The Don’s face darkened. “We don’t tolerate betrayal in this family.”
I stared straight at him. “I wasn’t the one who betrayed anyone. I’m here because Luca is Dora’s father. That’s it.”
Then I stood up and walked away, leaving their cold stares behind.
Upstairs, Dora followed me quietly.
She grabbed my arm, her voice barely a whisper.
“Mom… can you take me with you? I don’t wanna stay here.”
She had said some cruel things to me in the past, words that cut deeper than she could ever know.
But when she looked at me with those longing, helpless eyes…
I couldn’t bring myself to walk away.
After all, she was my own flesh and blood. I still had time to teach her how to be better.
I knelt down and hugged her tight. “Of course, baby. I won’t leave without you again.”
For the next few days, I stayed locked in my room.
I called Eason every night, and each time I spoke with Eason, he reminded me what it felt like to be safe.
I didn’t speak to anyone else. Not Fiona with her fake warmth. Not the Don with his heavy silences and veiled threats. And definitely not Luca.
I didn’t even know Luca had left the hospital until he came into my room.
He stood there like a ghost himself, too pale, too thin, and he leaned against the doorway like walking took everything out of him.
“Catrina,” he said. His voice was rough, like he hadn’t used it in days.
“IT
want us back.”
looked him straight in the eye.
“I’m going to marry someone else. Please sign the divorce papers.”
His face turned to stone. He pressed a hand to his chest, right over his ribs, right where the doctors said his stitches were. But all he said was, “Okay. If that’s what you want.”
He turned and left. That same afternoon, our divorce was finalized. Just like that.
When I called Eason to tell him, he let out the happiest laugh I’d ever heard from him.
The next day, he showed up to pick up me and Dora.
As we walked out the door, we bumped into Luca.
Eason didn’t even glance at him, just smiled at Dora and handed me a little paper bag.
“Got your favorite snacks,” he said cheerfully. “Hope you’re hungry.”
He loaded our bags into the car and drove us straight to the airport. And then, he surprised me again.
He pulled out three plane tickets. “We’re going on vacation,” he said. “Just the three of us. To Italy, I remember you said it was your dream to go back there.”
My eyes stung. Dora squealed and hugged him.
And we were on a plane, the three of us, me, my daughter, and the man who showed me love didn’t have to come with pain.
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Chapter 8
After that day, I never heard from Luca again. Not one call. Not one text.
And I never looked back.
