“Yes.” Why else would I be leaving if he hadn’t done anything?
“I’m positive those pictures are fake. Just talk to him.”
I raised a curious brow.What pictures?
I took my phone out of my purse. I didn’t have a social media account, so I searchedCiro Remotti and beautiful woman,my usual go-to phrase to find out the latest on my ex.
There it was, a picture of Ciro kissing a redhead, and not just any redhead, the one I’d caught him with the day I went to tell him I was pregnant. The woman he’d said was on drugs.
“Isla? What are you doing?” Paolo asked.
“Oh, just looking at the pictures of Ciro kissing aredhead. I hadn’t known about them until you said something.”
He groaned and hit the steering wheel with his large hand.
“They’re dated today. Looks like they were out at his favorite restaurant.”
“They’re fake, Isla. I swear to you, they’re fake.” Paolo wiped this brow, obviously nervous.
“It’s commendable how much you trust and respect Ciro. Always protecting him with your life. But what you don’t know is I called him a while ago and he was with another woman. I’m willing to bet it was this woman.” I raised my phone for him to see in the rearview mirror.
“How do you know it wasn’t Rosa?”
“Does his sister call him, ‘Ciro, baby?’”
Paolo gritted his teeth and hit the steering wheel again. Clearly this was news to him.
“I know how frustrated you must be with Ciro. I am too.” I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaned forward as he parked the car. “I’m not going to give you any trouble, but please don’t boss me around. Let me do what needs to be done for my child and me. Ciro doesn’t get a say.”
“But he’s the baby’s father.”
“That doesn’t give him the right to control me.” I opened my door and removed Pippa’s car seat from the base, careful not to startle her awake.
“I need to call him.” Paolo got out of the car and came around to my side.
“Please don’t tell him we came home.”
“I won’t lie to him.” He went to the trunk and gathered our things. “I’m supposed to report everything to him.”
“Fine.” I’d scream in frustration if I wasn’t worried aboutsomeone calling the cops and I didn’t want to get him into trouble with Ciro.
I carried Pippa into our incredibly dark and dismal apartment. How could two days with Ciro and only one night in a luxurious hotel room rekindle my taste for the finer things in life so quickly?
This tiny place was my home. It was far from the splendor Ciro was accustomed to, but I’d worked hard to make it comfortable and attractive, utilizing my design skills. I had been the queen of DIY since I had little money to spare.
Pippa and I had many happy memories here. And a few sad ones.
A ball of emotion lodged in my throat, but I pushed through the mix of joy, anger, and sadness.
While I got Pippa ready for bed, I remembered the moments I’d had with Ciro. In one short visit, he’d tainted my home with his presence. I hated it… Hated him.
I teared up as I kissed Pippa’s head and gently laid her in the crib. “Sweet dreams, lovebug.” It was well past her bedtime and she’d fall asleep quickly.
I gently closed the door, leaving it open just a crack, and dragged myself to the sofa.
Another woman. The same one I saw last year.
It had taken him no time at all to go from me to someone else. No, not just anyone else, but the redhead. He’d probably been lying to me the whole time.
