Sara scrolled through her phone, her eyes skimming over the latest headlines from the morning’s press conference.
"What’s so important that you’re not even touching your food?" Luca asked, breaking her concentration.
"Just reading the news reports," she murmured, her gaze still fixed on the screen. "Thankfully, nothing too bad has come out yet."
Luca set his fork down with a quiet clink and leaned in, concern evident in his voice. "Sara, you’ve been through this enough times to know better. You can’t let those trolls get to you. Even if they twist the facts or spread lies, you need to rise above it. Don’t give them the power to ruin your peace."
"I’m not you, Luca. I do get affected when people say the wrong things about me," Sara muttered, placing her phone face down on the table. She picked up her fork and began eating the pasta she’d barely touched.
Luca took a slow sip of water, watching her over the rim of his glass. "Why do you let other people’s opinions get to you? Want to tell me why?"
"I just... panic," she replied softly, avoiding eye contact. Her voice was low, guarded. She kept her eyes on her plate, chewing in silence.
Luca didn’t push. He let the moment settle.
When they’d both finished eating, Luca quietly asked for the bill. Once it was paid, they stepped out.
"Let’s head out," Luca said as he steered the car out of the parking lot. "I don’t have much left to do, and you’ve finished your work for the day too."
Sara frowned slightly, turning toward him. "But you still have reports to review, and Diego’s supposed to meet you today," she reminded.
"Let Diego wait until tomorrow," Luca said easily, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Besides, we’re newly married. We should be spending as much time together as we can, don’t you think?"
Sara sighed, trying to hide her smile. "Fine. But let’s stop by Asher’s house first."
Luca’s expression darkened immediately. "Sara, can’t you just let him be?" His tone sharpened, low with irritation. "He tried to cause chaos at our wedding. You shouldn’t even think of going near your ex. The man cheated on you with Frida, and after everything, he had the nerve to blame you. Why would you want to apologize to someone like that?"
"Because your way of handling it wasn’t right," Sara shot back. "You sent your men after him, Luca. Do you realize what that looks like? Frida won’t stay silent about it. She’s already been sending me messages, threatening to expose everything. If that happens, it won’t just be me in the spotlight, it’ll be YOU."
Luca’s hands tightened slightly on the wheel.
"You’re part of a powerful family," Sara continued more softly. "Every little thing is watched. If this turns into a scandal, your parents will blame me, and you know your father’s already upset with you."
"I don’t do anything to please my father or mother," Luca said firmly, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. "And nothing around me can turn into a scandal."
Sara folded her arms, watching him. "You’re just overconfident," she murmured. "I used to be like that once."
Before Luca could respond, her phone began to ring. She glanced at the screen and frowned. "Your mother’s calling."
"Sara, don’t—" Luca began, but she had already swiped to answer.
"Come home. Now," Vinni’s sharp voice cut through the line. "If you don’t, I’ll come to your office myself." And before Sara could even respond, the call ended.
Luca exhaled, gripping the wheel tighter. "What did she say?"
"She wants me to come home," Sara replied, sliding the phone back into her bag. "Let’s go there." Her tone softened, but worry flickered in her eyes. "I think Ivanna went to your mother to complain about me. I threw her out this morning."
Luca’s brows furrowed. "Well, you did right. We won’t be going home," he asserted.
"Tell her she can come to the office," Sara said, tension threading her voice. "Drive to your parents’ house first."
Luca’s jaw tightened. "My parents have no right to interfere with you. I won’t let them."
"You don’t understand," Sara replied. "I am their daughter-in-law. They may not speak to you about it, but they could go to my home and complain to my father and grandmother. My father has already cut ties with me; he won’t lift a finger to help me. I can’t let my grandmother be dragged into this."
She reached for his hand, voice softening. "Please, Luca. I’ll defend myself in front of them. You don’t have to worry. You’ve already done so much for me, so let me handle Ivanna. I know how to fight when it matters."
Finally, he exhaled and nodded. "All right. We’ll go to my parents’ house."
Luca switched lanes, steering the car toward the one place he had sworn never to return to. The sight of the familiar road tightened something in his chest. His mother always had a way of finding trouble, and this time, it was aimed straight at his wife. He needed to find a way to make her stop meddling in their lives, once and for all.
Nearly an hour later, the gates of the De Augustino estate loomed before them. As the car rolled through, Luca’s gaze swept over the sprawling grounds. The manicured gardens, the marble fountains, the rows of ancient oak trees, nothing had changed, yet everything felt different.
Memories stirred with every turn of the path. He could almost see his younger self running barefoot across the courtyard, his laughter echoing between the old stone walls. Back then, his grandfather had been alive, the heart of this place, the only one who made it feel like home.
Now, as the mansion came into view, Luca’s expression hardened. The warmth of those days was gone, replaced by resentments toward his parents and this place. The bloodbath that occurred several years ago, which he witnessed with his own eyes, came alive in front of him.
And finally, he pulled the car into the driveway of the big mansion.