It’s Never Too Late To Start Over

~~ RHEA ~~

One moment I found myself sliding to the floor, and the next, Lucian was grabbing my arm and pulling me against his chest.

Guiding me towards a Maybach parked in the driveway, he shouldered the paparazzi out of our way, using his body as a shield until we reached the car.

He flung the car open and hurried me into the backseat before slipping into the front seat himself.

I was still so shaken that I didn’t realize where I was or who was seated next to me until I raised my head to find narrowed eyes on me.

It was Cain, my older brother.

“Cain.” I cried in both surprise and anguish as I threw myself into his arms, my shoulders wracked with sobs.

At first, he didn’t hold me.

He let me wet his shirt with tears.

“I told you—“

“Not to get married to him. He’s a loser and won’t make you happy. You deserve better.” I cut in, taking the words right out of his mouth.

Those were his exact words ten years ago right before I walked out on him and my dad, Elvis Rossi.

When he finally held me close, his jaw clenched.

“That’s not important. The past is in the past. What matters is you've come back to your senses.” He said.

I pulled back from him, fighting back the hurt in my chest.

“It’s too late. He’d used me for too long. A decade is too long for me to start over. He took my whole life. Ruined it.” My voice shook as I pressed my fingers to my collarbones.

My eyes met with Lucian’s through the rearview mirror, and I saw his jaw clenched before he looked away.

“It’s never too late to start over again, Riri.”

He hasn't aged one bit.

He was Cain's best friend, and the last time I saw him was ten years ago when he dropped me off at the airport.

I moved out of my parents' residence and cut ties with my family to be with Henry.

I could remember the pain in my dad's voice as he said,

"You're no longer a Rossi if you walk out that door and marry that man. When I'm gone, don't come anywhere near my grave!"

I closed my eyes, shutting out his voice from my head.

“What about my son? What about everything I built with Henry? My family. I lost everything."

“Then we’ll take it back.” Lucian said.

“My son? What about him?" I asked.

“Everything. Everything you gave Henry and his family.” Lucian assured.

Cain nodded in agreement, holding my hands in a firm grip as we continued the ride.

I looked out the window, watching cars, animals, people, streetlights, and poles blur in my vision.

I didn’t want anything but my son.

I remembered how he brought sunshine into my life the moment I held his tiny hands.

Henry had made me promise to give Kayon another sibling, so I tried everything I could.

The doctors warned me it was risky, but I didn’t care.

I wanted them to be happy and our family complete.

“You have Rossi blood running through you, so you have to pull yourself back together. Dad would want this. He had all the faith in you. Don't let him down again. " Those were Cain’s parting words as he let Lucian drop me off at his place.

It was a luxurious penthouse overlooking the city.

Lucian led me to a spare bedroom.

He went into the walk-in closet and brought me his oversized T-shirt.

"Freshen up. Press the button next to the bed if you need anything else."

The moment he left, I picked up my phone, my fingers shaky as I went online.

Blogs, news, I*******m, and G****e carried the news with bold headlines.

BUSINESS TYCOON HENRY REYNOLDS SERVES DIVORCE PAPERS TO ESTRANGED WIFE, PROCEEDS WITH A PRIVATE ENGAGEMENT TO SUPERMODEL HANNAH COLLINS.

Me? Estranged?

I ran my fingers through my hair as I checked Hannah’s profile on I*******m.

She flashed her engagement ring in a video, sitting on Henry’s lap while carrying Kayon on hers.

A lump rose up in my throat as I watched on.

They kissed passionately and people laughed and clapped in the background, cheering them on.

My...

My baby.

They turned my Kayon against his mom.

He looked so happy without me.

Obviously unbothered that his mom was gone.

My breath went ragged, my palm pressed against my chest as I stumbled toward the bathroom.

I stripped and got into the bathtub.

They looked happy. Like a complete family.

Like I never existed.

The screen of my phone lit up with Henry’s texts.

I clicked into one and checked,

“You pretended to pass out in front of the cameras."

“Are you trying to paint me as the bad guy in front of the whole world? Come back home and get your things. Tell the media we separated peacefully while you’re at it.”

I let out a sharp, pained laugh, shutting my screen.

Tons of his texts followed.

“Rhea? You’ve been lying to the media, saying we bought the house together. Saying I cheated you out of the foundation ownership."

“Your name isn’t on my property. Not a single one of them.”

"You didn't bring a penny into my life. I married you, a nobody.”

“If you still wish to get by. Talk to the media and clear the air. You’ll get alimony.”

I switched my phone off, tossing it aside.

Then I vividly remembered everything from this morning.

He’d been out early and only came back just a minute before I woke up.

That must have been when he went to pick Hannah up from the airport because she’s been out of the country for years.

I woke up to his kisses. I blushed.

Giggled.

Let him take off my clothes.

I asked where he had been, and he said work.

He said he missed me, and that’s why he came back.

I believed. Didn't suspect a thing.

We made love hard while he whispered sweet nothings into my ears.

Then we got ready, and he convinced me to leave first, saying that he’d get Kayon ready.

I kissed both of them goodbye from the dining table.

I looked back at them as I stopped by the door, watching them chat away.

Father and son bond.

My heart melted, and then I thought, “My life was perfect."

"Throwing away my family’s name, their approval, and my education to be with Henry was the best decision of my life."

That was just this morning.

A few hours ago I was ready to recite my vows with the man I loved more than anyone in the world over and over again.

God, how foolish!

They must have laughed behind my back.

I could remember how Amaya complimented my decoration arrangements.

She'd been the one who suggested I deck out the villa to match the ballroom's decor.

I went along with it.

They were all in on it.

They used me to set up the engagement space.

She must have thought I was a clueless idiot with how much I was visibly excited.

Our domestic staff were all smiles this morning.

Everyone else knew.

They watched, enjoyed, and captured my humiliation ritual.

Everything was over.

I shouldn’t have anything else to live for.

I was terrible.

That's why this happened to me.

I didn’t deserve anything good.

I was delusional to even dream of a perfect life.

How dare I expect so much from two people?

I couldn’t live like this. I shouldn’t have the will to live through this.

I—

I was—

I threw my head back, letting tears stream down my cheeks as I buried my head under water.

At first I breathed.

My fingers were holding onto the edge of the tub should I choose to let my head out of the water.

But slowly—

I let those voices get in my head.

Henry. Kayon. Amaya.

They rejected me. Told me to leave their lives for good.

So I was leaving.

Only it'll be on the other side.

Gradually, I was struggling to breathe… air cutting off from my lungs, my feet floating in the water.

Then I changed my mind.

Survival was winning.

If I died, they’d move on and still be happy without me.

I couldn’t lose both ways.

I gripped the edge of the tub again, but my fingers slipped.

That was when panic struck me.

I touched soap earlier.

No.

My chest knotted in dread, and my eyes widened as I kicked my feet, mumbling ‘help’ under the water.

The door swung open, and he pulled me out of the water.

I drew in a sharp breath, panting, as I held onto his hand.

Lucian stretched his arm over my head and threw a towel over my shoulders.

It took the fabric falling around me to realize I was still naked.

“Are you okay?”

I sniffed, turning away from him.

He didn’t ask if I was trying to drown myself.

He just scooped me from the tub, carrying me in his arms as he wordlessly placed me on the bed.

He dragged the sheet up to my chin before straightening up.

“You shouldn’t be hearing this from me. But you’re now the new CEO of Rossi Group. Cain’s been the acting one since you left.”

I forced myself, managing to sit up.

"What... what about my dad? He’s still in charge.”

Lucian turned away from me, facing the window.

“He’s been dead for five years.”

I stiffened, and a tear slid down my cheeks.