All Chapters of Just Let Me Breathe: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The night before I left the Family, our inner circle met at the club to play pool as usual.Ever since Chloe came back and rejoined us six months ago, the attitudes of these three men toward me had quietly changed.Throughout the entire night, Chloe didn't lose a single game, while I was forced to take twelve penalty shots.Whenever I was about to clear the table, my brother Luca would always find a difficult angle to block my cue ball, then conveniently leave easy shots for Chloe.In the final game, the cue ball was frozen to the rail, leaving only the eight ball.Luca grabbed the pool cue from my hands and pushed the cue ball into a tight spot."Elena, you're great at this. Just play along so Chloe can have some fun." He ruffled my hair with the same gentle tone he used to use, yet his favoritism was obvious.Chloe leaned over with a smile and effortlessly sank her last two stripes to clear the table.My boyfriend Roman leaned against the table, smoking. He clearly had a chance for a

Ever since that night at the club, my chest had been harboring a dull ache.A trip to the hospital revealed that the lung infection had worsened, leading to severe fluid buildup in my chest.The doctor scheduled me for a chest drainage procedure on Thursday. He repeatedly emphasized that I was strictly forbidden from leaving alone after sedation. I had to have someone pick me up and stay by my side, or the hospital would refuse the procedure.Luca, Cassian, and Roman originally agreed without hesitation.Luca was to act as my emergency contact.Cassian was responsible for transportation.Roman kissed my forehead, promising he would wait right outside the operating room until I woke up.They always said my asthma was easily triggered and needed constant attention. They said they knew how uncomfortable I would be, so if I ever needed surgery, no matter how busy they were, they would stay by my side.Yet, they were the same ones who kicked my medicine away at the club and ignored me compl

When the flight landed on the Family's island estate, a light drizzle was falling outside the window.The moment I turned on my phone, Roman's call came crashing in.When I answered, he didn't ask if I was tired."When did you apply for a transfer to Europe? You kept something like this from me too?"His voice was aggressive and rushed, laced with deep panic, as if I had committed some grave mistake.I dragged my suitcase toward the exit."I never tried to hide it. You guys just never cared to ask."There was a pause on the other end.Immediately after, Luca snatched the phone."If we didn't ask, you wouldn't volunteer to tell us? Do you think transferring abroad is a small matter? I am your own brother! What if something happens to you out there all alone? Who's going to take care of you?"The pool game that was supposed to be my farewell party flashed through my mind.Hard liquor poured down my throat, yet not a single person cared about which estate and wineries I was taking over.A

A month later, Roman showed up outside the Sicilian estate.He stood at the bottom of the stone steps, the collar of his shirt wrinkled and the rims of his eyes red.Seeing me walk out, he immediately came forward."Why didn't you reply to my emails?""There was nothing in them worth my reply."His sharp jawline tensed for a second before he pulled a custom wooden pool cue case from his trench coat pocket.Inside lay a fully custom-made pool cue."Before you left, didn't Luca complain your cue was beat-up? I found a master craftsman to make a new one."I lowered my eyes and glanced at the pool cue, which still had its velvet protective sleeve on."So what are you trying to say?""Come back home with me, and let's play another game." Roman looked at me eagerly. "This time, I swear I won't let Chloe win, and I absolutely won't block your shots. You call the shots the whole night."I just found it incredibly absurd.He actually, naively believed that just by starting a new game of pool, h

Three years later, I traveled back to my home country as the head of the overseas division.When my plane landed, my mother personally brought people to pick me up at the airport.She didn't notify Luca, nor did she make a big show of arranging a mandatory family gathering like before.In the car heading back to the main estate, she softly asked if I wanted to sleep off the jet lag first, or go to the backyard to see Duke."Let's go see Duke first."The once-violent guard dog had now put on quite a bit of weight.He was lazily resting by the floor-to-ceiling windows of the sunroom, basking in the sun. Hearing my footsteps, his ears perked up in alert. He hesitated for a few seconds before slowly approaching.I crouched down.He sniffed the back of my hand heavily, then gently pressed his massive head into my palm.My mother stood by the door, her eyes slightly red."He never forgot you."I stroked Duke's soft fur and didn't say anything.Remembering didn't mean we had to go back to the