Their Cruelest Joke Cost Them Everything Chapter 07

Their Cruelest Joke Cost Them Everything Chapter 07 The Masks Come Off

Celeste’s POV:

A second recording began immediately.

I had made this one only days ago while following Bianca after learning the truth.

Her wounded voice came through the speakers. “What happens to me if Celeste really marries Alessio? You both know I have loved him since we were children.”

Mother reassured her. “Do not worry. The wedding will never happen.”

“What are you going to do?” Bianca asked.

Father answered her.

“At the engagement party, I will have someone put something in Alessio’s drink. You only need to enter his room when we tell you.”

“Once the photographs are leaked, the scandal will give us enough leverage to pressure the Rinaldis into accepting the marriage.”

After a few quiet seconds, Bianca spoke softly.

“What about Celeste?”

“She will lose her engagement in front of everyone and become a laughingstock. Once you are Alessio’s wife, no one will care about her.”

The audio stopped.

Chaos consumed the ballroom.

Alessio’s face darkened with rage. Nothing but disgust remained when he looked at Bianca.

She stood frozen as the color slowly drained from her cheeks.

Then she lunged at the equipment table and hurled a wineglass at the screen.

“Turn it off! Turn it off right now!”

The glass shattered, but the audio file remained displayed behind the cracks.

Bianca spun toward the guests and pointed at them with a shaking hand. “It is all fake! Celeste fabricated those recordings to frame me!”

No one answered.

Suspicion and contempt surrounded her, tearing away the last of her restraint.

She rushed at Father. “You killed my dad! You never loved me. You treated me well all these years just to keep everyone quiet!”

Father seized her wrist and warned under his breath, “Control yourself. Bianca.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

She ripped free, tears streaking her ruined makeup.

“You destroyed everything! You promised I would marry Alessio. You promised you would protect me no matter what happened!”

Mother tried to embrace her, but Bianca shoved her away.

“Do not touch me!”

Mother staggered back and almost fell.

Bianca did not even look at her. She threw herself at Alessio and clutched his sleeve with both hands.

“Please let me explain.”

“This was their plan! I only agreed because I love you. I never wanted to hurt you.”

Alessio pulled his arm from her grasp.

“You planned to drug me and trap me into marriage. What part of that was harmless?”

“No!” She shook her head frantically, her voice climbing higher.

“Celeste stole you from me. Without her, you would have loved me!”

The last of Alessio’s patience vanished.

“Even if Celeste had never existed, I would not marry a woman who plotted against

me.”

The words seemed to break something inside her.

She stared at him, then released a wild scream.

“That is impossible! You have always been so kind to me!”

“You cannot abandon me. I did everything for you. What gives you the right to throw me away?”

She tried to reach him again, but his guards blocked her.

Bianca fought against them, hair tangled and mascara running with her tears. Nothing remained of the meek, delicate girl she had pretended to be..

When Alessio turned toward the exit, she shrieked after him, “This is Celeste’s fault!”

“She is jealous of me. She ruined me on purpose!”

“I will kill her! Bring her back so she can answer for this!”

Alessio walked out without looking behind him.

Bianca remained motionless in the middle of the ballroom.

Seconds later, the truth of everything she had lost seemed to reach her. Her legs folded, dropping her among the broken glass.

She sobbed Alessio’s name over and over before laughter suddenly burst from her.

“He will come back.”

“He is only angry. He will still marry me…”

No one moved to comfort her.

Father stood below the stage beneath a hundred accusing stares. Mother kept insisting the recordings were false, but every frantic denial made them look guiltier.

I watched the video to the end, then locked my phone.

Their humiliation brought me no thrill, but it stirred no sympathy either.

The fear and betrayal they faced that night were a fraction of what they had inflicted on me.

Besides, the consequences had only begun.