Chapter 100: The Night Before the Wedding.

Aurora’s POV
“Lena? What are you doing here?” I asked, staring at her as she stood in front of my room door.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she stepped inside without waiting for an invitation.
I frowned but shut the door behind her.
“So… this is the famous Aurora’s room,” she said, her eyes scanning every corner like she was searching for something.
I clenched my jaw, my fingers tightening around my phone.
I quickly put it to my ear again.
“Um, Annie, let me call you back later, alright?”
Annie hesitated on the other end.
“Are you okay?”
I forced a smile, even though she couldn’t see it. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll talk to you later.”
I ended the call and turned to Lena, crossing my arms.
“What do you want?”
Lena turned to me, crossing her arms as she let out a small, dramatic sigh.
“I heard something interesting today,” she said, turning her head.
“About two brothers fighting over the same woman.”
I didn’t react, but my stomach tightened.
She clicked her tongue and shook her head.
“You really are nothing but trouble, aren’t you?” Her voice was filled with mockery.
“First, you date Leonardo. And now, you’re going after his brother?”
She let out a cold laugh. “Pathetic.”
I stayed silent, refusing to give her the reaction she wanted.
Lena smirked when I didn’t respond, stepping closer until she was only a few feet away.
“No defense?
No clever words?” she taunted.
“Or maybe you know it’s true.”
I clenched my fists at my sides but kept my face calm. She wanted me to react, to get angry, to prove that she was getting under my skin.
I wouldn’t give her that satisfaction.
Lena scoffed.

“You’re just like every other desperate little girl who thinks she’s special.
But let me remind you Leonardo is mine. And after tomorrow, you’ll be nothing but a mistake from his past.”
I met her gaze, my voice steady.

“So you came all the way here to tell me that Leonardo is yours.
But why do I feel like you came here to taunt me because, deep down, you know the truth?
You know he doesn’t love you. He’s still in love with me.”
Lena’s expression changed to anger, her jaw tightening. But I didn’t stop.
“You may have forced him into marrying you, but you can never have his heart, Lena.
You can’t force people to love you.”
Her eyes burned with rage. Then, without warning, she walked up to me and slapped me hard.
The sharp sting spread across my cheek, but I refused to look away. I wouldn’t let her see me break.
Lena’s slap stung, but I didn’t flinch. I just met her furious gaze with calm defiance.
She expected me to cry, to cower, to lash out. But I did none of that.
Instead, I let a small, knowing smile tug at my lips.
“Did that make you feel better?” I asked quietly.
Lena’s hands curled into fists at her sides. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you?” she hissed.
I tilted my head. “No, I just think you’re scared.”
Her nostrils flared. “Scared?”
I nodded. “If you were so sure of Leonardo’s love, you wouldn’t be here, trying so hard to convince me that he’s yours.
You wouldn’t have slapped me. You wouldn’t be this angry.” I leaned in just a little, lowering my voice.
“But you are. Because you know I’m right.”
Lena’s eyes burned with hatred.
For a second, I thought she might hit me again, but she didn’t. Instead, she straightened, smoothing out her dress like she was trying to regain control of herself.
“You’re pathetic,” she spat.
“You’ll never be anything more than a distraction Leonardo will forget about.”
I shrugged. “Then why are you so bothered by me?”
Her lips parted, but she had no answer.
For the first time, Lena looked unsure.
I had gotten to her.
She inhaled sharply, regaining her composure.
“Enjoy your little fantasies while you can,” she said coldly.
“Because after tomorrow, it won’t matter anymore.”
Then, with one last glare, she turned and stormed out of my room, slamming the door behind her.
I exhaled slowly, placing a hand on my stinging cheek.
“Ouch…”
I sat back down on my bed, my mind replaying everything I had just said to her.
For the first time ever, I didn’t let Lena get under my skin. I didn’t let her control the conversation, and honestly… it felt good.
She had always known exactly what to say to hurt me, to make me doubt myself, but this time? This time, I had stood my ground.
Maybe I wasn’t expecting too much from Leonardo after all. He was getting married tomorrow.
I should be feeling bad right now, right? Heartbroken? Angry? But somehow… I didn’t.
Instead, there was a strange sense of calm inside me.
Had my feelings for Leonardo changed?
Had I really moved on from him… to Alessandro?
I ran my fingers through my hair, staring at the floor as my thoughts spiraled.
Leonardo had been my whole world once. The thought of losing him had terrified me.
But now? Now, as his wedding day approached, I wasn’t drowning in sadness the way I thought I would be.
I felt… different.
I sighed, leaning back against the pillows. Maybe I had been so caught up in the past that I hadn’t realized how much I had already let go.
Maybe my heart had already started moving in another direction before I even admitted it to myself.
And Alessandro…
I swallowed.
The way he looked at me, the way he always stood by my side he had become someone I could trust, someone who made me feel safe.
And maybe, just maybe, I had started to feel something more.
I closed my eyes.
Then my phone started to ring, pulling me from my thoughts. I turned to check the caller ID, and it turned out to be Annie.
I picked it up immediately.
“Oh, Annie, I’m sorry. I would have called you back, but I was, um… busy.”
“Who was that? Who came over to your room? I heard a female voice,” Annie asked, curiosity laced in her tone.
I smiled. “It was Lena.”
Annie gasped. “Lena? What the hell was she doing in your room?”
I let out a small sigh, rubbing my cheek where she had slapped me.
“She came to talk about Leonardo. Or more like, to taunt me about him.”
Annie’s tone immediately turned sharp.
“Ugh, that woman is insufferable.
What did she say this time?”
I hesitated for a second before answering. “She brought up the whole thing about the two brothers fighting over me.
Said I was pathetic for dating Leonardo and now being close to Alessandro.”
There was silence on the other end, then Annie scoffed.
“She’s just mad because she knows Leonardo still loves you.”
I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me.
“It doesn’t matter, Annie. Tomorrow, he’s marrying her.”
Annie sighed. “Yeah… but are you okay?”
I paused for a moment. Was I okay?
“I don’t know,” I admitted.
“But I don’t feel as heartbroken as I thought I would.”
Annie was quiet for a second before she spoke again.
“Maybe because you are growing feelings for Alessandro.”
I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me.
“You’re impossible, you know that?”
Annie chuckled. “I’m just saying what you’re too scared to admit.”
I sighed, flopping back onto my bed. “It’s not that simple, Annie.”
“Why not?” she challenged.
“You said it yourself Leonardo is marrying Lena tomorrow. You can’t keep holding onto something that’s already lost.”
I swallowed hard. “I know that.”
“Then what’s stopping you?”
I didn’t have an answer. Because deep down, I knew she was right.
Maybe I had already started letting go of Leonardo. Maybe, without even realizing it, my heart had started leaning toward Alessandro.
“Well, because he is Leonardo’s brother? I can’t possibly date him….it would be….weird.”
Annie sighed dramatically. “Weird?
Aurora, love isn’t about rules. It’s about feelings. And if you’re feeling something for Alessandro, maybe you should stop fighting it.”
I bit my lip. “But it’s too soon… And what if Alessandro doesn’t even feel the same way?”
Annie scoffed. “Oh, please. That man looks at you like you’re the only person in the room. Trust me, you’re not imagining things.”
I stayed quiet, my heart pounding. Was I really falling for Alessandro?
And if I was… what did that mean for everything else?
“Look, Aurora. I told you before that don’t let your past with Leonardo keep you from seeing what’s right in front of you. Alessandro might actually be the one who deserves you.
So after Leonardo’s wedding tomorrow, I think you should give Alessandro a chance to be that man for you and stop letting your past relationship with Leonardo keep you from being truly happy.”
 I swallowed hard, letting Annie’s words sink in.
Was I really holding onto the past so much that I was ignoring what was right in front of me?
“Maybe you’re right,” I admitted softly.
Annie let out a triumphant huff.
“Of course I’m right!
Now, promise me you’ll at least think about it after tomorrow.”
I hesitated for a second before nodding, even though she couldn’t see me.
“Alright, I promise.”
“Good,” she said, satisfied.
“Now, get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a big day.”
I sighed, lying back on my bed. A big day, indeed.
As I lay on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, my mind raced with thoughts I wasn’t ready to face.
I had this sudden feeling that a lot of surprising things were going to happen tomorrow, but I just didn’t know what.
That’s when I realized I hadn’t seen Alessandro since our discussion earlier that day.
He hadn’t called or texted not that he was the type to text anyway.
Still, something about his silence made me uneasy.
I hesitated for a moment before deciding to call him. It was already late, he might be asleep.
Clearing my throat, I tried to think of what I would say when he picked up.
Then suddenly, the line connected.
“Hello?”
I immediately sat up in bed, gripping my phone tighter at the sound of his voice.