Chapter 4

On the morning I was leaving, I put the signed divorce agreement in an envelope and left it in Luca's study.

I slipped my wedding ring in with it.

When I got back to the bedroom, Luca was standing in the doorway.

"Are you free tonight?"

I zipped up my suitcase before asking, "What is it?"

He paused, then said, "There's a family dinner tonight. You're coming.

"Didn't you always want me to make you pasta? I'll make it for you tonight."

I looked at him and didn't say anything.

In the past, when Luca made me angry, he rarely tried to make it up to me.

He would just have someone send me an expensive bag or jewelry, or free up an evening at the last minute to have dinner with me.

Then he'd act as though nothing had happened.

Ten years, and he was still the same.

Luca went on, "Don't be late. After dinner, I'll take you for a walk."

My hand froze on the handle of my suitcase.

So he remembered.

He had said he would come home Sunday night and have dinner with me.

Last night at the safe house, the moment he handed the keys to Selina, I'd thought he had completely forgotten.

But now he had brought it up himself.

For a moment, I wanted to believe him one last time.

At six, I loaded my luggage into the car I'd booked and headed to the Romano estate.

By the time I arrived, many people were already seated at the table.

Sergio pulled out the chair to Luca's left for me. "Donna, you'll sit here tonight."

I saw Selina's handbag on the chair to his right.

She soon came over and sat down beside him.

Luca bent his head to listen to her, then swapped her wine for a glass of water.

I stood there for a moment, then slowly sat down.

During dinner, someone brought up the time Luca had been recovering from his injury.

He said he had gone to see Luca a few times back then but had never made it past the estate gates.

Holding my glass, I remembered all those nights in the safe house with the lights on until dawn.

Luca smiled but said nothing.

The man raised his glass. "A toast to the Donna. Without you, this family wouldn't be where it is today."

I reached for my glass, but Luca's gaze passed right over me and turned to his right.

Selina raised her glass and clinked it against Luca's.

Laughter broke out around the table.

Luca didn't explain.

Selina hadn't been there with him in that safe house.

She hadn't been there on any of those nights when he needed someone most.

As I watched them clink glasses, I realised those ten years no longer mattered. I couldn't let the past hold me back.

If Luca no longer cared, why should I cling to the memories?

After a while, Luca got up and went to the kitchen.

When the familiar smell of tomato meat sauce drifted out, I looked up anyway.

He stood at the kitchen door with his sleeves rolled up.

The chef tried to take the plate, but Luca shook his head.

Then he bent his head and wiped a bit of sauce from the rim.

Just like ten years ago.

Back then, he couldn't put weight on his shoulder yet, and the hand holding the plate shook a little.

I had wanted to take it from him, but he wouldn't let me.

He said it was the first meal he had ever cooked for me, and he wanted to bring it to me himself.

Luca walked over carrying the plate of pasta.

I looked at him, and despite everything, my eyes stung.

He had said he would make it for me tonight.

Maybe what happened last night had mattered to him after all.

Maybe after this meal, he would finally be willing to hear me out.

I moved my water glass aside.

I cleared a space for the plate.

But Luca walked right past me.

He didn't even slow down.

He set it down in front of Selina.

He didn't sit down right away. He picked up a fork and loosened the tangle of noodles.

He said gently to Selina, "Careful, it's still hot."

Someone nearby joked that it was rare to see Luca cook a meal himself.

He laughed too, still looking at her.

I lowered my head and slowly let go of the napkin I had been clenching.

Sergio brought me the same dinner as everyone else.

I didn't touch it.

So he really had saved a seat for me.

He had me sit here and watch him give another woman the meal he had promised to make only for me.

Ten years.

And one sentence from him had been enough to make me believe he remembered his promise.

I didn't wait for dinner to end.

I set down my napkin, quietly stood up, and left.

No one called me back.

When the driver saw me come out, he opened the car door for me, and we went straight to the airport.

I had already checked in when Luca texted, "Why did you leave early?"

He texted again, "Selina's afraid to go back to the safe house alone. I'll take her there first. I'll be home later to be with you."

I stared at the messages for a while and didn't reply.

Before the cabin door closed, I switched my phone to airplane mode.

The plane began to taxi.

Outside the window, the lights slipped away one by one.

Luca still didn't know my wedding ring and the divorce agreement were sitting in his study.

Nor did he know that the car waiting outside the estate had been booked to take me to the airport all along.

And this time, I wasn't going to wait for him.