The Second Chance (Forbidden Romance)

38. A return to the past

LUCAS'S POV

"I can't be near you right now. Not after this."

As much as those same words stung me as they came out of my mouth, I knew they hurt her even more.

And as much as I hated myself for the tears in her eyes, I had to get out of this room and cool my head.

When she didn't try to stop me out of shock, I got out and headed towards the exit of the Villa, struggling with my own emotions and breathing.

Valeria Vittoria Taylor

Born in 1978.

That was the information that greeted me on the screen along with the date of the name change, along with a picture of the person taken twenty years ago that I remember in my mind.

The intense pain in my chest mixed with disappointment, confusion and sadness made me a walking bomb just waiting to explode.

But at this moment, when I found out that the person for whom I had turned my entire life into the goal of revenge against Max was alive, I could not come to myself.

Since I was eight freaking years old, I lived day after day wondering where she was, if she was even alive, who kidnapped her and why it was so hard to find her.

It was all a lie.

Because mine and Emmanuel's mother are very much alive.

She was not kidnapped, she escaped and left her own children in the hands of the animal.

Now I am more than sure that she knew who she left us to.

And that just tore me apart even more.

I had to get away from Isabella, I had to get away and think about everything I'd learned in the freaking half hour.

Something deep inside me told me not to take out my anger on the only person who proved to me that she was worthy of my trust, that she wouldn't betray me.

"Lucas, what if I told you that right now I'm carrying a burden of secrets that may not be mine to share? What if such secrets could affect our relationship?"

I remembered our conversation from the other evening as well as Isabella's face that was pale and her gaze that had been absent for the past few days and then I became aware of how exactly this secret, this knowledge, was tormenting her inside.

And no matter how much I told myself that it wasn't right that I behaved like that towards her, I didn't know any other way.

When I got into the car that was parked in front of the Villa and headed towards the exit of the property, I saw Isabella looking at the car out of the corner of my eye with tears streaming down her cheeks.

My thoughts were in total chaos.

All this time, every conversation I had with the lady who reminded me of someone at first glance, I did not conclude that Valeria was actually Vittoria.

My mother.

A mother whose "disappearance" made me a shell of a person thirsty for the blood of the enemy and the person who caused all the pain in my family.

Every moment of my interaction with her began to replay before my eyes as I drove towards the nearest bar in town.

How do I tell Emmanuel this?

How did she manage to escape? Who helped her and what does Harry and his promise have to do with all of this?

How can I ever look at her again in the same way as I have looked at her before and say a few words to her?