Chapter 9: The Voice Behind the Lies

[ { "number": 9, "title": "The Truth Behind the Recording", "content": [ "(Third-Person Perspective)", "Next, a voice recording was played.", "\"Dom, if Luna finds out about us, what are you going to do?\"", "\"She won't find out. Even if she does, she won't have the courage to leave me.\"", "Dominick's face turned pale.", "That voice was unmistakably his.", "The recording continued.", "\"What about the wedding? You promised me you'd marry me.\"", "\"I'll give you a wedding. Just don't make trouble before then.\"", "\"And Luna?\"", "There was a brief silence before Dominick's cold voice came through.", "\"Luna will always be my wife. You are only something I want on the side.\"", "The entire hall fell silent.", "Gia's face drained of color.", "\"No! That's fake! Someone edited it!\" she screamed.", "But another recording immediately played.", "It was Gia's voice.", "\"You told me Luna would never find out. You said you would get rid of her eventually.\"", "Dominick's voice answered calmly.", "\"Give me some time. Once everything is settled, she'll disappear from my life.\"", "A murmur swept through the guests.", "Dominick stood frozen, his fingers tightening around the divorce certificate.", "He suddenly remembered the night Luna had asked him whether Gia was family or a lover.", "He remembered her expression when he lied.", "She hadn't cried.", "She hadn't screamed.", "She had simply said, \"Understood.\"", "At the time, he had mistaken her calmness for acceptance.", "Now he finally understood.", "She had already given up on him.", "\"Where is Luna?\" Dominick suddenly asked.", "No one answered.", "His eyes turned bloodshot.", "\"I asked where my wife is!\"", "Frankie stepped forward hesitantly.", "\"Don Costa... Luna has left Riverton.\"", "Dominick's heart stopped.", "\"Where?\"", "\"Averia.\"", "The word hit him like a bullet.", "Averia was Luna's homeland.", "Her family had warned her about him from the beginning.", "And now, after three years of marriage, she had finally gone back to them.", "Dominick looked down at the divorce papers again.", "His signature was there.", "His own hand had approved the expense claims without reading them.", "He had unknowingly signed away his marriage.", "\"Prepare the private jet,\" he ordered.", "Gia grabbed his arm desperately.", "\"Dom, you're leaving me here? Today is our wedding!\"", "Dominick slowly turned toward her.", "For the first time, there was no tenderness in his eyes.", "\"This was never a real wedding.\"", "Gia staggered backward.", "\"What?\"", "\"I never intended to marry you.\"", "The guests erupted into whispers.", "Gia's face twisted with disbelief.", "\"You promised me! You said Luna was only temporary!\"", "Dominick's jaw tightened.", "\"I lied.\"", "Gia suddenly laughed through her tears.", "\"Then why did you sleep with me? Why did you let me believe you loved me?\"", "Dominick had no answer.", "He had always believed he could control everything—his family, his enemies, his marriage, and Gia.", "But Luna had quietly walked out of his life while he was busy pretending nothing had changed.", "He turned toward the exit.", "\"Dom!\" Gia screamed after him.", "He didn't look back.", "For the first time in three years, Dominick Costa was afraid.", "Not of losing power.", "Not of losing his reputation.", "He was afraid that Luna Bianchi had truly stopped loving him.", "And somewhere far away, Luna was already on a plane, carrying nothing that belonged to him." ], "locked": false, "hidden": false } ]