After 18 Wedding Escapes, I Married the Mafia King Chapter 03
A wave of bitterness washed over me.
So he did know why I kept waiting for him.
He knew exactly why. He knew I’d staked seven years of my life on him.
That was exactly why he had no problem ditching me over and over.
Juliana gently tugged at his sleeve.
“Stefano, don’t say that.”
“Lillian really loves you.”
Stefano looked down at her, his eyes instantly softening.
“That’s exactly why I can’t just marry her.”
“She’s way too clingy.”
“If we actually got married, she’d make a scene every time something happened to you.”
The words landed in my ears, and suddenly I laughed.
Raven looked at me, her eyes already red with anger.
I shook my head. “It’s fine.”
A sharp ache spread through my chest.
But after the first sharp sting passed, everything became strangely calm.
The group at the neighboring booth had already moved on to another topic.
The bottle spun around the table several times before stopping in front of Stefano.
Someone immediately slammed a hand on the table.
“Alright, look—Don Greco lost.”
“Truth or dare?”
Stefano lounged against the sofa. “Dare.”
The table instantly erupted with cheers. “Then kiss Juliana!”
Juliana’s face turned bright red. “You guys, that’s too far.”
Someone laughed and dialed it back.
“Alright, alright. We’ll go easy since Juliana’s shy.”
“How about kissing the top of Juliana’s foot? That’s not too much, right?”
The entire table doubled over laughing.
Juliana dipped her head, biting her lip as she drew her foot back just a little.
But it wasn’t a real refusal. More like playing coy.
Stefano chuckled. “You guys are so childish.”
Yet he didn’t refuse.
He set down his glass, leaned toward Juliana, and lowered his head to her feet.
Raven shot up. She grabbed a glass from the table and threw its contents straight at him.
The liquor splashed across Stefano’s face.
Everyone fell silent.
Stefano slowly lifted his head. Alcohol dripped down his jaw.
Then his gaze moved past the crowd and landed on me.
For the first time that night, the casual indifference on his face cracked.
He stood up. His voice dropped.
“Lillian, are you following me?”
Before I could speak, Raven let out a cold laugh.
“Stefano, you really think you’re God’s gift or something?”
“Why would anyone waste time following you?”
“We’re here for a bachelorette party. Celebrating Lillian getting married today.”
The anger on Stefano’s face froze.
Then he let out a low laugh, like he’d just heard the most ridiculous thing.
“Lillian, are you twelve?”
“You’d make up something like this just to make me jealous?”
I didn’t bother explaining.
Instead, I reached into my bag, took out my marriage license, and tossed it onto the table in front of him.
Raven sneered. “Open your eyes and take a good look.”
“She got married this afternoon.”
Stefano glanced down at it.
But he didn’t even bother opening it.
He stared at the certificate, his certainty unwavering.
“You think a fake certificate’s going to make me believe you?”
Silence fell for a brief second.
Then someone burst out laughing.
“I knew it. Like she’d ever actually leave Don Greco.”
“This is just sad.”
Juliana gently tugged on Stefano’s sleeve.
She looked at me, all innocence and wounded feelings.
“Lillian, stop this.”
“Even if you’re upset, you shouldn’t make a joke out of marriage.”
She paused.
Her voice was soft, but loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Are you really that desperate to get married?”
“You want to force Stefano’s hand that badly?”
The moment she finished speaking, the laughter around the table grew even louder.
Someone slapped the tabletop and joined in.
“Oh, come on, Lillian. This is just getting sad now.”
“Don Greco said he’d marry you. What’s the damn rush?”
“Going as far as getting a fake certificate—you’re seriously unhinged.”
Raven’s eyes turned red with fury.
“Are you people blind?”
“You’ll see if it’s fake the second you open it.”
I placed a hand over hers.
“Forget it. They don’t deserve to see it.”
I took the certificate back and brushed away a small drop of liquor that had splashed onto the cover.
They didn’t doubt it because the certificate looked fake.
They doubted it because, in their eyes, I was supposed to wait for Stefano forever.
Stefano looked at me, irritation creeping into his eyes.
“You done? Then go home. I’ll let it go this time.”
Suddenly, I smiled. “But I’m done fighting with you.”
With that, I took Raven by the hand and walked toward the exit.
