Chapter 28
Lorenzo arrived at the company later than planned, rushing to the meeting with the investors. As soon as he crossed the reception area, his assistant intercepted him, looking nervous.
-Sir, the investors are already in the meeting room. They've been waiting for almost ten minutes.
-Tell them I'm on my way -he replied quickly, heading straight to his office.
The delay irritated him, but what weighed on his mind was what he'd heard at the mansion. Every word from his mother and Valeria echoed in his head, impossible to ignore. "I pretended to be sick because I knew Lorenzo would always choose his mother." It felt like everything he once believed stable was crumbling beneath him.
Lorenzo left the company as soon as the meeting ended, though his mind had been absent throughout the negotiations. The investors' faces and comments faded from his memory, replaced by one constant image: Amelia.
He drove aimlessly through the city, his thoughts trying to process what he'd discovered that morning. His mother and Valeria's words were like poison, slowly seeping into every memory of the past years. He couldn't stop thinking about how he had allowed them to interfere in his marriage, how he had chosen to trust his mother instead of listening to his wife.
Eventually, he parked in front of a small park where he and Amelia used to go in the early years of their marriage. Sitting under a large tree, he buried his face in his hands.
"How am I supposed to fix all of this?"
As the cool afternoon breeze surrounded him, he made a decision: he would confront his mother and Valeria. He couldn't let them control his life any longer or remain the man who allowed their manipulations.
When he reached the house, Lorenzo didn't knock. He walked in directly, his face rigid, his steps determined. He found Valeria in the living room, looking through some documents, and his mother sitting on the couch, reading a magazine. Both looked up at him, surprised by his intense demeanor.
-Lorenzo, dear, what are you doing here? -his mother asked sweetly, but he didn't answer.
Standing in the center of the room, he looked at both of them with a gaze that made them uncomfortable.
-How long did you plan on manipulating me? -he finally asked, his voice low but tense.
His mother frowned, while Valeria nervously put the documents down.
-I don't know what you're talking about, son.
-You know exactly what I'm talking about -he interrupted, raising his voice slightly-. I heard your conversation this morning. I heard everything. How you pretended to be sick to keep me away from Amelia, how you humiliated her until she couldn't take it anymore.
Valeria looked down, but their mother held her ground, though her face paled slightly.
-Lorenzo, I did it for your own good. That woman wasn't right for you. A peasant married to a rich man? That's unacceptable.
-Enough! -he shouted, stepping toward her-. You always claimed you wanted the best for me, but all you did was destroy my marriage. Amelia was my wife, my family, and you you made me choose between her and you, and I was blind enough to choose you.
Valeria lifted her head, nervous.
-Lorenzo, I...
-And you? -he interrupted, turning to his sister-. Did you enjoy humiliating her? Did it make you feel better to tear her down every day?
Valeria opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out.
-Don't talk to me about love or family -he continued, now addressing them both-. Because what you did wasn't love. It was selfishness, control, fear of losing me. But guess what? You already lost me.
His mother stood up from the couch, her face now filled with indignation.
-You can't speak to me like that! I'm your mother; I gave you everything.
Lorenzo looked her straight in the eye, his gaze cold and unrecognizable.
-And I lost everything that truly mattered because I played your game.
He left the mansion with firm steps, ignoring his mother's cries to stop him. Inside, he felt a contained fury, but also a clarity he hadn't had in years. It was time to end the manipulation and chaos his family had imposed on his life.
When he reached the garage, he stopped abruptly. He couldn't just leave without taking definitive action. With renewed resolve, he returned to the living room, where his mother and Valeria still stood, confused by his earlier outburst.
-Back to apologize? -Valeria sneered, crossing her arms.
Lorenzo looked at her with a coldness that made her step back.
-I'm not here to apologize -he said, his voice sharp as a blade-. I'm here to set things straight.
He turned to Valeria, who now looked uneasy.
-Starting today, you won't get another penny from me. Your cards, your accounts, everything is canceled. It's time you learned to stand on your own, because I'm done funding your whims.
-What?! -Valeria exclaimed, incredulous-. You can't do that! I'm your sister!
-And I'm the man you had no problem betraying over and over -he replied harshly-. If you have so much energy to belittle others, you should be capable of finding a job and supporting yourself.
Valeria was speechless, her face reddening with anger. Lorenzo ignored her and turned to his mother.
-And you... -he said, his voice lower but filled with deep disappointment-. I never thought you, of all people, would destroy my life this way.
His mother lifted her chin, trying to maintain her composure.
-Everything I did was for your own good, Lorenzo. That woman wasn't good enough for you.
Lorenzo shook his head, a bitter smile on his lips.
-Don't fool yourself, Mother. You did it because you couldn't stand someone else having a place in my life. Amelia was my wife, my family, and you destroyed her to keep control over me.
-You can't talk to me like this! -she exclaimed, tears forming in her eyes.
-I'll keep sending your pension -he continued, ignoring her outburst-, but don't expect anything more from me. I'm going back to my house. Even if the memories of Amelia kill me, I'd rather face them than live here, surrounded by lies and manipulation.
She tried to speak, but Lorenzo raised a hand to stop her.
-There's nothing more to say.
Without waiting for a response, he turned and left the mansion again, feeling an immense weight lifted from his shoulders.
As he drove, Lorenzo's mind was no longer trapped in the past but focused on what he needed to do next. Amelia was out there somewhere, living far from the chaos he had allowed. And now he knew he couldn't rest until he found her, faced her, and took responsibility for everything he had done.
The road wouldn't be easy, but Lorenzo was no longer the blind, submissive man he once was. He was ready to fight, not just for Amelia, but for the man he wanted to become.