Page 35 of The Billionaire's Destiny

My jaw dropped, and my stomach twisted with disbelief.Nico cheated on Olivia?

“It was one time when I was twenty-four, damn it. Why can’t you let it go?” Nico’s voice was loud above Luca’s.

Luca tutted. “You think I’m too old to remember that you were twenty-six? You hired her to act in your film—that I fully funded—only to pay me back by cheating on my daughter.”

“It happened only once, and I came to my senses,” Nico said, his voice losing steam.

Luca snorted. “You honestly think I don’t know therealnumber of times? Mandy told meeverything.”

“Huh? Yeah, well, it wasn’t as she remembers, and I told her like I’m telling you, the affair was the biggest mistake of my life, and I regret it every day.”

“You regret getting caught. You can’t change history. Damn it, I had to cover your disgrace.”

“You didn’t. You stepped in after I cut it off. I love Olivia very much, and I devoted my life to her.”

Luca smirked. “You lived well. Much better than you deserved. So, what do you want? More money? That’s all I ever hear from you.” His tone was full of disgust.

Nico emerged from behind the desk, a shadow of the polished man I remembered. His hair was stuck out in wild tufts, and ascrap of tissue clung to a nick in his beard. His rumpled clothes looked as if he’d slept in them.

Luca let out a groan. “You reek like a sewer.”

Nico seemed to ignore him and raised his hands together as if in prayer. “Why can’t you forgive me?”

Luca huffed. “Not this again. I’ve told you before, forgiveness isn’t mine to give.”

“It most certainly is. You act like it was easy for me. I was a kid.”

Luca clicked his tongue. “A kid at twenty-six? At your age, I was raising a child and holding down a job—”

“Because it was given to you,” Nico said in a flat tone.

“Nothing was handed to me,” Luca snapped. “Unlike you, I earned my place at Marini Corporate. I pulled strings to get you those movie contracts, and you repaid me by betraying my daughter.”

Nico blew out a breath and rubbed his eyelids. “I…It just happened.”

“It happened because you’re weak,” Luca sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.

“I was, and I devoted my life to making Olivia happy. She’s fine, and we love each other; you can’t deny that. We even had the twins—”

“At great risk to her and later than expected. I warned you that the Marinis’ legacy depended on children who learned the importance of their family history and responsibilities. The older generation’s duty is to shape the younger one, and you agreed to do your part. But, of course, you didn’t. You left Rocco to fend for himself.”

“You took over Rocco. Made him think of me as not good enough.”

“That’s your curse. You have a weakness in mind and spirit. Marinis aren’t raised to think like that. So, why are you here? What do you want from me now?”

“I…I want you to keep your promise.”

“What promise didImakeyou?” Luca mocked irritably.

“That you’ll never tell Rocco about the affair. I don’t want him to hate me.”

Luca’s mouth curled into a scowl. “I’ll do what’s best for my family. Hurting Rocco serves no one. If you want his trust, tell him the truth yourself.”

Nico jerked his head and rubbed his jaw. “In my time. Good. Uh, thanks. He’s good at producing movies. You should help him instead of forcing him to do a job he never wanted.”

“Is this about you again? If you want to direct, then direct. Put in the work.”

Nico scoffed. “A born billionaire has the nerve to tell me to work. I work, still do, but because I lacksuccess, it’s not good enough for you. Olivia and the kids are happy, but even that’s not enough. I came to help Rocco.”