The One He Left Became The One He Couldn’t Have Chapter 25
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Adrian only found out Gianna had gotten married on the day of her wedding.
At first, he refused to believe it.
Even convinced himself of something ridiculous.
That this so-called wedding was just another show Gianna had staged.
Like his engagement to Summer.
Nothing of real substance.
But when a friend sent the photos from Gianna’s wedding.
When he saw Gianna in a bride’s white gown standing beside her groom.
When he saw his own parents seated in the VIP section.
When he saw Mia in a bridesmaid’s dress beside Gianna, crying her makeup off.
When the handsome, noble groom kissed the bride.
When the bride wept with joy.
Adrian heard something inside his chest collapse with a deafening roar.
He felt blank. Whatever his friends were saying, he couldn’t hear any of it.
Only one sentence echoed in his ears.
Gianna got married.
Gianna was already another man’s bride.
But since she was a child, wasn’t he the only one she’d ever loved?
Since she was a child, wasn’t her greatest wish always to marry him, to be his bride?
On her eighteenth birthday, she gave him that brooch, the one with the deepest meaning, with her own hands.
They had a promise. A clear, unspoken promise.
And if he’d truly felt nothing for her at all.
Why would he have tolerated her chaos at his side all those years?
Truth was, it wasn’t really chaos.
If he was being fair.
He’d been despicably using Gianna the whole time.
Back then, he was young and loved to play.
A young heir with pedigree, looks, and money to burn.
Pretty girls always flocked around, offering themselves.
He enjoyed their adoration, their rivalries, their jealousy.
But he was clear-eyed about it. He was just playing. Never serious.
Gianna once said he’d had four girlfriends and dumped them all because of her tantrums.
What she didn’t know was that he’d never actually been in a relationship with any of those girls.
A few ambiguous days. Then he’d get bored and want out.
But he was the charming, romantic playboy. How could he play the villain?
So the adopted little sister at home became the perfect tool.
He made sure people egged Gianna on.
Gianna was so young back then.
Spoiled and naive.
Dakota or someone else would feed her an exaggerated story.
And off she’d go like a lit firecracker.
And him? He’d act irritated, forced to “break up.”
While secretly a dark satisfaction bloomed in his chest.
He seemed to love watching Gianna get jealous.
Loved watching her cry her heart out over the women buzzing around him.
So cute. So pitiful.
But she was also so easy to soothe.
Just a few soft words from him. Some little gift.
Going along with whatever small thing she wanted to do.
And she’d light right up again.
He thought this time would be the same.
He thought even if he’d done something terrible.
He could always sweet-talk Gianna back.
She’d lost her parents. She’d come to the Valentinos when she was little.
Where else could she go?
Marry her off somewhere? His parents would never be at ease.
Everyone had long accepted that they would eventually marry.
Even if he’d impulsively gotten engaged to Summer.
But now, Gianna was married.
She had a husband. Someone beside her in her bed.
He no longer had the right to stand at her side.