“The forecast says it’ll be sunny all day,” he offered. “Maybe we could take Clara to the park later.”
I looked up and gave him a blank, uninterested stare.
“Don’t you have plans?”
A shadow of disappointment crossed his face before he rebuilt the calm mask again.
“Me? No,” he said, frowning. Then something seemed to land in his expression—understanding, maybe. “But if you already have plans…”
He pulled back immediately, voice lower, almost resigned.
Clara had been listening more than I wanted. Her eyes moved between us, confused.
“Mommy, I want to go to the park,” she said softly, hopeful.
Guilt hit me hard. Irritation at myself, too—because I was letting this bleed into her world.
“Of course, baby, we can go,” I said, smoothing her hair and then, before I could stop myself, aiming my cold gaze at Enrico. “I just assumed you had other commitments.”
He held my stare for a moment—trying to read what I was really saying.
Then he nodded and looked at Clara with a forced, quiet smile.
“Nothing is more important than you two,” he said softly.
My chest tightened at the words.
They were unnecessary.
Why include me?
I stood abruptly, unable to sit there another second with that closeness pressing in.
“I’m getting more coffee,” I announced dryly, turning toward the kitchen before I could see what else might be written on his face.
As I walked away, the tension followed like a shadow.
And worse than the tension was the deeper ache underneath it—
the pain of living with the man who ruined my life…
while he kept reminding me, day after day, of how happy he once made me before he destroyed everything.
It wasn’t fair that my mind was clinging to the good memories now, when for years it had forced me to drown alone in the worst ones.
It wasn’t fair that it dared to forget the tears I cried in endless spirals of grief and humiliation.
And it was more unfair than anything—more exhausting than any of it—that I had to fight myself harder each day.
Enrico didn’t deserve my good memories.
And I wasn’t giving them back to him.
It was late, the house quiet.
Clara had been asleep for hours, and I left my room to get a glass of water before attempting sleep. I walked down the dim hallway, caught in thoughts that refused to let me rest.
When I turned a corner, I nearly collided with Enrico walking from the opposite direction.
