The Love He Killed Chapter 7

Valentina's POV

Moonlight illuminated his haggard face. That face I once loved deeply now only filled me with disgust.

"Too late now." I removed my mask, long hair dancing in the sea breeze.

Gun barrels from both sides instantly aimed at each other, the air thick with gunpowder.

Matteo stared at me intently: "Do you know I held your corpse for an entire month..."

"Disappointed?" I sneered. "That you couldn't watch me die in your cold storage with your own eyes?"

"NO!" He shook his head frantically, stepping forward. "Valentina, I never wanted you to die! Those drugs were just..."

"Just to make sure Lorenzo's bastard was born first?" I coldly interrupted him. "For the family inheritance, you killed our child."

His face instantly went pale: "The baby died... no... that's impossible..."

Seeing the hope ignite in his eyes, twisted pleasure surged through me.

"You're lying to me!" He suddenly became agitated, rushing forward to grab my arms. "Where is our baby? Tell me!"

He pulled too hard, and I stumbled forward.

Suddenly, a hand reached out and kicked Matteo flying several meters away.

He slammed heavily into a shipping container, spitting up blood.

Father emerged from the shadows, eyes burning with killing intent. Floodlights from all directions lit up simultaneously, illuminating the entire dock like daylight.

"How DARE you touch my daughter!"

Matteo struggled to his feet, staring at him in shock: "Romano? Giovanni Romano? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to protect my daughter." Father said coldly.

"Daughter?" Matteo looked at me in confusion. "You two..."

"I am Valentina Romano." I lifted my chin, my voice clear and loud. "Giovanni Romano's only daughter, princess of the Romano family."

Matteo's eyes widened as if seeing me for the first time: "What... that's impossible... you're..."

"What? You thought I was really an orphan?" I sneered. "Some woman of unknown origin?"

Matteo collapsed to his knees, trembling all over. Memories flashed through his mind like a movie - my expert marksmanship, my mannerisms, the refinement I unconsciously displayed... He should have guessed long ago.

"Why... why did you hide it?" His voice was almost pleading.

"Do you remember what happened fifteen years ago?" Father spoke, his voice filled with pain and regret. "Your grandfather Marcus's terrible mistake?"

Matteo's face went even paler.

"My mother, Isabella Romano, died in that betrayal." My voice was terrifyingly calm. "Out of guilt, your grandfather promised to fulfill any one request from the Romano family."

"I could have married you with my true identity." I continued. "Become a symbol of alliance between two great families, with the status and respect I deserved."

"But I chose to hide my identity." I looked at him. "Because I didn't want a political marriage. I wanted your love from the heart."

Matteo raised his head to look at me, eyes full of despair: "Valentina..."

"And what happened?" I sneered. "You treated the woman who truly loved you like an enemy, like a plaything you could trample at will. You made me live in the guest room, watched your entire family humiliate me without doing anything."

"I didn't know..." he choked out. "If I had known you were..."

"Known what?" I interrupted him. "Would you have loved me, or the Romano name?"

He couldn't answer, only kneel there trembling.

"I already discovered the truth!" He suddenly looked up, pain flashing in his eyes. "Jennifer... she was the traitor! She betrayed Lorenzo's schedule, that child is the bastard of a Benedetto family spy!"

I looked at him coldly: "So?"

"I killed Derek, and executed Jennifer too!" He desperately tried to prove something. "I avenged you!"

"Revenge?" I scoffed. "You killed them because they betrayed YOU, not because of me."

"That's not true!" He frantically defended himself. "It was because of you—"

"SHUT UP!" I roared. "Stop being so self-righteous!"

Matteo trembled all over, desperate tears welling in his eyes: "Forgive me... Valentina, for our baby's sake, forgive me this once... We can start over... I'll be so much better to you..."

"Forgiveness? Ridiculous." I looked at him coldly. "You think I can still forgive you?"

I turned to my earpiece: "Bring her up."

Several Romano family men escorted a battered woman over.

It was Sophia.