Derek had already married Candice. The life that was supposed to be mine had been handed to my sister.
I had lost everything. And now—now Candice was standing in front of me, confessing that the night before she took my place as Derek’s wife, she had slept with Matteo. With my Matteo.
I took a step back, as if putting distance between us would keep me from drowning in the betrayal. My voice was barely above a whisper. “You were pregnant… before your wedding? With Matteo’s child?”
Candice nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I didn’t tell Derek. I couldn’t. It would’ve ruined everything. I was already marrying him, and after what happened to you… I didn’t want another scandal. I thought—I thought I could keep it buried forever.”
Buried. Like a secret. Like a mistake she could erase.
Matteo ran a hand through his hair, his voice strained. “Cassandra, I swear, I didn’t know. I had no idea she was pregnant with my child.”
I barely heard him. My mind was spiraling, unraveling, trying to piece together a past that suddenly made no sense.