Chapter 102
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Luca wanted no part of it. The greed, the ugliness–it sickened him. And Carlotta, sweet Carlotta, was on the verge of collapse. She turned to
him, her voice shaking, “Please, take me home, Luca. I can’t be here anymore.”
Without a word, he wrapped his arm around her and led her out, away from the madness. They drove in silence, the dark streets of Rome passing by in a blur. Halfway through the drive, Carlotta’s composure finally shattered. She sobbed into her hands, her body trembling as she let out all the grief, the frustration, the betrayal she felt over her great–aunt’s death and the family’s reaction.
Luca’s heart clenched. He pulled over to the side of the road and took her into his arms, cradling her as she cried, her pain raw and all- consuming. He whispered soft words of comfort, though he knew they were meaningless in the face of such loss. But he held her, tight and unwavering, until her sobs subsided, leaving only a fragile silence between them.
When she finally pulled away, wiping her tears, her voice was small, vulnerable. “Can I stay with you tonight, Luca? I don’t want to be alone.”
His heart twisted. He knew it wasn’t a good idea–God, it was the worst idea, especially with Nico and Amber staying at his house. The last thing he needed was more complications, more tension. He could already imagine the awkward, painful scenarios that might arise if they ran into each other. But looking at Carlotta, her face pale and streaked with tears, he couldn’t say no. Not tonight. She needed him, and despite everything, he couldn’t leave her to grieve alone.
“Of course,” he said softly, his voice gentle despite the heavy weight in his chest. He turned the car around, heading toward his own home.
When they arrived at the casa, the house was dark and silent. Nico and Amber were already asleep, and Luca was grateful for the quiet. It gave him and Carlotta a moment of privacy, a space to breathe after the storm of emotions that had consumed the day. He switched off the lights, ready to retreat for the night, but then he noticed Carlotta heading into his bedroom–the master bedroom.
His stomach twisted. They had shared that room many times before, during their engagement, but tonight it didn’t feel right. Not with Nico and Amber under the same roof, not with everything that had happened. His son was already struggling with ghosts from the past, and the last thing Luca wanted was to add more confusion, more pain, to his fragile world.
But how could he say that to Carlotta now? She was so vulnerable, so broken, and he knew if he asked her to leave the room, she would take it as a rejection, as if he didn’t care. So he said nothing. He let her walk into the master bedroom and close the door behind her, while he stood there in the dark, the weight of his decisions pressing down on him like a vice.
2
He wandered into the living room, turning on the TV for distraction, but his mind was elsewhere. An hour later, when he couldn’t bear the silence any longer, he got up and made his way toward the guest bedroom. As he passed by Nico’s room, his foot caught on something. A toy train, small and forgotten, lay just outside the door. Luca froze, staring at the tiny object, his heart lurching in his chest.
Tomorrow, he had promised himself.
But tomorrow had already come and gone. And nothing was solved.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
