The De Luca mansion was unusually quiet that night.
Dinner had already been served, and most of the family had settled into the living room.
Purvi sat beside Lucia, listening to Alessandro and Isabella argue over something completely ridiculous.
She smiled occasionally, but her attention kept drifting toward the entrance.
Vincenzo hadn’t returned yet.
She told herself she wasn’t waiting for him.
She was simply sitting there.
That was all.
Then the sound of a car arriving outside caught everyone’s attention.
Alessandro glanced toward the windows.
“He’s back.”
Purvi looked up before she could stop herself.
A moment later, the front doors opened.
Vincenzo walked inside.
But he wasn’t alone.
A woman walked beside him.
She was beautiful, elegantly dressed, and clearly comfortable enough to walk into the De Luca mansion without hesitation.
Purvi’s smile disappeared.
Lucia’s expression changed immediately.
Isabella looked surprised.
Alessandro raised an eyebrow.
Everyone knew Vincenzo’s reputation.
He had never been emotionally attached to anyone.
Women came and went.
He never promised them anything.
Never gave them a place in his life.
And yet tonight, he had brought one home.
Vincenzo’s eyes briefly met Purvi’s.
He saw the change in her expression.
Something inside him tightened.
But he ignored it.
He had made a decision.
After their conversation that morning, he wanted Purvi to remember exactly what this marriage was.
A contract.
Nothing more.
And perhaps he wanted to prove to himself that he could still live exactly as he had before.
He placed a hand in his pocket.
“This is Elena.”
The woman smiled politely.
“Good evening.”
Purvi forced herself to smile.
“Good evening.”
Lucia stared at her grandson.
“Vincenzo.”
He looked at his grandmother.
“What?”
“You brought a guest?”
“Yes.”
Lucia’s eyes narrowed.
“To the house?”
“For the night.”
Silence.
Purvi’s fingers tightened around the edge of her dress.
Alessandro glanced at her.
He noticed.
So did Isabella.
But neither said anything.
Vincenzo turned toward the staircase.
“Come.”
The woman followed him.
Purvi watched them disappear upstairs.
Her chest felt strangely tight.
She didn’t understand it.
She shouldn’t care.
She had no right to care.
He had told her exactly what she was.
His contract wife.
Nothing more.
She had no claim over him.
At least, that’s what she kept telling herself.
But seeing another woman walking beside him…
Seeing her follow him into their home…
Something hot and ugly twisted inside Purvi’s chest.
Jealousy.
She hated the word the moment it entered her mind.
No.
She wasn’t jealous.
She was simply angry.
That was all.
Lucia reached for her hand.
“Purvi.”
Purvi immediately smiled.
“I’m fine.”
Lucia looked unconvinced.
“You don’t have to pretend with me.”
“I’m really fine.”
But she wasn’t.
Not even close.
Later that night, Purvi made herself a cup of tea.
She didn’t know why.
Perhaps she simply needed something to do.
Perhaps she wanted to prove to herself that she could behave normally.
She walked upstairs.
The bedroom door was slightly open.
Purvi stopped.
She could hear voices inside.
Her heart began beating faster.
She pushed the door open.
And froze.
The woman was there.
She was standing close to Vincenzo.
Far too close.
Vincenzo was removing his jacket.
The woman was speaking to him.
Purvi stared.
Something inside her snapped.
For one second, she wanted to walk over and slap him.
Then she remembered.
The contract.
She swallowed.
Her fingers tightened around the cup.
Vincenzo looked at her.
Their eyes met.
Purvi forced a smile.
“I brought you tea.”
She walked inside.
She placed the cup on the table beside him.
Hard.
The cup made a sharp sound against the wood.
Vincenzo’s eyes narrowed.
Purvi turned away immediately.
She didn’t trust herself to speak.
Her eyes had already begun burning.
She walked toward the bathroom.
“Purvi.”
She stopped.
She didn’t turn around.
“Yes?”
His voice was unreadable.
“Nothing.”
Purvi nodded.
“Goodnight.”
She walked into the bathroom and closed the door.
The moment it shut, she pressed her back against it.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
She quickly wiped it away.
“Don’t cry.”
She whispered the words to herself.
“Don’t.”
She looked at herself in the mirror.
She was angry.
Furious.
She hated the fact that she cared.
She hated the fact that seeing another woman with Vincenzo hurt.
Most of all, she hated herself for forgetting that this was never supposed to be real.
Meanwhile, inside the bedroom, the woman looked at Vincenzo.
“Your wife?”
Vincenzo’s face hardened.
“Don’t call her that.”
The woman blinked.
“But she is.”
“She’s my contract wife.”
The woman smiled faintly.
“And what am I?”
Vincenzo looked at her coldly.
“Nothing.”
Her smile disappeared.
“You brought me here.”
“To make something clear.”
She frowned.
“What?”
Vincenzo looked toward the bathroom door.
“That she means nothing to me.”
The woman studied him.
“Then why haven’t you touched me?”
His jaw tightened.
Because he hadn’t.
Not once.
She had tried to get close several times that evening.
Every time, he had stepped away.
He had brought her there for one reason only.
To make Purvi believe he had no regard for her.
And judging by the look on Purvi’s face…
It had worked.
But suddenly, he wasn’t sure he liked the victory.
The next morning, Purvi walked into the dining room.
The entire family noticed something was different.
Her hair wasn’t properly arranged.
She hadn’t put on her usual bright smile.
Her eyes looked slightly swollen.
She was quiet.
Too quiet.
Lucia immediately frowned.
“Purvi?”
Purvi looked up.
“Good morning, Grandma.”
Her voice was soft.
Lucia studied her.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes.”
It was a lie.
Purvi hadn’t slept much.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Vincenzo standing with that woman.
She had spent half the night reminding herself that she had no right to feel anything.
Alessandro looked at her carefully.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Isabella exchanged a glance with him.
Something was clearly wrong.
Then Vincenzo walked into the dining room.
His eyes immediately went to Purvi.
She didn’t look at him.
He took his usual seat.
“Good morning.”
Silence.
Purvi continued eating.
Vincenzo’s eyes narrowed.
“Purvi.”
Nothing.
She reached for her water.
“Purvi.”
She finally looked at him.
“What?”
“Good morning.”
She nodded.
“Good morning.”
Then she looked away again.
Vincenzo stared at her.
This was new.
She was always talking.
Always smiling.
Always finding something irritating to say to him.
Now she was barely acknowledging his existence.
He didn’t like it.
Not at all.
Lucia noticed the tension.
“What happened?”
Purvi shook her head.
“Nothing.”
Vincenzo said nothing.
But his gaze remained fixed on her.
She didn’t look at him again.
And for the first time, Vincenzo realized that getting exactly what he wanted might have been the worst decision he’d made.
Because he had wanted Purvi to understand that she meant nothing to him.
Instead…
He had managed to make her stop treating him like he mattered at all.