Ex Boyfriend.

both sides, the vines seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see, an or

tement and nervousness. She, with her dreams still intact; I, w

l believed good things always come. "This place is a

ally felt. Luxury, yes. But also a cage. This estate wasn't a fairy tale

. "Two months here, Martina. Two months to

d at me,

hy

to gain ground and enjoy everything that will one day be mine: the ri

ned her gaze to the lands

m the vines, every velvet curtain in the windows, was there to remind you who wa

ssive expression greeted us. Her impeccable uniform and cold eyes d

n a voice trying to be polite, but

ry detail: the antique furniture, the carpet muffling the sound of our steps, the chand

ily was already gathered. It wasn't a large gr

ned smile that didn't reach his eyes. When he saw

though most of the others seemed not to notice

n revolved around the wedding preparations, the menu

tion of what I wanted to be. Clara, the woman who agreed to marry a man

his bearing imposing. It was Nicolo, Marco's older brother. His gaze

ile, just nodded with a gr

meone whispered beside me. "C

sn't the heat of the Italian summer, but the in

top spinning with everything I'd seen: the looks, the silences, the f

a "happily ever after." Something

r it. Even if it meant becomin

o try to wash away the dark corners of the estate. But even the fre

the idea of exploring the gardens; I, with the

erything for the day's reception. The smell of freshly baked bread and strong coffee ma

ath, as if they had secrets they didn't want to share. And then I heard murmurs,

I didn't know it yet, the pieces

outlined against the light of the courtyard. He was dressed

almost a whisper. "I hope you're

elt. There was something about him, the way his eyes k

ed: I felt the sweat in my palms, the rapid pace of my breathing, an

, but I couldn't help but sneak glances toward th

oughts drifted to a hazy memory, fragments of a conversation with my mother where so

eft me with more qu

ancé who was about to become the center of

d if I truly wanted to be part of that story... o