Unlovable Beyond Smoke

The sudden news felt like a heavy blow crashing into Alicia’s already restless heart.

It took her about three seconds to decide. She was not keeping the baby.

It was not that she could not afford it. With her ability and income, she could easily give the child a comfortable life.

But she did not want her child to be born into the ruins of a broken marriage.

She did not want the child to become another tie between her and Matteo.

Just then, the ward door flew open. Matteo rushed in.

“Alicia!” He strode straight to her bedside. He was clearly worried. “How are you? How did you get into a car accident? Is it serious?”

His concern did not seem fake.

But Alicia only felt tired.

She could no longer tell whether he cared because he loved her or simply out of habit.

She looked at him and said nothing.

Matteo thought she was upset, so he said patiently, “My phone was on silent last night, so I didn’t hear it. I’m sorry, Alicia. This time it’s my fault.”

Every word sounded very proper. Every word felt rehearsed.

Alicia was just about to tell him she was pregnant when Matteo’s phone rang again.

He glanced at the screen, and his face stiffened for a second. Then, he lowered his voice and said, “I’ll step out for two minutes.”

He took the call at the far end of the hallway. His voice was quiet, with a clear note of reassurance.

The call lasted a long time.

Alicia did not wait. She did not mention the baby either.

For the next two days, Matteo did not show up.

He only appeared on the night she was discharged with a bouquet of white roses. It was as if nothing had happened. He even opened the car door for her.

“Let’s not go home yet,” he said. “There’s a private charity dinner tonight. It’s just our circle. It won’t be too noisy. I’ll stay with you for a while. You can get some fresh air.”

Alicia wanted to refuse, but in the end, she got into the car.

She wanted to see how smoothly he could shift between two very different versions of himself.

The event was held at a members-only club.

The guests were either heirs to major conglomerates or long-established figures with close ties to the Vitale family.

Matteo was attentive the whole time.

He kept unnecessary small talk away from her. He even had the waiter replace her wine with a fruit drink.

To others, they looked like a flawless, model couple.

Then, a sudden commotion broke out in the lounge area.

Alicia looked up and saw Sophia standing beside a real estate developer. Sophia’s face was pale, and there was a red mark around her wrist, as if he had just grabbed her.

The man had clearly had too much to drink. He insisted that he had mistaken her for someone else.

Matteo did not rush over or start a fight.

He stopped a few meters away. His expression was cold enough to make people uneasy.

Then, he lifted a hand. The bodyguards behind him quickly stepped forward and pulled the man out of the crowd.

The whole thing took less than ten seconds.

No one dared to step in. No one dared to speak.

Matteo walked up to the man. His clothes were still perfectly in place. He said calmly, “Take him to a private room and let him sober up. Inform his board as well. Starting tomorrow, the Vitale family will end all cooperation with them.”

The man’s face went pale. The alcohol seemed to leave him on the spot. He began to apologize repeatedly.

Matteo did not look at him anymore. He took off his suit jacket and placed it over Sophia’s shoulders. Then, he quietly told a waitress to take her to the lounge.

That single gesture made Alicia stop where she was. She did not even bother to move her lips.

It felt too familiar.

In the past, when she felt unwell after a court hearing, Matteo had draped his jacket over her shoulders in the same way.

When she was surrounded by the media, he had done the same. He pushed everyone aside first, then took her away.

Some gestures done for another woman to show care and affection were painfully obvious.

As if he noticed her gaze, Matteo walked back quickly. His tone was steady and controlled. “She is the younger sister of the former underboss. I can’t ignore it.”

Alicia chuckled. “You really are good at taking care of people.”

She did not say anything else. She turned and walked toward the terrace.