REBORN My Second Life I Became The Villianess (Nyxara) novel Chapter 62

The heavy silence in the room felt thick enough to cut with a knife. Every single person was staring straight at us, frozen in total shock. Grandmother had her hand pressed flat against her chest, Elena looked like she was about to faint, and Vincenzo was frowning hard, his eyes darting back and forth between the strange man and me.

I stood there, my body completely rigid, my brain was trying to catch up with what had just happened. This man had practically tackled me in a hug and called me a name I had never heard in my life.

I gently placed my hands against his chest, pulling away just enough to break his grip, and took a small step back. I looked up into his weathered, stunned face, keeping my voice calm and steady.

"I am sorry," I said, offering a polite, confused frown. "My name is Nyxara. I don't know any Emma."

The man just stood there staring at me. His mouth parted slightly as he looked over every single inch of my face, his eyes shining with a deep, painful mix of shock and disbelief. He looked like a man who had just seen a ghost walk right out of the grave.

Before things could get any more awkward, a warm, heavy weight settled around my waist.

Dario appeared at my side like a silent shadow. His arm wrapped around me, pulling me back against his solid frame in a gesture that was unmistakably possessive. He lowered his chin slightly, locking his dark eyes onto his godfather with a cool, steady gaze.

"Godfather," Dario said, his deep voice cutting through the thick silence of the room. "This is my wife, Nyxara Vexari. Nyxara this is Pedro Cruz my Godfather"

Pedro blinked hard, shaking his head as if trying to clear away a dream. He looked away from Dario, his gaze snapping right back to my face, and let out a shaky breath.

"You look exactly like her," Pedro whispered, his voice trembling slightly.

I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms loosely over my chest. "Like who?" I asked, my curiosity finally breaking through my confusion.

Pedro swallowed hard, pointing a slightly shaking finger toward my face. "My sister. Even your eyes. Your face, your hair, the way you carry yourself... you look exactly like Emma." he said.

Dario’s expression didn't change, but his arm tightened around my waist just a fraction. He turned his head to look down at me, studying my features closely, then looked back up at the older man.

"She does?" Dario asked, his tone flat and searching.

"Yes," Pedro said firmly, running a hand over his face as he let out a heavy sigh. He straightened his jacket, looking at me with a soft, apologetic expression that seemed entirely too vulnerable for a man connected to the Valteri empire.

"Forgive me. I didn't mean to ambush you like that, child. But as you can see, the shock got the better of me. You are the exact spitting image of a ghost from my past." He offered a polite, weary smile, holding out a hand.

"Let me properly introduce myself. I am Pedro Cruz." I looked at his outstretched hand for a second before taking it, giving it a polite shake. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Cruz."

"Pedro, please," he insisted, his eyes still holding a strange, lingering sadness as he looked at me.

With the sudden tension broken, the rest of the family let out collective, nervous breaths. Grandmother waved a hand toward the plush seating area in the center of the room, playing the gracious host to smooth over the sudden outburst.

"Well, now that the dramatic reunion with a phantom is over," Grandmother said smoothly, her voice cutting through the quiet, "why don't we all sit down? We have a wedding to plan, and I want to hear about the venue ideas." she said.

We all moved over toward the seating area. Elena and Grandmother took the matching settee, Vincenzo was sitting in a nearby armchair, and Dario guided me down onto the large sofa beside him. Pedro took the single armchair directly across from us, folding his hands over his knees.

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