Chapter 4

I woke and reached instinctively for the left side of the bed. Empty.

I opened my eyes slowly. Before the familiar ache could settle in, Enzo stepped out from behind the dressing screen.

"You fell asleep downstairs last night. Ross should have sent you up to bed sooner."

He came closer and pressed his palm to my forehead. "No fever. Good. Just take it easy today, all right?"

When I didn't respond, he frowned. "I'd like to talk about what's been going on. Would that be okay?"

I pulled away from his hand.

Just then, Ross's voice came from outside the door. "Don, one of the Gallo elders is on the line. He says it's urgent." Enzo called back, "Tell him I'm busy. I'll find him shortly."

I spoke up. "I don't have anything to say. It's not urgent. Go take care of your business."

I didn't know why, but the thought of being alone with him frightened me.

Enzo seemed to sense my resistance.

He leaned down, trying to kiss my forehead. I turned my head away.

Enzo said nothing more. He gave a few parting instructions and left.

Later that morning, Sophia came to see me again.

Something about her appearance was off. She wore a silk scarf around her neck that clashed with her dress.

The scarf hadn't managed to cover all the red marks on her neck.

I teased her. "What happened to your neck? Why the scarf?"

The words were barely out of my mouth when I froze.

Those scattered red marks could only be one thing.

And who had Sophia been with last night? Who left those marks? The answer seemed painfully obvious.

My face twisted into something trying to be a smile but looking more like a grimace.

Of course. Who else could make Sophia act so strangely?

And yet, just this morning, Enzo had checked on me like everything was normal. Had tried to kiss me.

I couldn't even name what I was feeling.

Sophia covered her neck with her hand. "It's not what you think. It's just an allergic reaction."

I looked away. "It doesn't matter. None of that matters to me anymore."

I didn't want to wait any longer. The sooner I left, the better for all three of us.

I picked up the phone and dialed.

After a long stretch of busy signals, nobody answered.

Sophia asked, "Calling Enzo?"

I nodded. She said, "Is it something urgent? Let me try."

The call connected in seconds.

The helpless look on Sophia's face left a bitter ache in my chest.

"Let me take it. I'll talk to him."

On the other end, Enzo sounded puzzled. "Sophia? What's going on?"

"It's me. Louisa."

A beat of silence. "How are you feeling? Getting enough rest?"

I opened my mouth. Sophia placed her hand on mine. I spoke anyway. "Fine. I wasn't really hurt. Just tired."

Another silence.

In that silence, I heard his thoughts again: "I'm sorry, Louisa..."

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and let the words rush out.

"Enzo, let's get a divorce."

The second the words left my lips, a shrill, piercing sound exploded in my ears, sharp enough to hurt.

I covered my ears before I realized it was his thoughts.

I gave a bitter, self-mocking laugh. Did that mean he was happy?

"Since you have no objections, come home by this afternoon. We'll work out the details and sort things out with the Council."

I hung up almost before I finished speaking.

I clenched the phone. The piercing sound in my ears faded.

Sophia rubbed my back and let me lean against her.

There was a pang of reluctance, but mostly, I felt a crushing weight finally lift from my chest.

I looked at Sophia. "The alliance between the Cattaneos and the Bianchis won't end. It's just a matter of swapping one bride for another. As long as Enzo insists, the Council will agree."

"Don't say that."

I shook my head. "I wish you both well. I mean it."

I managed a smile. "Leaving isn't so bad. I can go somewhere nobody knows me and open a flower shop. That actually sounds wonderful."

Sophia's expression was complicated. She played along. "That's right. You told me about that dream when we were kids."

Our mother died young. Sophia had practically raised me.

So when my marriage fell apart, I didn't blame my sister. I only blamed myself for misjudging Enzo.

I had only been trying to change the subject, but it reminded me of something from our childhood.

"When we were little, we could hear each other's thoughts. Then at some point, I could only catch bits and pieces. And now I can't hear anything from you at all."

Lost in thought, I didn't notice the complicated look that crossed Sophia's face.

"Right. We always assumed it was about romantic love. We never realized it applied to family too."

"Relatives who genuinely care about each other can hear each other's thoughts, too."

Sophia gave me one last pat on the shoulder, then picked up the phone from the table. "I have something to take care of. I'll come see you when I'm free."

I sat alone by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring at nothing.

Then a phone rang.

Without looking, I picked up.

The caller seemed surprised that someone had answered. After a puzzled sound, the caller spoke.

"Ms. Cattaneo, someone asked me to pass along a message."

"You've been awfully quiet. I hope you haven't forgotten what you promised."

Unease crept through me. I lowered my voice. "What are you talking about?"

The voice laughed. "Don't play dumb. The kidnapping. The Gallos and the Bianchis are breathing down everyone's neck. You can't just back out of your end of the deal."

I held the phone to my ear as a low buzzing filled my head.