4

I smiled, gratitude swelling in my chest.

“Thank you, Juan. That means a lot to me.”

“And who knows?” he added, a hint of mischief in his voice. “Maybe he’ll see how happy you are with me and realize what he lost.”

I chuckled lightly, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.

“You’re right. Let’s give him a show he won’t forget.”

Juan wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close.

“Just remember, no matter what happens, you’ve got me. I’m not going anywhere.”

As I melted into his embrace, I felt a renewed sense of determination.

This was my life now, and no matter the chaos Vito brought, I was ready to face it—side by side with the man I loved.

The next morning, I woke up with a heavy feeling in my chest.

The decision to go to the wedding weighed on me, lingering like a dark cloud that wouldn’t leave.

Juan had already left for work by the time I rolled out of bed, the house quiet, almost too quiet, as if it knew something was coming, something I wasn’t prepared for.

I couldn't stop thinking about the invitation, about Vito, about all the things I had buried years ago now rising to the surface.

There was no escaping it.

I had agreed to go, but what did that mean for me?

What would happen when I saw him again?

The questions swirled in my head as I made my way into the kitchen, finding the note Juan left on the counter.

"Morning, love. I’ve got a busy day at work, but we’ll talk about the trip tonight. Love you – J."

I smiled at his neat handwriting, feeling a little calmer.

Juan had a way of steadying me, of making me feel like everything would be okay.

He was my safe space.

Even if my mind was tangled with memories of Vito, Juan was always there to pull me back to reality.

But something about his note nagged at me.

That trip… we hadn’t really talked about it.

Not like we usually would.

Juan was always so excited when we planned things together, and this time, it felt like an afterthought.

My gut told me something was off, but I pushed it aside.

Maybe he was just stressed.

Work had been busy lately, and with his father’s company involved, I knew he was under a lot of pressure.

The day passed in a blur.

I tried to focus on my own work, but the invitation kept popping into my mind.

I could feel the edges of my sanity fraying, the old pain from Vito’s disappearance mixing with the fear of facing him again.

By the time Juan got home that evening, I was wound tight, nerves on edge.

He walked in with his usual confident stride, setting his briefcase down by the door and loosening his tie as he made his way to me.

His smile was warm, reassuring, like he always knew how to calm the storm brewing inside me.

"Hey, babe," he said, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into a kiss. "How was your day?"

I leaned into him, trying to find comfort in his presence.

"It was fine," I mumbled, not quite believing the words myself. "Just… thinking about the wedding."

Juan pulled back slightly, his brow furrowing as he studied my face.

"You’re still worried about that? I thought we talked about it."

I sighed, stepping out of his embrace and crossing my arms.

"I know, I know… but it’s not that simple, Juan. You don’t understand what seeing Vito again might do to me."

He watched me for a moment, his expression softening.

"Salma," he said quietly, "I get it. I do. But you’re not the same person you were back then. You’ve moved on. You have me now."

His words were gentle, but they struck a chord deep inside me.

I had moved on, hadn’t I?

I had Juan, the man who loved me, who treated me with kindness and respect.

But why did Vito still have such a hold on me?

Juan reached out, taking my hand in his.

"Come on, let’s sit down. We can talk about this."