Chapter 41

Giovanna was scorned. She watched Matteo without responding, her head down, constantly touching her face, trying to control herself. When she finally tried to justify herself, approaching and opening her mouth to contest, an explosion occurred.

“What are you going to tell me?” His widened eyes startled Giovanna, who instinctively moved away to protect herself. “That this marriage will be a lie or that in two years you will separate, finally, to be together?”

She swallowed hard. She wished to tell him that yes, this marriage with Antony was a huge farce just to keep Nicolau’s inheritance in his hands, but she knew she couldn’t.

“I’m so sorry, Matteo,” she said sincerely. “I had no intention of hurting you.”

“So, you’re really going to marry him?” There was a lot of indignation in Matteo’s tone of voice.

“Yes,” she replied, her voice almost faltering completely, “the wedding is in a day.”

At that moment, Matteo knew that something very wrong was happening. There was no happiness on Giov