The Godfather's Love Has Expired Chapter 6

Julian walked into his mansion like a zombie.

As he pushed open the door, he smelled a familiar scent.

Tomato Oxtail Soup.

It was Ava's signature dish.

His heart skipped a beat. A wild hope surged in his eyes.

"Ava? You're back?"

He stumbled into the kitchen, a smile breaking across his face.

But the smile froze instantly.

It wasn't me.

Serafina was wearing a white silk nightgown, slowly stirring the pot.

She turned and smiled sweetly.

"Julian, you're home!"

The disappointment hit him like a physical blow.

His face turned stone cold.

"I thought you left," he said.

He remembered sending his men to escort her away.

"I came back."

Serafina put down the ladle and walked over, running her fingers down his chest.

"Julian, I couldn't bear to leave you... I want to be with you."

"I'm not going anywhere this time."

She looked up at him, her eyes full of greed.

"Let's get married."

Julian pushed her away as if he had heard a bad joke.

"Married?"

"Serafina, who do you think you are?"

Serafina's smile vanished.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean—"

Julian's voice was sharp as a knife.

"The person I want to marry is Ava. Not you."

"Impossible!"

Serafina shrieked.

"Julian, you humiliated the Sterling family seven times for me! Don't pretend you're a devoted husband now!"

Julian looked away, a flash of shame crossing his face.

"I broke the alliance to protect your reputation, not because I loved you."

"If you hadn't kept pestering me all these years, Ava wouldn't have left!"

Serafina's face went pale, then red with anger.

"Liar! If that's true, why did you renew the contract with her every single time?"

"Because—"

Julian paused, his eyes unfocused.

"Because I promised her..."

He finally realized that the only thing that mattered to him was the woman who used to wait for him to come home.

Serafina laughed, a shrill, piercing sound.

"Julian, stop acting!"

She stepped closer.

"Who was kissing me in the office? Who came running to me every time you divorced her?"

"You can't lie to yourself! You love me!"

Julian grabbed her wrist, squeezing hard enough to crush bone.

"Shut up!"

"I hit a nerve, didn't I?"

Serafina winced in pain but glared at him with pure venom.

"Ava left because she saw through your hypocrisy! And now you want to play the victim?"

"You deserve it!"

She screamed.

"You deserve to never find her again!"

Julian's eyes were bloodshot.

He slapped her.

The sound echoed through the empty villa.

Serafina stumbled back, clutching her cheek in disbelief.

"You hit me?"

"I told you," Julian growled.

"If you hadn't provoked Ava over and over, she wouldn't have left."

"Get out of my house. Now."

He took out his phone and called his guards.

"Get over here. Send Miss Serafina back to where she belongs."

Serafina panicked.

"You can't do this to me, Julian! I love you—"

Two massive bodyguards dragged her out the door.

Her screams faded into the night.

Julian stood alone in the kitchen.

He looked down at the spilled soup.

The smell of tomatoes filled the air...

Just like the woman who would never come back.