Chapter 22 Julia's Secret Lover

The smile vanished completely from Lucia's face, leaving behind a numb stillness. She looked at Fabio and spoke lightly. "I understand." Fabio wanted to say something, anything, to fix it. But then he saw how the light vanished from Lucia's eyes, and no words came. Any comfort now would sound hollow. He lowered his head, took two awkward steps back, then turned and left quickly. His retreat seemed almost panicked. The garden fell silent again. Only the rustle of leaves remained. So her fear had never been unfounded. The little kindnesses Alessandro showed her were like gestures without meaning. He could smile at her and offer a few comforts, but his mind was always on someone who was already gone. And now, someone who looked like Elena had appeared. Even an unconfirmed rumor was enough to strip Lucia back to nothing. That evening, preparations for the dinner moved smoothly. Stylists and makeup artists filled her room, choosing a gown and designing her hair. Lucia showed no expr