Chapter Text
When it all began, Francesco Bernudi wondered, lying there on the brink of death. He had escaped a kidnapping, but couldn't get any further because he'd been shot due to his weakness. As he recalled the past, he remembered being engaged to Lightning Maqueen—or so he thought, still thought. So many things had led him to this point, lying there. His brown eyes were losing their light as he remembered how it had all happened: it began with a woman. Many said she was beautiful, but to Francesco, she was a horrible person, a fact he now recognizes. She used her facade of a good girl and model. He thought he was finding a friend or ally, never imagining she would destroy his relationship with Maqueen. The girl deceived him with fake photos, fake dates, everything fabricated to separate them. They succeeded, making him lie falsely, all for a purpose, and he fell for it. Of course, at first, he didn't accept it. She did everything to keep the world deceived, turning it into a scandal. Later, when their relationship was destroyed, she continued with her career and her reputation. He was kidnapped and accused of theft—stealing a huge amount of money from the Rusteze training center. His family stopped recognizing him, and eventually, everyone stopped recognizing him. He was eliminated from the grand final for being a problem. Francesco knew that this woman and someone else had caused his downfall, and he was also sure that Maqueen wanted to bring him down too. Looking to the sky, he begged for a second chance. He had done things wrong and had gone down the wrong path. Besides, he hadn't known how to value his fiancé. Of course, he loved him, but he hadn't known how to value him, and finally, Francesco Bernudi fell.