Chapter 3

Three hours passed. Dario never came back to the firm.

I went home alone. The musty smell hit me the second I walked in, and I sneezed several times in a row.

All those bags, houses, cars Dario had given me over the years, I'd already handed everything over to Ayana to sell off.

There was nothing left here for me to hold onto.

It was a long time before Dario finally showed up.

"Camila, there's a family gathering tomorrow. Everyone's been asking about you."

He walked in as he spoke, then stopped short at the sight of my half-packed luggage.

"Camila, are you getting rid of these clothes?"

"Right, it's been five years. They're probably out of style anyway."

That's when I noticed Sofia standing right behind him.

My face went cold. I pointed at the door.

"Get out. I don't want to see you."

Sofia's smile froze, and her eyes welled up instantly.

Dario's brow furrowed too. He kept his voice low, barely holding back the edge in it.

"Camila, Sofia didn't mean anything by it. She just wanted to apologize to you. What happened back then, she really didn't do it on purpose."

Thinking about the baby I lost, my heart felt like it was being crushed in a fist. My voice came out ice cold.

"If she really wanted to atone, she'd get out of my life completely. Not show up in my face every single day, reminding me of the child I could've had."

"If she really wanted to atone, she wouldn't be living with you. She wouldn't have taken over the firm you promised me."

"Dario, stop lying to yourself."

Sofia ran out crying. Dario grabbed the gifts she'd brought and threw them out the door too.

"Camila, I'm sorry. I should've given you more time."

"But Sofia is my adopted sister after all. You two will have to find a way to get along."

His phone kept buzzing. He glanced at it a couple times, his tone growing stiffer.

"I'll have Sofia's designer come over and make you some new dresses. Consider it her apology to you."

"Think about it."

With that, he picked up his phone and headed to the study.

Through the door he'd left ajar, I could hear Sofia's broken sobs.

"But I'm your sister, aren't I? Dario, I can't take this. Why does she have to keep coming after me like this?"

"I've spent five years paying for what I did. What more do you want from me?"

"If she keeps treating me like this, I don't want to live anymore."

Dario rushed out in a panic. The second he saw me, he stopped in his tracks.

"Camila, I'm just worried Sofia might do something stupid."

"You know my father made me promise to take care of her before he died."

"I'll calm her down and come right back. Just wait for me, okay?"

I cut him off. "Go if you want to."

He didn't hesitate for a second. Grabbed his keys and ran out the door.

I folded the last coat into my suitcase and took one final look at the home I'd once dreamed of building a life in.

I pulled out my phone and booked a flight to New York.

After tomorrow's family gathering, I'd be gone for good.