My Love Inappropriate. Her Scandal Take the Blame. Get Lost, Uncle! I Married the Mad Alpha! Chapter 05

My Love Inappropriate. Her Scandal Take the Blame. Get Lost, Uncle! I Married the Mad Alpha! Chapter 05

When I woke again, harsh hospital lights burned above me.

Consciousness returned slowly, first the smell of antiseptic, then the crushing pain in my chest, and finally my adoptive mother’s muffled sobs.

“Irene, you scared me half to death.”

I moved my fingers, but before I could speak, she spun around.

“Adrian Carter, get over here!”

She never called him by his full name. Everyone in the hospital room froze.

“Irene was standing right behind you,” my adoptive mother said, slowing down and enunciating every word. “You turned to protect Sofia, and with your own hands, you knocked Irene straight onto that knife.”

Adrian did not defend himself. His face was pale, and guilt saturated his cedar scent.

But my adoptive mother was not finished.

“You stormed into her bedroom before dawn and accused her of spreading those rumors. Let me make this perfectly clear. She was in my room all night. Those posts had nothing to do with her. After everything she’s done for this family, for you, she even decided to…”

“Mom.”

I forced the word out with the last of my strength. My voice was

—

hoarse, but it was enough to stop her.

She immediately leaned over me.

“Where does it hurt? I’ll get the doctor.”

“I’m fine.” I managed a weak smile. “Could you get me something to eat? I’m hungry.”

My adoptive mother understood that I did not want Adrian to know about the marriage arrangement, so she swallowed the rest of her words.

The doctor confirmed that the silver powder had been removed, but I had lost too much blood and needed to remain in the hospital.

Once the room grew quiet, I turned toward Adrian, who was still standing at the foot of the bed.

“Why are you still here? Sofia was frightened too. You should go to her.”

He frowned.

In the past, even the smallest scrape would have sent me clinging to him, demanding that he hold me and soothe me. Now I was calmly asking him to leave.

He took two steps closer, his voice low.

“No matter what happens, you’re still my family. You’re hurt. You have every right to tell me how much pain you’re in.”

His gaze dropped to the bandages across my chest, lingered for only a second, then moved away.

—

I closed my eyes.

“Don’t bother. I wouldn’t want Sofia to misunderstand.”

He was silent for so long that I thought he had left, but then I sensed him step closer to the bed.

Adrian leaned down and quietly straightened the corner of the blanket beside my pillow.

That was all.

Then he stood, turned, and left the room. The door closed without a sound.

On the third day in the hospital, my expedited visa and the marriage documents from the Moretti family arrived.

I held the passport and stared at my photograph inside.

Only then did I finally breathe again.

—

I traced the edge of the passport with my thumb.

The Moretti family. One of the most powerful families in Italy. And I was about to become part of it.

It was not a love match. It was a transaction—an alliance arranged between my adoptive mother’s family and the Morettis. But I had stopped believing in love matches the moment Adrian chose Sofia over me.

My adoptive mother returned with a tray of soup. She set it down and saw the passport in my hands. Her expression shifted.

“Irene, are you sure about this? You don’t have to go through with it. I can talk to them—”

“I’m sure, Mom.”

She sighed and sat down beside me.

“I always thought you and Adrian would end up together. I saw the way you looked at him.”

I set the passport aside and picked up the spoon.

“I looked at him the way a child looks at a fairy tale. But fairy tales aren’t real. And I’m done pretending they are.”

She reached over and squeezed my hand.

“Then I’ll support you. Whatever you decide.”

I smiled and took a sip of soup.

For the first time in years, I felt like I was finally making a choice for myself.

And it felt right.