HIS GREATEST BETRAYAL

Chapter 62

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FERRACCO'S POV

After dinner, l secretly slipped out to the balcony. I needed a time alone to reflect on my new life. The joy inside has been too overwhelming that at some point l was on the verge of tearing. I stood there , with my hands in my pockets staring at the star capped night sky.

I could still hear the chattering and laughter in the living room. My heart ached with longing. I wished my mother was here to share in my happiness. I wish she and Jane had met. They would have become great friends. They were so much alike. When l first met Jane , she had reminded me of my mother. Her kindness , her innocence and her sweet nature. Those were the things that drew me towards her.

Someone laid a hand on my shoulder. I turned around smiling expecting to see Jane but my smile froze when l saw Silvia instead. She cast me a small smile and l smiled back awkwardly.

"Happy anniversary , Lucas," she told me with a smile.

"Thank you , Silvia," l replied feeling odd.

It still felt awkward to be around her. She now hanged out a lot with Jane but we rarely talked. During the first days of their friendship , l had suspected her of an ulterior motive and had one of my men follow her every movement but then l had discovered that she had none. Silvia was now crazy in love with Claudius. It was more like an obsession. I couldn't believe Claudius had managed to worm his way into Silvia's heartless heart. Ever since that day, Claudius had earned more respect from me.

She stood besides me , both of us stargazing in a peaceful silence. A part of me still felt guilty whenever l was in her presence. I had treated her badly in the past especially after our wedding was ruined. I cleared my throat and turned to face her.

"Silvia, l am sorry about the way l treated you in the past. I was bitter and resentful but that was no excuse and l...," my voice trailed off with difficult.

She smiled sadly at me.

"It's okay, Lucas. I am glad things didn't work out between us because l can't imagine a life without Claudius."

"You are right. I also can't imagine a life without Jane," l replied with a fond smile as l thought of Jane's beautiful smiling face.

"Imagine if we had gone through with that wedding. We would be shouting at each other and throwing around things. We would have drove each other crazy," she chuckled and we both laughed.

"It would have been a complete disaster," l agreed with her.

Silvia sighed and stared back into the darkness beyond the balcony.

"We were not good for each other. We both sparked cruelty in each other. We both had strong personalities and we enjoyed challenging each other to do ruthless things. We needed someone soft like Jane and Claudius. As for Claudius and me, we are like ice and fire. He extinguishes the resentment and bitterness burning inside me each day."

I silently agreed with her in my head. I was full of hatred , resentment and bitterness before l met Jane. When l met her , for the first time in my life , l had another purpose to live for but my loyalty to my deceased mother had won in the end and with a heavy heart l had betrayed her in the most painful ways.

For six years , her memory had haunted me. She had taught me that there was more to life than keeping scores. She had taught me how to love when l had forgotten the feeling.

I had ached to go back to her and seek her forgiveness . l had ached to hold her warm and sweet smelling body in my arms. I had longed to hear her voice and smell her scent. Her memories had nearly drove me crazy. I had buried myself in work trying to numb her memories but it was futile.