All I wanted was for my brother to find the strength to stand up and reclaim his life.
But deep down I was afraid that the hole he’d dug was too deep for him to find his way out alone.
FORTY-TWO
ENRICO FERRARA
Pacing in front of her door wasn’t going to change anything.
But I still couldn’t force myself to knock.
Valentina Muniz—now Ferrara—had always possessed a unique talent for turning me into something pathetic. And before I ruined everything, I hadlovedbeing pathetic for her.
Afterward, what was left of me—the pieces I gathered and forced into something that walked, breathed, ate, but didn’t live—was pathetic in a way that disgusted me, even if I could convince anyone else otherwise.
And the kind of pathetic I was now?
It didn’t just disgust me.
It pissed me off.
My heart beat too fast, nerves bordering on paralysis. I’d been avoiding this moment for days, delaying the inevitable conversation we needed to have.
But there was nowhere left to run.
Since Clara had been discharged, I hadn’t allowed myself to get close to them. My presence seemed to bring tension, discomfort, and I’d retreated into the safe distance my office offered—giving them space.
Especially Valentina.
But I couldn’t keep hiding.
I owed her more than space.
I owed her the truth, and at the very least… a real apology.
I stopped in front of the closed door and lifted my hand.
For a second I hesitated.
Then the door opened.
Valentina stood there, cool and guarded, her eyes distant with caution. It looked like I’d caught her on her way out.
“Can we talk?” I asked quietly, holding her gaze.
She hesitated, then nodded, opening the door wider and stepping back to let me in.
The room was silent and meticulously organized—like she was fighting to keep control of her life through order.
“What do you want, Enrico?” she asked directly, no softness, arms crossing into defense.
I swallowed, forcing courage into my lungs.
“I came to tell you I paid off all your debts,” I said. “You don’t need to worry about that anymore.”
Her eyes widened slightly—genuine surprise—before she rebuilt her mask. Distrust returned fast.
“Why?” she asked.
