Chapter 4

There were photos of Layla dancing with Lorenzo in the ballroom, as well as some of the two of them raising their glasses together.

They really did look like a perfect match. Layla leaned against the tall man like a petite woman completely wrapped around her lover, smiling with pure happiness.

The final photo showed a king-size bed. A man lay completely covered by the blankets, with only one hand visible outside them. The only reason I knew it was Lorenzo was that he was still wearing the watch I'd given him for his birthday.

The comments were overflowing.

[So this is the Donna of the Thorne family? She's gorgeous.]

[The Don and his underboss. Now that's a legit match. They're engaged, too. And that clingy ex-girlfriend actually followed them to the party. How embarrassing.]

[Lorenzo is so devoted to Layla!]

[Go look at Layla's other posts. This is literally the classic "Don falls in love with me" fantasy playing out in real life. I'm so jealous!]

[I can tell just from that hand that he's got to be incredible in bed!]

...

I'd thought seeing it would break my heart.

Instead, when I actually saw everything, I felt strangely calm. I finally understood. When disappointment piles up high enough, you really can stop loving someone.

The next morning, I was directing the servants as they packed my things when Lorenzo burst into my house with Layla. He was carrying a small, exquisite box and walked straight toward me.

"Avril, I came specifically to apologize today. Layla and I are only engaged. You know the truth—I'm only in love with you. You're the only woman I'm going to marry. I've already talked to my family. Today, we'll settle our wedding date."

Before I could say anything, Layla spoke first, "Miss Avril, I'm really sorry. Lorenzo did all this because of me. Please don't ignore him. He'll be so upset."

I smiled and nodded. "Okay."

Apparently surprised by how easily I'd accepted it, Lorenzo looked relieved. He placed the little box in my hand. "This is the engagement gift I prepared for you. I know you'll love it!"

He urged me to open it.

Inside was a small, exquisite pendant made from an unusually shaped conch pearl.

Lorenzo looked at me expectantly. "Do you like it?"

"I do."

He didn't know that I would never accept another gift from him again.

Hearing me say I liked it, Layla seemed even happier than he was. She raised her left hand and held up the delicate, perfectly rounded conch-pearl bracelet around her wrist. "I knew you would love the pendant. That's why I picked out this bracelet. I love mine, too."

Lorenzo's eyes flickered for a moment before quickly returning to normal. "Layla doesn't have much jewelry, so I let her pick something, too. You don't mind, right?"

"Of course not." I kept smiling.

"Good girl. As for the wedding date, what do you..."

Lorenzo seemed pleased. He reached out to touch my hair, but I turned my head away. He liked touching my hair when he was happy. It was one of his little habits.

My refusal made him frown, but before he could finish, Layla let out a cry of pain.

"Lo, my foot really hurts. I think I twisted it." Layla's face went pale, her large eyes filling with tears that threatened to spill over.

Lorenzo immediately panicked. He hurriedly crouched down to examine the ankle she was clutching.

"Damn it." He looked deeply guilty. He scooped Layla into his arms and looked at me apologetically. "Avril, I'll take Layla to the hospital first. We'll talk about the wedding date later. I'll come back and see you."

Lorenzo was in a hurry, yet this time, for some reason, a faint unease stirred in his heart. His eyes stayed fixed on me as he waited stubbornly for my answer.

"Okay."

"Good girl."

Only after I nodded did he finally let go of that strange feeling and carry Layla away.

Once again, I watched his back grow smaller and smaller until he disappeared from sight, just like the ending of our relationship.

But this time, I wasn't going to stay where I was. Casting aside all hesitation, I set off in the opposite direction.

I dragged the luggage I'd packed through the night and made it to the airport to board a flight to Sicily.

As I watched the clouds slide backward outside the window, I forced down the last trace of bitterness in my heart.

From this day forward, nothing that happened here would have anything to do with me anymore.