Chapter 627

At that instant, Stephanie felt a shiver run down her spine at Chris’s words, snapping her wide awake. Her drowsiness vanished completely. She sat upright, chuckling lightly as she quipped, “Are you going to attend my wedding?”

His breath caught in his throat. At that moment, Chris was at his property in Fiorenza. He had intended to reach out to Stephanie, yet upon his arrival, a wave of anxiety enveloped him. He had seen reports regarding her wedding in Fiorenza, not through Sebastian, but rather via Lottie. Lottie, who had raised Stephanie, could be regarded as her mother in every sense.

Such a union would undoubtedly face opposition in Long Harbor. Yet Lottie had proclaimed, “My daughter-in-law has finally grown up. She actually announced that her family had long accepted Stephanie as a family member—but as Sebastian’s partner.”

Chris was utterly unprepared for the prominence Stephanie held within the Lucano family. Back in Long Harbor, Chris had thought that her bond with Sebastian would lead to a lot of trouble when Stephanie returned to Fiorenza. Chris firmly believed that the bond he shared with Stephanie, forged in their upbringing, could never be surpassed by Sebastian. He had imagined that, after enduring hardship with the Lucano family and being cast out by them, Stephanie would have no choice but to return to Long Harbor and belong to him. Yet, he was mistaken.

The barriers to their wedding, which Chris had thought wouldn’t be so easy to overcome, proved otherwise. When Stephanie mentioned her wedding to Sebastian, it hit Chris like a punch, leaving him stunned.

“Are you truly marrying Sebastian?” Chris gasped, struggling for breath. His surroundings dimmed as a deep ache settled within him, something he had never experienced before.

Even during Olivia’s departure from Long Harbor, he had not felt such profound grief. After Stephanie left, he found he remembered every detail of her.

Stephanie chuckled, “The preparations for the wedding are clearly underway.” Indeed, her wedding to Sebastian had been in the works since they were still in Long Harbor.

Chris challenged, “Are you aware that, aside from the Lucano and Giovanni families, no one else is accepting you? Your relationship with Sebastian is unacceptable, no matter the circumstances.”

It was true; while the two families had accepted the change in Stephanie and Sebastian’s relationship, it did not imply general acceptance. Their connection would face rejection.

Faced with Chris’s ardent admonitions, Stephanie merely shrugged, saying, “This is not for you to concern yourself with.”

His breath almost faltered upon hearing Stephanie’s retort.

Stephanie said, “Focus on yourself, Chris. Don’t tell me that after discovering Olivia’s true nature, you’ve realized you no longer love her? If that’s the case, Olivia is truly to be pitied, and your affection seems rather ridiculous.”

“No matter how I change, Sebastian will always love me.”

Chris thought, ‘How could she say that Sebastian loved her? Did she understand the meaning of love?’

Stephanie continued, “If I were you, I wouldn’t waste any time in Fiorenza; Steven is not as simple as you might assume.”

Steven, a survivor of the underground fight arena, possessed a depth of acuity beyond ordinary individuals. Chris couldn’t match him in a fight.

At the mention of Steven, Chris scoffed derisively, “Is this your crutch? Stephanie, you’ve won; I truly have lost everything because of him.” His voice dripped with resignation.