you treated her in a good way."
"She never accepted us as her family either," Frida replied defensively. "Also, do you really care for her, after abandoning her for years?"
"You’re again repeating the same question," Paulina affirmed, her voice turning sharp. "I left Sara behind for some reasons that I have not shared with you. If you cannot help me achieve the goal of this meeting, then don’t waste my time."
"Luca is the way to make a place in Sara’s heart," Frida replied, leaning forward conspiratorially. "Beg him, and act before him how much you suddenly love your daughter. He controls her life now." Frida then hit Paulina with her findings.
"Also, your eyes and actions say it all. You don’t love Sara. I did my own research too. You married a rich guy, had a son with him, all while forgetting about your daughter. You should not be showing such a demanding attitude when you’re essentially asking for someone’s help, Mrs. Montes."
Paulina’s jaw clenched tight at the insulting summary of her past, but she managed to bite down the immediate retort.
"Why are you helping me?" Paulina asked instead, her gaze suspicious.
The waiter brought their order, setting the coffee cups and plates of pastries on the table before leaving.
Paulina sipped the coffee slowly after blowing air over it. "You may want something in return from me. Though your information that Luca is key didn’t exactly help me much, I would like to know your intentions for offering this unsolicited guidance."
"Mrs. Montes, I was merely generous to you," Frida stated coolly. She took a small bite of the pastry before sipping her coffee, observing Paulina carefully. "You can visit Sara at the company she works. Currently, she’s the secretary to her husband, Luca. Sara melts away when people say a few nice words to her and show affection. But the efforts should be gradual," she asserted.
Paulina nodded, absorbing the instruction. "What does my daughter like? In terms of gifts? Does she value expensive items?"
"No," Frida refused with a shake of her head. "She gets happy even with smaller, thoughtful things. Ahh, but the most important thing is this. Sara is too close with her grandmother. That is your real obstacle."
Frida leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "You can create a rift between them. You can lie to Sara about how the old lady never respected you, or how she actively didn’t want you to be her daughter-in-law. Sara’s love for her grandmother is beyond explanation. Frame the old lady, say that the old hag is the real reason you had leave that house and also her."
Paulina’s eyes glinted sharply to hear that suggestion. Indeed, the old lady never liked her. She always kept Sara close to her and had always been openly suspicious of Paulina’s intentions. The grandmother had even been against them when Adam initially wanted to marry Paulina.
"You are smart," Paulina conceded, giving Frida a rare compliment.
"Thank you. Please continue eating," Frida said, accepting the praise with a slight smile.
The two of them then enjoyed the coffee and pastry in silence for a few minutes.
"I’ll pay the bills," Paulina said decisively when they were finished, not letting Frida reach for the check. As she handed the cashier her black card, the payment was quickly processed.
As they both turned to leave the cafe, their feet suddenly halted, and the smiles instantly vanished from their faces. Sara and Luca had just walked into the same cafe.
"Sara!" Paulina quickly recovered and smiled sweetly, stepping forward as planned.
"I don’t know you. So, stay away from me," Sara said icily, then glared directly at Frida.
"You shouldn’t talk to your mother like this, dear," Frida advised in a surprisingly humble, concerned voice, playing the role of the empathetic stepsister perfectly. "You never respected my mother, but at least give the desired respect to yours."
"Did you plot well with her with this face of yours?" Sara pronounced coldly, leveling a fierce gaze at Frida. "If you feel so connected with this woman and her story, then you can consider her as your second mother." With that stinging remark, Sara walked away, heading toward the counter.
Luca looked pointedly at both Frida and Paulina before following his wife. "Don’t let Frida’s poisonous thoughts occupy your head," he opined to Paulina in a low, yet dangerous voice. "You may fall even more in your own daughter’s eyes." He then walked ahead to join Sara.