Chapter nine

Ava's POV

The moment I got to Damien's house, well my new home now, I noticed it immediately. The house was too silent, to big.

I dropped my bad and exhaled slowly.

Damien had not even come home with me. He just woke me up that we were leaving. One moment we were on the plane and the next he was gone. But I wasn't in anyway surprised.

At the thought of Damien, I decided to send him a met.

"Did you get to the office safely?"

I asked.

I stared at the screen. Just as I was about to drop it, the three dots appeared.

"Yes."

“Yes?” “Just yes?” I said to myself 

I decided to probe more.

"Good. Don't forget to eat something. What do you want for dinner? I'll make it for you."

I stared at the phone for a long time, I decided he  was  not replying.

"Oh well. I tried."

I looked around the house remembering the driver had told me the housekeeper would be here tomorrow.

I went upstairs to choose a room.

I immediately knew which room was Damien's was Damine but instead, I chose the empty guest room at the end of the hall. After I was done settling in, I was really tired, and I fell asleep.

When I woke up, the house was still quiet.

I decided to make dinner. 

When I was done, I set the table and glanced at it. 

My mind immediately wandered to my past life. I remembered how I moved to Luca's small simple apartment, refusing the villa my parents gifted us because I wanted to show him how much I loved him. I cooked every meal for him like a maid.

My phone buzzed suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

An unknown number.

I frowned, then answered.

“Hello?”

There was a pause.

“Ava,” a familiar voice came through the line, “It’s me.”

Luca 

My grip tightened on the phone.

“What do you want?” I asked calmly and quietly.

“I heard you got married,” he said. There was something strange in his tone. “I thought we were taking a break and the next thing I heard is you got married.”

I let out a short, humorless laugh. “A break? No Luca, we are not taking a break. We are over.”

“Come on, Ava,” he said softly.

 “I was thinking, maybe we could talk a little. Maybe just once.”

I looked at the food on the table. At the empty chair across from me.

“We have nothing to talk about, Luca,” I said. “We are over, done. I am married now and I'll appreciate it if you don't call me or anything.”

“Ava—” he said harshly before taking a deep breath.

“Ava, we have been together for years and you're not going to try to talk this out?

“I am married.” I repeated.  

“Ava, after everything we've been through, after all I've done for you.”. 

“Done for me?” I asked before bursting into laughter.  

“Luca, I gave you everything,” my voice shot up. “I gave you everything and it still wasn’t enough. All you did was take and take from me.”

There was silence on the other end.

“Please, can we talk? Not over the phone.” he finally said.

“No,” I replied, and ended the call.

I sat down to eat, still angry.

  my appetite was already long gone. 

I remembered how I used to wait for Luca to come home before touching my food. How I wouldn’t eat until he did, no matter how late it was.

“I was really stupid,” I whispered to myself.

I took another forkful of rice, and tears I didn’t even realize were coming blurred my vision.

I had worked so hard to be accepted in that life.

And there was nothing to show for it. I cleaned after him, gave him money, gave him literally everything including myself.

I sniffed and straightened my shoulders before wiping my eyes.

I wasn’t going to let that happen again.

Maybe I had been pushing Damien too hard. Maybe he needed space. Maybe I needed to learn when to step back.

I finished my food, washed the dishes, and checked my phone again. Still nothing from Damien. 

So I packed the food neatly into a container and placed it in the refrigerator.

I wiped my hands on a towel and leaned against the counter, letting my gaze drift around the kitchen. Everything was pristine, it looked barely used. Like a showroom. 

I straightened slowly.

I wasn’t here to beg for space in Damien’s life.

I wasn’t here to shrink myself into quiet corners or measure my worth by how often I was noticed.

I had done that before.

And it had cost me everything.

This time would be different.

If Damien wanted distance, I would give it to him gracefully, but not completely. If he wanted silence, I would learn to live comfortably within it. But I would exist here on my own terms.

Not the way I did with Luca. 

I thought of what he wanted to tell me, but I shook my head to rid myself of the thought. 

“No. Luca is history.” I whispered to myself 

I turned off the kitchen lights and headed upstairs, my steps steady as I climbed, my chest strangely calm.

I would build my own place in this life, I'd get everything I deserve. My phone rang again and I smiled.

“Hello, mum.”