My Husband and My Best Friend Betrayed Me on Our Wedding Day. Twice. novel · Chapter 17 of 24

Chapter 17: Aldo's Choice

The Sorrentino house had not changed in three years.

The same brass lamp stood in the front hall. The same portrait of Aldo's late first wife hung over the stairs.

Luca stopped under it with his hand on the banister.

"I haven't been past this door since he threw me out," he said.

"I'm here," I said.

He nodded once and climbed.

Rosa had driven us in the Buick and refused to come in. She sat at the curb with the engine off and her rosary in her lap.

Aldo's study was dim.

He sat behind the desk with his cane across his knees, and he looked ten years older than he had at his birthday.

He did not stand.

"Luca," he said.

"Dad."

"You have your mother's way of standing in a doorway."

"Why did you ask us here?"

Aldo looked at me, and then back at his son.

"Because I owe you the truth in a room with no one else in it," he said. "Then I will say it in front of everyone."

I stayed by the door.

"Three years ago I stood in your bedroom at seven in the morning," Aldo said to Luca. "Stefano had called me at one. I found you on that bed, and I could not wake you."

"I know. You told Valeria."

"I did not tell you what I did next." His hand tightened on the cane. "I sat on the chair by your bed and thought about the company. I thought about a scandal, and a baby, and a drug in my younger son's pocket. And I chose."

"You chose Stefano," Luca said.

"I chose the name on the building."

Nobody said anything.

The clock on the mantel ticked.

"I took the paper from the urgent care when your lawyer called," Aldo said. "I had a friend at the hospital keep your test out of the log. I paid for it. I thought it was over."

← Chapter 16 · All chapters · Chapter 18 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend