Chapter 3

I went to the office and handed in my resignation.

I had chosen this job in the first place because it was close to Carlo's family. I thought that once we got married, it would make it easier for me to look after them. Now, that reason no longer mattered. My boss tried several times to persuade me to stay, but I was firm in my decision to leave.

A few days ago, one of the applications I had sent out finally received a response. It was from a company in Porta Nova, a place that had once been my dream destination when I graduated.

Back then, I had given up that opportunity for Carlo. Thankfully, it was not too late now.

After resigning, I was busy handing over my work. The first thing I did was call my friend to share the news.

She was happy for me. After a brief silence, she asked, "What about Don Carlione? Is he going to Porta Nova with you?"

I let out a bitter smile. "No. It's just me. We're breaking up."

My parents passed away long ago. Aside from a few friends in Astonia, Carlo was all I had left.

I used to think that wherever Carlo was, that was where my home would be. But now, I had no home at all. I felt like dandelions, settling wherever the wind took me.

When I got home, Carlo was about to head out. His hair was neatly styled, and he was dressed in a tailored suit. I could catch a faint trace of the cologne I had given him. In his arms, he held a bouquet of vibrant roses.

I knew it was Lucia's birthday.

He was on the phone, and I could tell he was in a good mood. "Stop guessing. If I tell you, it won't be a surprise anymore. Just wait for me."

I leaned against the wall by the entryway and watched as he talked on the phone while changing his shoes. The smile on his lips was so gentle it seemed like it could melt.

It was an expression I had never seen before. Not even on my birthday had he ever looked at me like that.

Lucia must have said something playful, because he let out a low laugh. Even the faint lines at the corners of his eyes carried a trace of indulgent affection.

He had always indulged Lucia without hesitation, yet he was so stingy with me that he could not even spare a single smile.

"Yeah, I'll be there soon," he said.

He hung up, and only when he turned around did he notice me. The smile on his face faded instantly, returning to the usual distant indifference.

He glanced at me without asking where I had been or when I had come back, as if I were nothing more than an insignificant piece of furniture in the house.

"I'm heading out," he said flatly, as if it were just a formality.

"Okay," I replied softly.

My gaze landed on the roses in his arms.

The flowers were in full bloom, and their deep red petals burned like flames.

All of a sudden, I realized that in all the years we had been together, Carlo had never once given me roses. He used to say they were too cliché and not suitable for a woman of the Carlione family. Yet now, he was willing to give those same "cliché" roses to another woman.

After changing his shoes, he walked straight toward the door. As he passed by me, a faint breeze followed in his wake, carrying the sweet scent of roses mixed with his cologne.

It used to be a scent I loved. Now, it only felt suffocating.

"Carlo," I called out just as he was about to open the door.

He stopped but didn't turn around. "What is it?" he asked coolly.

"Nothing," I said, looking at his straight back.

My voice was so calm that even I was surprised. "Have fun."

He seemed to pause for a moment, probably not expecting that response. After a brief hesitation, he opened the door and walked out without another word.

The door clicked shut, cutting off two separate worlds.

I slowly slid down onto the cold floor, staring at the empty living room. Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting scattered shadows across the floor, but it did nothing to chase away the chill in my chest.

The Christmas gift box he had given me still sat quietly on the table. The worn edges were especially noticeable in the sunlight.

In the end, I couldn't hold back. I reached out, picked up the box, and opened it.

Inside was a necklace. The design was simple, even a little outdated. A small diamond pendant caught the light, giving off a faint sparkle.

I recognized it. Back when we first started dating, I had lingered over this very style in a shop window. At the time, he had said he would buy it for me on our first anniversary. But we had been together for three years.

This necklace, which arrived two years late, came into my life in such a careless way that it felt like a belated joke.

I placed it back into the box and closed the lid.

In the past, every argument between Carlo and me had been because of Lucia Caruso. He liked to give me the silent treatment. Back then, I would treat it like a crisis, doing everything I could to appease him. Even when he ignored my messages, I would still keep reaching out, trying to win him over.

But now, I simply picked up my phone and started searching for rental listings in Porta Nova.

I needed to start getting used to this.