Chapter 2 Final Moments

The woman obediently walked over, her bare feet making soft sounds on the floor. She flung herself into his arms with a gentle, almost limp gesture, as though she had no bones at all. “Lola Martinez?” Natalia recognized the woman’s face, and she couldn’t hold back the tears. Lola’s eyes widened in feigned surprise. “Miss Kostas, you know me? Am I really that famous?” Lola was a popular star, known for her modeling career. Headlines often highlighted her tall frame and ample chest. A quick search of her name online would show photo after photo emphasizing her curves. She had built a following, using her looks to propel herself into fame. “By the way, Miss Kostas, I’ve ordered one of the wedding dresses you designed. If I’m not mistaken, it’s called... the ‘Princess Dress,’ right? It’s such a breathtaking design, and I absolutely love it,” Lola said, flashing Natalia a smile. Natalia hadn’t expected to meet someone like Lola, especially not in this context. Did she just say she ordered one of her wedding dresses? Lola was involved with her husband, and she didn’t even feel a hint of shame. Instead, she acted like she was about to marry him herself! The pain in Natalia’s stomach intensified. She looked at the couple with blurred vision, struggling to rise. But before she could, Lola pulled away from Dante and moved toward her. “Dante, Miss Kostas doesn’t look well,” she said, feigning concern. Lola reached out and shoved Natalia hard, sending her tumbling off the sofa. Kneeling on the couch, Lola grabbed Natalia’s hair and yelled, “Do you know what kind of relationship I have with Dante? We’ve been together for years, even before you two got married! But sadly, I wasn’t as lucky as you. You were born into wealth and got everything. Dante and I truly love each other, but we had to be separated. He married you, and I ended up being the third wheel!” Natalia cried out in pain. So, Dante had married her as part of some scheme! Their three years of marriage had all been a lie! Lola’s words sent Natalia into a rage. She swung her hand and scratched Lola’s face hard. Lola screamed and shoved her away. Without thinking, Natalia grabbed a fruit knife from the table, turned toward Dante, and pointed it at him. “Dante Ruiz, you shameless man! How long have you been lying to my father? Since you came into our house, did my parents ever treat you badly? Has your conscience been eaten by a dog? If you want to fool around with women, go ahead, but why lie to me? Who you marry doesn’t matter to me, I don’t care! We’re getting a divorce!” Dante watched her with amusement, unbothered. He slowly walked toward her, smiling softly. “Natalia, stop playing around. You’re not going to stab me with that, are you? No, you’re too squeamish to see blood—you’ll faint. Come on, just put down the knife and let’s go home. Don’t make a scene.” Then, as if recalling something, he paused, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, and you said I’ve been lying to your parents, right? Are you going to tell them we’re getting a divorce? By the way, your parents are here. Let’s go see them.” “What do you mean?” Natalia frowned, confused. Dante took a step forward and kicked open the bathroom door. When Natalia saw her parents tied up inside, her blood ran cold. “Dad! Mom!” she screamed. They were gagged and bound, their hands tied behind them, unable to move or speak. Their eyes locked on Dante, filled with fear. Without thinking, Natalia rushed toward them, but Dante grabbed her from behind. His grip was too strong, and she couldn’t break free. She swung the fruit knife wildly, stabbing at him in a fit of fury. Dante’s arm was pierced, and a long wound appeared. He cursed and shoved Natalia hard, causing the back of her head to hit the wall. Natalia’s body went limp, and she slowly slid down, sitting on the cold floor. Her pregnant body couldn’t withstand the force of the throw, and she felt dizzy once again. Dante squatted in front of her, letting the blood drip from his arm, falling drop by drop in front of Natalia. Sensing the smell of blood, Natalia immediately turned pale and struggled to breathe. Dante gently stroked her face and said, “Natalia, honestly, marrying you was all part of the plan. Did you really think I would fall in love with you? The way I pretended to be gentle with you for the past three years... it’s even made me sick.” Natalia pinched her arm hard to stop herself from fainting. This trap had clearly been planned for a long time. Since receiving that misdirected message, Dante had been trying to lure her into this trap and bring her here. “Dante, you have no shame! What are you trying to do?!” Dante reached out to wipe the tears from the corner of Natalia's eyes, as if she were his beloved. He asked, “What am I trying to do? Heh, you’ll find out soon enough.” He suddenly stood up and walked toward the bathroom, dragging Natalia’s mother out. He released her, letting her fall beside Natalia. Then, he grabbed a gasoline can and poured it into the bathroom. The sound of the rushing liquid hitting the smooth floor trapped Mr. Kostas inside. “No! Dante, please don’t!” No matter how naive she had been, Natalia knew exactly what Dante was planning. She crawled toward his feet, begging him. “It’s impossible! Natalia, my dear, ask your father what he’s done, what debts he owes the Ruiz family!” Dante suddenly became emotional and violently grabbed Mr. Kostas by the collar. “Why does your family have such a high status, yet my mother and I had to sleep on the streets and live off charity? Natalia, do you think your father is so good? Why did he adopt me? Because he felt guilty! My father died because of him, yet he’s living happily. Why?! In the past few years, I’ve lived in fear, trying to please your family, trying to escape the title of the poor son-in-law. I’m so disgusted!” He shoved Mr. Kostas cruelly, making his head hit the sink, and laughed like a madman. “But after today, everything will change. I—Dante Ruiz—will become the richest person in this city. Everything in the Kostas family will be mine from this moment on!” The more Natalia listened, the more disgusted she became. Dante had gone mad, completely losing his sanity. He was going to kill her father! Natalia struggled to stand up, clutching Dante’s feet. She begged hoarsely, “I’ll give you everything, everything you want, everything from the Kostas family! Please, I beg you, let my father go! What has he ever done to you? Can’t you feel it? He truly treated you like his own son... And, and I’m pregnant. I’m carrying your child, two months along. You’ll be a father. The child is innocent. Please, for the sake of the child, you—ah!” Before Natalia could finish, a high-heeled foot kicked her hard in the stomach. Dante, with a slightly changed expression, turned toward Lola. Lola hugged Dante tightly, drawing circles on his chest with her fingers. Her eyes rolled seductively as she said, “What’s wrong, Dante? When you heard she has a child, did you soften? Did your heart break? If you want a child, you can have one with me. But if you insist on living with this little slut, what kind of child do you think you’ll have?” ***