Chapter 168
ས ཝེ,71%
The grocery store was a welcome distraction. Amber wandered through the aisles, pushing her cart slowly as she picked up the essentials–eggs, bread, milk, cereals. Her movements were methodical, but her mind was far from focused. She lingered unnecessarily in front of shelves, running her fingers over jars and boxes she had no intention of buying. The mundane routine was oddly therapeutic, grounding her in a way that she hadn’t expected.
The checkout line, however, tested her patience. It stretched on endlessly, the minutes dragging as she stood clutching her cart. She shuffled forward with every small step the line allowed, her thoughts starting to wander again. By the time she reached the cashier, the hour she’d spent away from home felt like a lifetime.
As Amber drove back, her mind drifted to dinner. What should I make tonight? she wondered absently. Pasta sounded good, something comforting. Maybe Rigatoni… or Cacio e Pepe.
Her thoughts shifted, unbidden, to Luca. He loved pasta. Her chest tightened as she remembered how he would always smile whenever she made one of his favorite dishes, the way he’d say “You’ve spoiled me” with a teasing glint in his eye. Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel as her heart gave a sudden, sharp slam against her ribs.
What are you doing? she thought, shaking her head as if to dislodge the traitorous thoughts.
He was being a complete dickhead right now. Yes, he was! But something he’d said last night stuck with her, refusing to be easily dismissed or
forgotten.
Luca’s words had circled in her mind relentlessly, his claim ringing louder with each replay: that she had been insecure about why he’d married her, convinced it was only because of the pregnancy. That it wasn’t the truth. That she had projected her own insecurities onto him and then left, believing he didn’t love her.
Was there truth in that? Amber didn’t know, but the question gnawed at her. It was unsettling to think that maybe, just maybe, she hadn’t fully seen things for what they were. She turned the thought over in her mind again and again as she drove home, her hands tightening on the steering wheel.
When she arrived back at the building, the watchman was at his post, giving her an awkward smile. The memory of Luca’s cutting remark from the night before, loud enough for anyone to hear, made her face flush. Amber nodded stiffly and kept her gaze low, hoping against hope that he wouldn’t spread gossip around the building. The last thing she needed was to become the topic of every coffee–table conversation in the
complex.
As she pulled into the parking lot, something unusual caught her eye. A sleek, impossibly shiny Aston Martin sat parked like a gleaming jewel among the average sedans and hatchbacks. Its metallic sheen reflected the afternoon sunlight, its presence so out of place that it might as well have come from another planet.
“Whose car is that?” Amber asked aloud, frowning as she stepped out of her own modest vehicle. The luxury car’s curves practically screamed indulgence, a rare sight in their humble neighborhood.
“Bloody hell if I know!” Mark, her neighbor, was standing a few feet away, admiring the car with a mix of awe and envy. “But she’s a beauty, isn’t she?” He ran a hand along the hood as if touching something sacred.
Amber didn’t respond, but a sinking feeling began to form in her chest. She had a good idea who this car belonged to. Her stomach twisted as she walked briskly toward the building, her mind racing. Luca. Of course, it had to be him. That ridiculous man, she thought. He couldn’t just buy something practical to get around. No, he had to announce his wealth to the whole neighborhood.
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10:24 Fri, Feb 13 BGD
Chapter 168
སཾ ཱི,71%u
Her pace quickened, her sneakers slapping against the floor with increasing urgency. By the time she reached her apartment door, her breathing was shallow. She fumbled with her keys for a moment, then unlocked the door and pushed it open.
The moment she stepped inside, her purse dropped onto the small table by the entrance, and her eyes immediately caught something that made her freeze. Two people were in the living room: Luca, sitting casually on the couch, and a woman in his arms. A crying blonde woman.
Amber’s chest tightened as recognition hit her like a freight train. Carlotta Forentino.
Her brain momentarily blanked. Carlotta was clinging to Luca as though her life depended on it, her sobs muffled against his chest. Luca’s hand was resting awkwardly on her shoulder.
The room seemed to tilt for a moment before Amber’s anger and disbelief surged to the forefront.
What the hell is going on here?
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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.
