The Temporary Wife: Luca and Valentina’s Story (The Windsors)
The Temporary Wife: Chapter 43

“What brings you here so early? Why didn’t you bring Valentina?” my grandmother asks as she takes a seat opposite me at her dining table. Her staff serves both of us breakfast, but my appetite is nonexistent.

“She had an early meeting,” I tell her honestly. “Besides, I didn’t want her present for this conversation.”

Grandma’s sweet smile melts away, making way for the ruthlessness she normally reserves for those outside of our family. “I see,” she says, waving her hand as an indication to continue.

“Miguel Garcia.”

Her expression hardens, and she sighs. “CEO of ReInsure, yes?”

“Don’t act ignorant,” I tell her, impatient. I adore my grandmother as much as all of my other siblings do, but our relationship has always been different. We’ve never been quite as close, in part, because unlike my siblings, I don’t feel like she always has our best interests at heart. If she did, she’d never have asked me to get engaged to Natalia. It also doesn’t sit well with me that she didn’t push Ares towards his happiness sooner, when it was clear to all of us that the woman he really loved was Raven, and not her sister. I don’t trust that she’d put our feelings and happiness above profit. My siblings are blinded by their love for her and gratitude for taking us in when we lost our parents — but I am not.

“When did you replace out?” she asks, disappointed.

I stare at her, trying my hardest to choose the right words. The only thing I know is that Miguel is Valentina’s father, but everything else is mere speculation at this point. She doesn’t know that, though.

“Once Valentina told me who he is, it wasn’t hard to put the pieces together. The only way that information could have been kept from me is if you specifically asked Silas not to disclose it to me. After that, it was easy to figure out the rest. Why did you do it?”

She looks down at her plate and sighs. “I’m surprised Val told you about him. It’s a sore subject for her, and I didn’t think she’d ever open up about it. She acts like he’s dead to her, after all.” Grandma pushes a strand of her hair behind her ear, and my eyes zero in on the way her hand trembles. Odd. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her nervous before.

“What would you have had me do, Luca?” she asks, crestfallen. “When I saw her name on the list of applicants, I recognized her immediately. I still remember accompanying your parents to visit Val’s parents when she was born, you know? Your father and Miguel went to college together, and when Miguel left home, your father was one of the few people who supported him. I remember how much he was rooting for them, and how upset he was when Miguel left his family. Your father’s friendship with Miguel ended the day he walked away from Val. I know that if they’d still been around, your parents would have done all they could for Val. She would’ve been too young to remember, but they adored her when she was little.”

She takes a sip of her tea and falls silent for a moment, giving me a moment to digest the news. Grandma rarely mentions my parents, and this is a story I’ve never heard before. Somehow, I can imagine my father breaking ties with Miguel over the way he left Valentina, and the thought makes me oddly proud. I wonder what they’d think if they knew I ended up marrying her.

“Her resume looked empty, and I was concerned she wouldn’t be able to replace a job. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give her a chance. I’m glad I did, because she turned out to be the best hiring decision I ever made. She excelled at her job and still does.” Grandma pauses and shakes her head. “But if she had known that she got her job in part because of the friendship between your fathers, she would have quit. She wants nothing to do with him, and unfortunately, he wants to keep her hidden, too. Behind the scenes, he was thwarting her job search. He never would have allowed her to get a high-profile job, because he doesn’t want anyone to replace out about the family he abandoned. The only time he’d ever admit that she’s his daughter is if he stands to gain something from it.”

She looks into my eyes, her gaze pleading. “And you? If you had known that I truly did hire her with ulterior motives, and that she truly did get her job through nepotism, would you ever have let her live it down? You hated her when I first hired her and went out of your way to make her life difficult. What would have happened if you’d had that information? You’d have used it against her, wouldn’t you?”

I sit back as guilt eats at me. For years, I taunted her, telling her that she must have used underhanded means to get her job, and for years, she worked herself to the bone just to prove me wrong. If she were to replace out about this, everything she’s worked so hard for would feel tainted.

“My wife can never replace out,” I say, my voice terse.

Grandma smiles. “I haven’t breathed a word about it for years, Luca. Why would I start now?”

I stare at her for a moment, seeing her through fresh eyes. “Why did you place her by my side?”

She chuckles and tilts her head, a knowing smile on her lips. “Because I knew that she would thrive by your side. I’m not unaware of the harsh words you continued to throw at her, but I’m also aware of how much effort you put into training her, and the countless chances you gave her. You held onto her tightly even when she made mistakes you’d never forgive others for. Throughout it all, you may have shouted at her and made her feel horrible with your words, but you stood by her and fixed every single one of her errors. Several times, you’ve gone so far as to sweep a few of them under the carpet, thinking I wouldn’t replace out that some of the company’s losses were a direct result of Val’s mistakes. That is why, Luca. Because your words have always been inconsistent with your actions, and I knew that despite your reluctance, you would give her the chance she deserved. I took a chance on her, on you, and on what you could be together.”

I frown at her, my thoughts suddenly wandering in a direction I never thought they’d go to. Surely, she didn’t push Valentina toward me thinking we’d end up falling in love? I shake the thought off and sigh. Of course not. If she wanted us together, she’d simply have made me marry her in the first place, wouldn’t she?