“I did. My mother blurted it out during our last fight before she left the camp. She said Roberto wanted to dance with you for the father-daughter dance, but she refused to let him because people would ask questions.”
“So I would’ve been able to dance with my father, huh?” Sofia sighs.
I put my hand on her knee.
“I’m so sorry you missed out on having a father figure like him in your life. But I know Rosita did her best to be the greatest parent she could be for you.”
“She was amazing,” Sofia says, smiling softly. “I’m glad you were able to have him in your life. I feel like he made up for your lack of a good mother, and my mother made up for the lack of a father. We both missed out on things and also had amazing memories. I’m really happy about that.”
“You’re right. And Sofia, I really am sorry about everything that happened tonight. But I promise it wasn’t my intention to ruin your wedding. Well, originally…”
“What do you mean?” Sofia looks up at me, confused.
“Well, I should probably tell you that when I first got here, Valentina convinced me to help her sabotage the wedding in exchange for helping me solve the puzzle in the journal. Of course, I wasn’t actually going to help her, but I think I inadvertently was involved. But I promise I did not steal your wedding rings.”
“She tried to sabotage my wedding? Why am I not surprised?” Sofia laughs lightly but quickly narrows her eyes. “So what happened to the rings? Does she have them?”
“Well…”
“Oh God, what?”
“She accidentally dropped them in the lake. She acted like she found them, but I think she lost them in the water when we were having an argument. I was trying to grab them from her and convince her to return them. She was trying to make you think Luciano lost them so you’d call off the wedding.”
Sofia lets out a loud cackle, though there’s a bit of tension in her voice. “Oh my God, I knew she could be dramatic, but…the rings? Valentina really has no chill. Do you know how much those things cost?” She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I loved those rings. I’m not gonna lie, I’m pissed about that.”
“I’m so sorry, Sofia. I really tried to stop her.”
Sofia waves a hand dismissively but doesn’t hide the frustration in her voice. “Valentina actually tried to talk to me about something the other day. She was acting weird—like, really nervous. But I got caught up in all the wedding chaos and told her we’d talk later. I thought it was just her usual dramatics, so I brushed it off. Guess I shouldn’t have done that.”
I bite my lip, the guilt bubbling up again. “I think she might have been trying to confess about the rings.”
“I’m glad you told me. At least now I know what happened. It’s just…damn. They were custom-made. But, I guess…what’s done is done. We’ll get new ones. Luciano will probably freak out more than I did when he finds out.” She pauses, shaking her head. “Look, I’ve always known Val had a thing for me, and yeah, it stings that she’d go this far, but honestly, her feelings have never really affected me. I didn’t see her that way, and she knew it. It’s just… I don’t know, sad that she’s still trying. But I never saw her as a threat. Luciano and I are solid, and this isn’t going to shake us. Still, the rings…that really sucks.”
She glances back at me with a small, tight smile. “But, you know, I think you’re helping her move on. She might have lost the rings, but she’s slowly letting go of me. Maybe you’re what she needs to finally move forward.”
“I don’t know, Sof. We got into a huge fight, and I saw her kiss Silvana.”
“Oh, please. You and I both know Silvana is a dirty snake and drunk-kissed her.”
“You know about that?”
“Of course I do. Valentina is my best friend. She tells me everything.”
“Everything?” I groan.
“Yes, everything.” Sofia giggles. “I’m not just saying this because I’m your sister, and she’s my best friend, but you two are perfect for each other. I can just tell. Can’t you?”
“I don’t know. I think so. She’s the only one here who knows the real me and doesn’t care. I’ve never experienced that before. I’ve always put on a facade. With family, strangers, and people I’ve dated. She’s the only person I’ve been able to finally be myself with, and my biggest fear of rejection didn’t happen. And then I messed it all up.”
“You didn’t mess it all up,” Sofia reassures me. “Valentina’s already forgiven you, hasn’t she? There’s still a chance. You just need to show her that you’re willing to fight for this. A grand gesture or something. She’s still hung up on you, Isa. I can tell.”
“I don’t know if I can fill your shoes in her eyes. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life being compared to you because she was in love with you for so long.”
“She won’t. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. She’s never looked at me like that, trust me. She can be a total grump and honestly would have spent the entire week miserable, but she didn’t. She had fun. You brought the light out in her. You’re like her sunshine. You need to tell her how you feel. Don’t let this one go, Isa. I don’t know much about your past relationships, but I do know Valentina. And I know this—she’s great, and what you two have is special.”
I look up at Sofia, and we both smile at each other. I can hear the chatter of men approaching the cabin from a distance.
“It sounds like the men are officially done, so I’ll leave,” I say, standing up. “Tomorrow is the big day!”
