Chapter 1

(Larissa)

Luciano and I were completing three years of dating, and I could barely contain my excitement, since my best friend, Samira, said she saw him at the mall earlier, in a jewelry store, choosing a gorgeous ring.

She was certain that it was an engagement ring, and my heart was racing until now imagining that it could actually be a marriage proposal. I always dreamed of this moment.

I was sitting in the restaurant where we arranged to meet, watching the passing couples, the laughter, the exchanged hugs and kisses. But time kept passing, and Luciano didn’t arrive. I grabbed my phone and called him, and he answered on the third try, but sounded confused.

— Larissa? What is it?

— What is it? Luciano, we arranged to meet, did you forget?

— Ah... I... Baby, I need to take care of some things. I can't talk right now. We'll talk later, okay?

The call ended before I could reply. My heart clenched. What was he taking care of? Two hours passed and my hope turned into frustration. I took a deep breath and decided to leave.

I drove aimlessly for a while before deciding to drop by the apartment we were buying together. Luciano insisted that we pay for it with our own effort, without help from my father, who was a major businessman.

When I parked at the building, I saw that his car was also there. My heart filled with hope. Maybe he was preparing a surprise for me.

I went up the elevator, and upon arriving, placed my fingerprint on the door lock. It opened and I walked in, smiling, but my smile vanished when I saw clothes scattered across the floor. Pieces of his clothing and a woman's.

My chest tightened, air didn't seem to enter my lungs. I walked forward slowly, the silence only interrupted by muffled sounds coming from the bedroom. Our bedroom.

Every step was a stab in the chest. I stopped in the hallway, seeing that the bedroom door was slightly ajar. When I pushed it, I felt my world collapse.

Luciano was there and with Samira. My best friend. She was straddling him, both naked, on a mattress on the floor. My heart stopped for an instant, I wanted to believe that wasn't real. But it was.

— Bastards! — my voice came out weak, but loaded with pain and hatred.

The two startled and looked at me, frozen. Samira pulled the sheet to cover herself, and Luciano sat up quickly, eyes wide.

— Larissa! It's not what you're thinking! — he said desperate, getting up and coming in my direction.

My hand acted before my mind and I landed a hard slap across his face. The sound echoed through the bedroom and Luciano brought a hand to his face, shocked.

— It's not what I'm thinking? Seriously, Luciano? Do you think I am an idiot?

— I can explain!

— SHUT UP! I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses!

My eyes went to Samira. She was silent, without the courage to look at me.

— How could you? — my voice came out broken. — You were my best friend, Samira. Since high school!

She lowered her head, speechless.

I turned around to leave, I couldn't stand another second there. But I felt Luciano's hand grab my arm.

— Larissa, please, listen to me!

I wrenched free with force, looking straight into his eyes.

— I loved you, Luciano. I was ready to build a life by your side. And you destroyed me.

I left the bedroom, my legs trembling so much it was hard to walk. I took the elevator and went down to the parking garage, getting in the car and finally, unable to hold back anymore, I cried like I had never cried before. My heart was shattered.

Two days later, I was sitting on the living room sofa with an open book on my lap. But I couldn't read. The words blurred together, unable to hold my attention.

My mind returned, repeatedly, to the scene at the apartment. To the scattered clothes, the intertwined bodies. The betrayal that still burned inside of me.

I had already severed my tie with Luciano regarding the apartment. Even taking a loss, I just wanted to rid myself of anything that still connected us. As for Samira… she was my best friend, or so I thought. I was always shy, and she was the one who helped me be more open and warm. Now, I saw that everything was nothing but fake. The love they claimed to feel for me was a lie.

I snapped out of my reverie feeling a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and my father was there, looking at me with concern.

— How are you doing, daughter? — his voice was gentle. I forced a smile. — I'm fine.

He sat beside me on the sofa, studying me with attentive eyes.

— Larissa, I know that you are not fine.

I sighed, closing the book on my lap. The fake smile disappeared from my face.

— I'm not. But I will be.

My father nodded, without pushing. We stayed in silence for a few moments, until I decided to break it.

— And the company? How are things going?

He forced a smile, the same one I had made minutes before.

— Everything is fine.

I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes.

— I know it isn't.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

— The Morattis decided to stop supporting our company. This will create some difficulties, but I will manage to handle it, don't worry.

I looked down at my own hands. What I was about to say was madness, a decision made in the heat of the moment. But before, things were decided through love, but now, I wanted nothing more to do with love.

I took a deep breath and looked at him.

— If there were a marriage, like it should have happened three years ago… would that resolve the situation?

My father looked at me in shock.

— Lari, no. You don't have to do this. I held his hand firmly. — Before, I didn't want to. You released me from that arrangement so I could experience love and look what I got. A fine pair of horns. I was betrayed twice.

He looked at me with sorrow.

— Daughter, even so, you can still find a new love. I don't want to trap you in a marriage with no end date.

I squeezed his hand harder.

— Mr. Elias was upset when you broke the agreement you made years ago. But now, we can fulfill it. Reach out to him and if he agrees, I will marry Alessandro Moratti.

My father opened his mouth to protest, but I continued before he could.

— And you don't need to worry. I never want to hear about a new love ever again.