Mistakenly Yours: Contract Marriage With The Billionaire-Chapter 82: Never be a united family

Chapter 82: Never be a united family
"Because, Sara, you are the oldest," Adam stated that did little to soothe the tension in the grand living room. He ran a weary hand across his temple because of the severe headache that had been hammering behind his eyes since dawn.
"I always saw you as the one with a thinking like mine, the one who would never dare to make the catastrophic mess like your two step siblings. And when did I even declare I wouldn’t choose you as the heir? I named no one last night at the party! But you... you destroyed it."
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "You truly believe I’m an emotionless fool, a man who only understands ledger books and business deals?"
Sara’s previously defiant posture softened, a flicker of genuine hurt crossing her features as she absorbed the unexpected vulnerability in her father’s words.
The words stiffened Diego further. Adam has again devalued him in front of Sara.
Katherine entered the living room as soon as her personal attendant informed her about the chaos happening in the living room.
"Dad, if that’s true, then why did you abandon me?" Sara demanded. "It was not easy for me to make the decision of making Falcone a subsidiary to Augustino Group. I know the value of the Falcone Industries to you. I simply wanted to keep its name clean and alive. And if I had resigned as CEO, the board would have devoured it. Nothing good would have come of a leadership vacuum. I wouldn’t want to run away from the consequences that occurred under my watch," she explained, giving her justification.
Marcella saw her chance to divert Adam’s escalating anger from Diego. But before she could speak, her daughter, Frida with a sharp tongue and a deep loyalty to her brother, interjected with reckless boldness.
"Dad, you still haven’t answered Diego’s core problem! Why was he always made to feel low and less superior to Sara? Diego would never have risked moving corporate funds into his own accounts if he had truly felt he was loved and trusted as equally as you love her."
"Stay quiet, Frida," Marcella hissed, gesturing to her daughter to stay silent.
Adam’s head tilted to look at her daughter. "If I had not loved him, Frida, would he even be standing here, under my roof, speaking this nonsense?"
The brief moment of unity dissolved completely. "And what about the marriage you arranged with the Picasso Family?" Sara suddenly interjected bitterly. "You were ready to send me away from this house, as a business pawn, without once discussing my life with me."
"I am your father," Adam retorted. "And such a decision wasn’t taken just for business, Sara. You think that narrowly of me? The Picasso Family has been a loyal ally for decades. Unlike the De Augustino Family, they understood the sanctity of a mutual relationship, not just a transactional one."
Then, walking back to the couch, he lowered himself on it. "But that is an argument lost to the past. The deal, your arrangement, it’s already been executed. You are now married to Luca, and you have become a daughter-in-law of the De Augustino name. It’s done. There is no use talking about it anymore."
Sara’s expression changed into a troubled one. She wondered if she always misunderstood her father.
"Diego’s future is in your hands now, Sara," Adam declared, his index finger leveling squarely at her.
Diego’s breath hitched. He stared at his father in wide-eyed disbelief, the color draining from his face. This was it. He thought, ’This time, it’s finally over for me. I’ve been stripped of everything.’
Adam didn’t wait for a response, his attention still focused on Sara. "You claimed I always discriminated between you three. But in my eyes, I never did. The truth is, you never wanted to truly acknowledge Marcella and her children as family. You have consistently shown them disrespect. Don’t even try to lie to me. I’ve been watching with my own eyes."
Sara opened her mouth to retort with a reply already forming on her tongue, but Adam cut her off.
"And Marcella," he continued, turning his head just enough to acknowledge his wife, "you haven’t treated Sara well either. You created a rift where there should have been unity."
He swept his gaze across the room, encompassing all his children. "Today, the reputation of the Falcone name hasn’t fallen into the pit just because of me. It’s because of all of you. Your petty wars, your resentments, your failure to act as a family."
"Honey, I never see Sara as a–"
"Don’t lie!" Adam sternly said. "You always told Diego and Frida to not get close to Sara. I loved you, Marcella. I needed a support from you where you’ll manage this family. But you failed me as well. You even helped Diego in illegally transferring the money. If you had scolded him when he was young, do you think any of this would have happened today?"
"Adam, don’t pin your mistakes on this family," Katherine finally spoke up. "You failed to understand Sara first. Then, you failed to give time to Diego and Frida. Don’t say you aren’t a part of all of this. In fact, this all started because you brought all of them together."
"Mother, don’t even start," Adam countered, his voice now dangerously low, dismissing Katherine’s defense with a wave of his hand.
"Yes, I brought you all together. I spoke about this exact problem for years. Did any of you ever truly listen to me? Love never took root between Marcella and Sara, and the resentment spread like a poison to the children." He paused, his gaze hardening on Katherine. "And let’s not forget, you also treated Marcella and her children unfairly."
Katherine frowned as her grip on the cane tightened.
"Now, we are all here, tearing each other to pieces, and the world must be laughing at our fractured family."
Marcella lowered her gaze. She felt the heavy truth in his words; she hadn’t managed to be the unifying force, the supportive stepmother Sara had desperately needed.
Adam turned back to his eldest daughter.
"So, Sara, will you finally become the better sister this time? Will you show the maturity I always believed you possessed and forgive Diego?" He leaned forward slightly.
"Tell Luca to drop the charges on him. Throw him out of the company, or punish him. You can give him six months’ debarment from joining any work. But do not put him behind bars. If you choose not to, then that’s fine too. But if this family finally tears itself apart, remember this moment, Sara, because you will be a reason for it too."
"Adam, how could you say that to your own daughter?" Katherine protested, stepping forward in disbelief.
Sara let out a laugh. She looked her father in the eye. "You want me to take responsibility for Diego’s wrong actions? You want me to clean up a mess he created and his mother enabled?" She shook her head. "Dad, I’m sorry to say this, but you have finally lost your mind."
"Sara, please, give me a chance!" Diego pleaded with desperation as he lunged forward, grabbing her forearm.
"I will find out who ruined your name, I promise you. You’re right, Dad is right. I always wanted to compete with you, my genius stepsister. And I admit my defeat. I’m begging you, please just give me one chance to prove myself."
Sara stood utterly still, like a statue carved from ice, before she violently yanked her arm free from his grasp. She turned on him.
"How exactly are you going to help me find who schemed against me?" she challenged. "You were unable to even hide your own petty crimes this time. You didn’t steal from me, Diego; you cheated the employees and the shareholders of the company."
Then, taking a deep breath, she said, "If you truly want to repent, then take the punishment Luca will give you. He is the CEO now, not me. You deal with him."
With that final condemnation, she turned resolutely to leave. But she paused and tilted her head back to address her father.
"Dad, perhaps you should ask your wife how she tried to burn my hand on the stove once," Sara revealed. "Maybe then you will finally realize why I resented her, and why we could never be a united family."
She didn’t wait for a reaction. She simply stepped out of the house.
Adam’s face contorted to learn a truth he was unaware of. "What did you do to Sara?" he demanded.
Marcella stammered, her composure finally crumbling. "Honey, I—I was just going to—I didn’t mean to—"
"Leave my sight. NOW!" Adam roared. "Get out!"
He then looked at the face his son. "And you, Diego! If the police arrive here, you better be ready to remove the Falcone surname from your identity. I’ve had enough of you. You have disappointed me to the point where I can’t even look myself in the eye."