Chapter 4

Three days, and Luca was practically a ghost. His black sports car left late at night and returned just before dawn. I told myself that was a stroke of luck, because the last thing I wanted was to run into him.

That afternoon, Robert called. He had left some important files behind in his home study and asked if I could drop them off at the Walsh Group headquarters in Brickell.

Since I had nothing else to do, I agreed to take Mom’s place and headed over, driven by the family chauffeur.

The office lobby was a vast expanse of gleaming glass and polished marble. The receptionist directed me to the twenty-second floor.

I had just stepped out of the elevator when a woman ahead of me turned around.

Long blonde hair. A cream-colored silk blouse. In her hands, she carried a brown paper bag holding two lunchboxes.

My heart skipped a beat.

“Avery Bennett?” She flashed a wide smile, as if we were dear old friends. “Goodness. It’s been forever.”

“Sabrina,” I murmured quietly.

Sabrina Hale. Two years ahead of me in college, majoring in the exact same field as Luca.

The girl by the indoor pool.

“I heard you became Luca’s stepsister now.” Her tone was sweet. Too sweet. “Small world, isn't it?”

“I just came to drop off some files for Robert.”

“I’m dropping something off, too.” She lifted the paper bag slightly. “Luca always forgets to eat when he gets busy. Ever since New York, I’ve been the one looking after him.”

Ever since New York.

I forced a stiff smile. “You two are still close.”

“Close?” She let out a light laugh. “We’ve never truly been apart.”

The meeting room doors slid open. Luca emerged, flanked by a few men in tailored suits. His eyes locked onto the two of us instantly, and his expression darkened.

“Sabrina. I told you not to come to the office.”

“I just brought lunch.” Sabrina reached out, her hand resting familiarly on his arm. “Are you still mad about the other night?”

Luca pulled his arm away, though he didn’t step back entirely. His gaze darted to me, and for a fraction of a second, I caught a glimpse of raw panic in his eyes.

“Ave. It’s not what you think.”

That line. Almost identical to five years ago.

I placed the file folder on the reception desk, my hand moving carefully to keep it from shaking. “Robert’s files. Don’t worry, I won’t interfere with whatever you two have going on.”

“Avery—”

I was already walking toward the elevator. In the reflection of the closing metal doors, I caught sight of Sabrina standing behind him. She wasn’t looking at Luca. She was looking straight at me, wearing a smile far too smug for someone who had just dropped off lunch.

Or maybe I was just losing my mind, spiraling into paranoia.

That evening, Mom and Robert’s wedding reception was celebrated quietly in the mansion’s front courtyard. A white canopy tent, fairy lights twinkling like stars, and soft jazz drifting from the gazebo. Only about fifty guests were in attendance.

I wore a sleeveless pastel dress with light makeup, desperately wanting to blend into the background and avoid catching anyone’s eye.

On the stairs, I crossed paths with Luca. The corner of his lip was swollen, a purplish bruise still lingering on his skin. He quickly averted his face.

What happened to him? Who hit him?

“Avery, sweetheart?” Mom’s voice called out from below. I brushed past Luca without a word.

“Yes, Mom?”

Mom introduced me to a few of her acquaintances. I offered polite smiles and kept my answers brief.

Finally, the moment I slipped away from the crowd, I could breathe.

I grabbed a glass of champagne and retreated to a quiet, secluded corner near the edge of the tent. From there, I could observe everything without having to exchange another forced pleasantry.

Until a dark shadow loomed beside me.

Luca had changed into a tailored suit, his dark hair neatly styled. He moved so fast it was as if the bruises on his face were nothing at all.

“Still not a fan of crowds?” he asked.

“It’s quieter here.”

“You look different,” he remarked out of nowhere.

“It’s been five years.” I glanced pointedly at the corner of his lip. “What about you? What happened there?”

Something flickered in his eyes—too fast for me to decipher. “A minor accident.”

“What kind of accident leaves a bruise on the corner of your mouth?”

“None of your business, Sister.”

I scoffed. “You told me before that I was the one who ran. You’re not much different.”

He stared at me for a long, silent moment. Then, softly, almost in a whisper: “You don’t know anything about that night, Ave.”

I froze. “It’s in the past. I don’t want to hear any of it. Besides, if you’re with that woman now, it’s none of my business anyway. Let’s just focus on our own lives.”

With that, I turned on my heel and walked away. I headed toward the quiet back garden, but before I could find solitude, my phone buzzed in my hand. Daniel’s name lit up the screen again.

I was so exhausted. But maybe this time, I could use him to vent every ounce of pent-up fury inside me.

“What is it now?”

“Avery, please don’t hang up. Just give me a chance to fix things. I messed up, I was tempted by Elena,” he pleaded from the other end of the line.

“Like you said, I’m basically turning into a nun. So stop bothering me and focus on your relationship with Elena!”

“Ave, please, just listen to me.” Daniel’s voice sounded raw and panicked. “I can’t lose you. I love you. Elena was just—”

“Just what? A mistake?” I held my breath to keep my voice from trembling. “You said I wasn't attractive. You called me a prude in front of my own best friend.”

“I misspoke. I was frustrated, Ave. I’m human.”

“And I’m not? Is that what you mean?”

“That’s not what I meant.” He let out a heavy sigh. “Look, I’m not giving up. I already checked the flights. I’m coming down to Miami this weekend. We’ll talk face-to-face. You can’t avoid me forever.”

Blood rushed cold through my veins. “Don’t you dare.”

“I’m coming, Ave. I won’t stop until you hear me out.”

I ended the call, blocked his number, and stared down at the dark, lifeless screen.

My fingers shook. The word nun that I had thrown around earlier still echoed in the night air—the exact insult he had hurled at me, and only now did I realize how easily I had weaponized it against myself.

I closed my eyes and let out a frustrated gasp that caught painfully in my throat.

“Finished?”

The voice came from directly behind me.

I spun around. Luca was standing a few paces away, half-concealed in the shadow of a stone pillar, his hands buried deep in his trouser pockets. I had no idea how long he’d been standing there.

Long enough, by the look of it.

“Have you been following me?”

“I—”

“On the stairs, in the kitchen, at the party, and now out here. Were you eavesdropping on my conversation?” My voice climbed an octave before I could stop it. “What else do you want from me, Luca? I’ve only been here three days, and every single time I turn around, you’re right there, backing me into a corner!”

“I wasn’t following you.”

“Don’t lie! You were right there, and now you’re here. You’re clearly stalking me!”

I took a step forward and struck his chest with the flat of my hand—once, twice. “Do you think this was all my fault? That I was the one who ran, the one who hid, the one who refused your explanation? Does everyone just have to wait around for your convenience? Five years, Luca! For five years, I knew nothing!”

I didn't even know who I was furious at anymore—Daniel or Luca. I was just sick of it all, angry and overwhelmed by the noise echoing in my head and heart.

He didn't step back. He let me hit him, neither deflecting nor retaliating, just staring down at me with a hard, unyielding jaw.

My tears finally broke free. I hated myself for it.

“Are you done?” he asked softly, once my ragged breathing began to slow.

I looked up at him with a helpless gaze, having no idea what to do next. My attack had been purely impulsive.

“He’s coming to Miami to see you.” It wasn’t a question. “Daniel.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Is that the guy who called you a nun?” His eyes darkened dangerously. “After everything he put you through.”

“Don’t pretend to care.” My voice wavered. “You have Sabrina, don’t you? A woman who has ‘never truly been apart’ from you. So don't stand here acting like you’re any better. The truth is, you’re both the same—you’re both bastards who always end up destroying trust.”

Silence stretched between us.

Luca stared at me for a long, heavy moment. He wasn't angry. He looked more like a man who had just realized why the wall standing between them was completely impenetrable.

***