He Called Me Ugly. I Became His Biggest Regret. Chapter 02
The gala went perfectly.
I walked through every protocol flawlessly. The Commission nodded approval.
My father’s speech was impeccable.
And Marco never once looked at me.
He sat beside Valentina the entire evening.
Whispered in her ear.
Made her laugh.
When the orchestra started, he led her onto the dance floor.
I stood at the edge of the ballroom, a flute of cold champagne growing warm in my hand.
No one asked me to dance.
No one seemed to remember whose engagement this was supposed to be.
After the gala, Marco’s crew went out to celebrate.
Val, of course, was with them.
She was always with them now.
“Lucy! You’re seriously going home?” One of them shouted across the courtyard. “Val’s coming tonight. You sure you don’t want to keep an eye on your man? Careful — the title ‘Donna DeLuca’ might change hands by morning!”
Marco walked over.
He dropped his voice to that intimate tone he used when he thought he was being romantic.
“Stomach ache this morning, headache now. You better not be making excuses. I’ll explain one last time — you’re the only girl I’m close with. You’re my girl. That’s why I chose you. How could you be ugly? You’re the woman I’m going to marry. So stop think about that joke already. Coming or not?”
Right on cue, Valentina appeared. Silver dress. Radiant. “Marco! I’m here!”
I looked at the two of them — his hand already drifting toward the small of her back.
I shook my head.
“I really do have a headache. I’m going home.”
Marco’s face hardened. “Don’t regret this. If I get drunk tonight and end up kissing someone — or more — that’s on you. You should have been here to watch over me.”
I nodded once. Turned. Walked to the car. I didn’t look back.
That night, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling. My phone stayed dark.
No message from Marco. No “Are you okay.”
No “Is your headache better.”
The boy who used to panic when I sneezed — gone.
Replaced by a stranger who’d called me ugly and expected me to thank him.