28. VALENTINO
28
VALENTINO
Today is the day we put the whole Eva situation to rest. It needs to end now. The charade has gone on for too long.
I stand with my lawyers beside me, a mountain of evidence stacked in our favor.
Across the room, Eva sits rigid in her chair, her usual smug expression absent. The arrogant tilt of her lips, the false confidence, gone. Instead, her face is twisted in barely concealed rage, her eyes dark with hatred as she glares at me.
“You’re done, Eva.” My voice steady, unwavering. “The sale was legal. You have no claim over the land.”
The documents have been presented, and the truth is undeniable.
She knows she’s lost. Yet, she refuses to let go, clinging to whatever scraps of power she thinks she still has.
“I’ll just file a counterclaim.” Her voice cracks slightly, though she tries to mask it with bravado. “The documents are fake, and you know it.”
I let out a breath, shaking my head. “See? I thought you’d try something like that. That’s why we went a step further. We checked the town archives. Giorgio did everything by the book. There are official records proving Emilio accepted the deal. Your claim is baseless.”
“You’re lying!” Her voice rises. “My father was taken advantage of! He wasn’t in his right mind—”
“That’s enough, Eva.” My father’s voice cuts through the tension like a blade. Dad steps forward, his presence alone commanding the room. “We know Emilio isn’t well. But were you trying to take advantage of him?”
Eva visibly pales, her mouth opening and closing as she struggles to form a coherent response. For the first time since this whole mess started, I see something close to fear in her eyes.
“This isn’t about Emilio’s health,” I press on, my tone clipped. “This is about you. You’ve spent years manipulating people, twisting the truth to suit your agenda. But you can’t do that anymore. Not with us.”
Eva’s jaw tightens, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. “Damn you, Valentino. This isn’t over.”
I raise a brow, my expression impassive. “Actually, it is.”
One of my lawyers steps in, his voice professional but firm. “Ms. Costa, I advise you to take this as a final warning. Any further action on your part could result in serious legal repercussions.”
For a moment, it looks like she’s going to lash out again, but then she snaps her mouth shut, her eyes narrowing. Without another word, she turns on her heel and storms out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
The silence that follows is almost deafening.
I exhale slowly, the tension in my shoulders finally beginning to ease.
It’s over, for now, at least.
My father places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “You handled that well.”
His words mean more to me than I care to admit.
I nod, my voice softer when I say, “Thank you, Dad.”
He sighs, rubbing his temple. “Hopefully, she’ll stay away. But you’re right. Eva doesn’t back down easily.”
“I doubt we’ve seen the last of her,” I murmur.
But for now, I’ll take the win.
My father studies me for a long moment before asking, “How’s Vincent?”
At the mention of my son, my chest tightens with something softer, something more important than any land dispute.
“He’s recovering. Layla’s been incredible through all of this.”
“You should bring him by when he’s well,” Dad suggests, his smile warm. “We need to properly introduce him to the family.”
I hesitate, thinking about the word family. About how it no longer means just my father and siblings, but Layla and Vincent, too.
“I will,” I promise, then pause. “Actually… there’s something else I need to talk to you about. Mind if we step into my office?”
My father follows me without question, closing the door behind him as we enter.
“Do I need to be worried?” He studies me carefully.
I shake my head. “No. It’s about Layla.”
Dad’s brow furrows. “What about her?”
I take a breath, preparing myself. “She’s a Salvatore.”
His reaction is instant. He blinks, stunned, before letting out a low whistle. “A Salvatore?”
I nod. “She didn’t know either. Her mother kept it a secret from her. She only just found out.”
Dad exhales deeply, shaking his head. “Well, that’s unexpected…”
“To say the least.”
He leans against my desk, arms crossed. “And how do you feel about it?”
“It’s worked out for us. But there’s more.”
I shift my weight, feeling strangely nervous, but I need to come clean if I want a chance at a true family with Layla.
“Dad… The engagement… it wasn’t real.”
His eyes glint. “I figured as much.”
I blink. “You knew?”
“Come on, Valentino.” He chuckles, shaking his head. “You really think I wouldn’t notice? I’ve been around long enough to recognize when something doesn’t quite add up.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything?” I ask, genuinely confused.
He shrugs. “Because I saw the way you looked at her. And I saw the way she looked at you. Whatever the reason you started this, it became real. And that’s all that matters.”
I sit back, exhaling sharply. “I love her. And I know I do because I can’t even pinpoint the moment it happened. It just… was. Like it was always supposed to be.”
Dad’s face softens. “Love has a way of sneaking up on you like that.”
I nod, and then, hesitantly, I ask, “Did you know, right away, with Mom?”
A wistful smile crosses his lips, and he leans back in his chair, gazing off as if remembering something distant but vivid. “With your mother… it was like a storm. A beautiful, chaotic storm that turned my entire world upside down. From the moment I met her, I knew there was no going back.”
I stay quiet, letting him continue.
“She challenged me. Pushed me in ways I didn’t even realize I needed. She made me a better man. And she made me understand that love, real love, isn’t about control. It’s not about power or convenience. It’s about choosing that person, every day, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.”
His voice grows quieter. “Losing her… It nearly destroyed me.”
I swallow, nodding. “I know.”
He looks at me, something unreadable in his expression. “For a long time, I didn’t think I’d ever love again. I didn’t think I deserved to. But then… Quinn.”
At the mention of her name, a different kind of smile tugs at his lips. A softer one.
“She’s nothing like your mother,” he says with a small chuckle. “But she’s just as strong. Just as fierce in her own way. She reminds me daily that love isn’t something you only get to experience once in a lifetime. It doesn’t work like that. Love finds you again, when you least expect it.”
I take in his words, mulling over them.
My father leans forward. “Love isn’t about getting everything right all the time. It’s about showing up. It’s about being there even when it’s messy, even when you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.”
I rub my hands together, thinking about Layla, about Vincent. About how much I want to be the man they need.
Dad sighs. “Valentino, I know you. You put too much pressure on yourself. You think if you’re not perfect, if you make one wrong move, you’ll lose everything. But love doesn’t work that way.”
I exhale, standing up. “You make it sound so simple.”
“Because it is.” He smirks. “Love isn’t complicated, Valentino. People make it complicated.”
I give him a small smile, shaking my head. “You really think you’re full of wisdom, don’t you?”
He chuckles. “I had to get old for something.”
As I leave, something inside me settles.
The doubts, the fears, they’re still there, but they’re quieter now. Because for the first time in a long time, I know exactly what I want.
And I’m ready to fight for it.