He Missed Our Wedding, So I Married His Enemy Chapter 04

He Missed Our Wedding, So I Married His Enemy Chapter 04

ALESSIA

Outside the marriage bureau, Carlos asked, “Where are you going?”

“I’ll drive you.”

“You don’t have to. Go take care of your work.”

He did not insist.

Before getting into his car, he only said, “If you have trouble, call me.”

I nodded.

After we separated, I returned to the old Bellandi estate.

My father sat in his study, writing names on wedding invitations with a fountain pen.

Since becoming ill, he rarely handled the group or the family’s affairs.

Three years ago, he placed me in my current position against everyone’s objections.

I had fought desperately to protect the Bellandi Group because I never wanted to disappoint him.

Now I had canceled my wedding to Lorenzo.

And married Carlos in the same day.

My father smiled when he saw me.

“Alessia, come look.”

“What do you think of this invitation?”

I stood in place.

He finally sensed something was wrong.

“What happened?”

I gritted my teeth and took the marriage certificate from my purse.

“I got married.”

My father laughed.

“Of course you did. Why didn’t Lorenzo come with you?”

“It wasn’t Lorenzo.”

I put the certificate in front of him.

“It was Carlos Varela.”

His smile froze.

He lowered his head and read the names several times.

Even his hands began to shake.

“What did you say?”

“Dad…”

“Alessia, what happened?”

He did not scold me.

He only asked what had happened.

My eyes immediately burned.

I told him everything.

My father was silent for a long time.

Then he picked up the invitations and tore them apart one by one.

“Good. Don’t marry him.”

“I’ll inform the Salvis that the Bellandis no longer support Lorenzo.”

When his anger faded, worry took its place.

“But marrying Carlos was too impulsive.”

“There is still time to divorce him.”

I had no answer.

Divorcing Carlos immediately would truly make him nothing but a weapon I had used against Lorenzo.

“That isn’t necessary.”

I hurried to defend him.

“He’s actually very good.”

“At what?”

My mouth opened.

I barely knew Carlos.

Under my father’s suspicious gaze, I forced out the first explanation I could invent.

“He has been secretly in love with me for years.”

My father stared at me.

For the moment, he chose to believe the lie.

But he insisted on meeting Carlos.

Terrified he would expose me immediately, I said Carlos was extremely busy.

My father moved quickly.

The moment I left, he notified the Salvi family.

Lorenzo called the next morning.

“You’re serious?”

Fury filled his voice.

“About what?”

“Canceling the wedding. Withdrawing the partnership.”

“I only said I didn’t want to marry right now. I never said I wouldn’t marry you later.”

I nearly laughed.

“Didn’t you say marriage would distract you?”

“Now that the alliance is gone, you can concentrate completely on winning the succession.”

The line went quiet.

I continued.

“Or can you not defeat your half brother without the Bellandis?”

His breathing grew heavy.

“What do you think the Bellandi family is?”

“The Salvi family has always belonged to me. I don’t need your help.”

“Good.”

My voice remained calm.

“Because I heard your brother has already won the support of three council members.”

Lorenzo ended the call in a rage.

Before hanging up, he told me to wait and see.

His family had spoiled him for more than twenty years.

He always believed he was the Salvis’ only heir.

Then, two years ago, his father brought home an older son who had grown up elsewhere.

The man was only a few months older than Lorenzo.

He was also far more capable.

Lorenzo’s mother recognized the threat and began pushing for our engagement.

The Bellandis needed Salvi contracts and support on the family council.

Lorenzo needed Bellandi money, connections, and votes.

We had always been trading advantages.

Ending the engagement would hurt me.

It would hurt Lorenzo far more.

He was furious enough to prove it.

Soon after joining the management of the Salvi Group, he ended every partnership with the Bellandis.

The board called an emergency meeting the day the news arrived.

Several directors took turns condemning me for two hours.

In the end, I promised to replace every loss within one month.

They did not believe me.

I did not need a month.

The next afternoon, a business team from the Varela Group arrived.

They brought a European air-freight route, two joint film-financing projects, and a proposal to acquire a seaside hotel.

Any one of those deals could replace what Lorenzo had withdrawn.

Together, they could double the Bellandi Group’s profit next quarter.

The directors changed their attitude as soon as they read the proposals.

During the two years of my engagement to Lorenzo, the Varela Group had avoided the Bellandis because

Carlos hated him.

Now they had approached us without warning.

Everyone wanted to know why.

Before leaving, the Varela team offered only one explanation.

“Carlos has great faith in Alessia Bellandi’s ability.”

Everyone understood those projects had come because of me.

I had entered my marriage to Carlos with other motives.

I had never intended to use my position as his wife to make him repair my mistakes.

After work, I hesitated for a long time before calling him.

“The Varela team came today.”

“I know.”

“Carlos, I don’t want our marriage to influence decisions that aren’t in the group’s best interests.”

His answer was as cool as if we were discussing an ordinary contract.

“The investment and risk departments reviewed every proposal.”

“The Bellandi Group deserves the investment.”

“I only mentioned it.”

Every argument I had prepared became useless.

“All right.”

I was about to end the call when he stopped me.

“Alessia.”

“Yes?”

“There are still things we need to discuss about our marriage.”

“Are you free tomorrow?”

I wanted the same conversation.

“Noon.”

“Good.”