Sofia’s POV
The sharp edge in Lorenzo’s voice vanished the instant my reply landed—measured, distant, unmistakably closed. Whatever argument he’d been lining up died before it could reach his tongue. I didn’t wait for him to regroup or push back.
I ended the call and sank deeper into the leather seat, turning my face toward the window as the car glided through the private forest road leading to the family estate. The headlights carved narrow paths through rows of towering trees, shadows stretching and folding over one another like dark wings. The road felt endless, and the pressure in my chest matched it step for step.
The moment I stepped out of the car, unease crept into my bones. The estate grounds were unnaturally still. No guards pacing. No distant engines. Just the moon suspended above the treeline, casting a pale, almost accusing light over the immaculate lawns. It felt less like arriving home and more like stepping into a place that remembered everything I wanted to forget.
My phone vibrated, breaking the quiet.
I pulled it from my pocket and saw the notification count climbing rapidly. Lorenzo’s executive group—the inner circle that ran his syndicate’s legitimate fronts—was active. Too active.
I hesitated, then opened it.
The first thing on the screen was a photo Francesca had just shared. Lorenzo was on one knee in her new villa, sleeves rolled to his elbows, broad shoulders tense as he worked on exposed wiring near the wall. Sweat darkened the fabric of his shirt, the angle deliberate, intimate. It wasn’t just a candid moment—it was a statement.
My fingers curled around the phone.
Beneath the photo, her caption glowed brightly on the screen.
Does every boss personally handle repairs at midnight? I might just dedicate my entire future to this company. Maybe I should make it official and sign on for life.
The replies came flooding in almost instantly—men and women who knew exactly who Lorenzo was, what he ruled, and what his attention meant.
Never seen the boss like this. Guess the rumors about him being cold were nonsense.
That’s not a CEO—that’s a man auditioning for husband of the year.
Careful, Francesca. People might start thinking you’re the one walking beside him at the next syndicate banquet.
The phone vibrated in my grip as more messages poured in. My vision blurred, not from tears, but from the pressure of holding myself together.
She was skilled—careful, calculated, flawless. Nothing blatant. Nothing that could be openly accused. Just enough to mark territory in full view of everyone who mattered.
Once, Lorenzo had done the same for me. Photos from overseas meetings. Quiet dinners between negotiations. Late-night strategy sessions where his hand rested on the back of my chair, just visible enough for anyone paying attention. Back then, it felt solid. Permanent.
Now, I was history.
I exited the chat and muted it without a second glance. The ache in my chest remained, but my resolve didn’t waver. Leaving still felt like the right choice—even if it cut.
I stepped into the estate house that had been my world for nearly a decade. Eight years of shared corridors, shared routines, shared silences that pretended to be comfort. Every room carried traces of a life I’d believed was leading somewhere.
Tonight, I stopped pretending.
As I began gathering my things, my gaze landed on the thick leather-bound album resting on the coffee table. Lorenzo’s idea. His tradition. Every page held moments from our years together—successful deals, quiet meals after bloody negotiations, rare laughter stolen between crises.
He once told me he wanted to give me 9,999 memories before ever asking me to marry him. Not because of alliances or bloodlines—but because he wanted me to choose him without obligation.
The album was nearly full. Only one page remained untouched.
Promises lose their meaning when devotion shifts.
I carried the album out to the clearing behind the estate—the place where bonfires once marked victories and alliances sealed in blood and fire. Under the cold watch of the moon, I built a small fire. When the flames caught, steady and bright, I placed the album on top.
Leather shriveled. Pages curled and blackened. Smoke rose thick and final, carrying years of hope with it.
Footsteps approached behind me.
I didn’t need to turn around. I knew his presence the way one knows the weight of a gun at their back.
Lorenzo stopped short when he saw the flames. For the first time in years, panic cracked through his control as he rushed forward.
“What the hell are you doing?” he barked, fury and disbelief colliding in his voice.
I stayed where I was.
He lunged toward the fire, trying to pull the album free, but the heat forced him back. He swore under his breath, hands reddening as he stomped at embers in a futile attempt to save what was already gone.
“Have you lost your mind?” he snapped, turning on me. “Do you even know what you just burned? That was our history. Years of it. Why would you destroy that?”
I met his eyes, unflinching.
“Because history is worthless when the promises behind it are empty,” I said evenly. “You said you’d give me reasons to choose you. Instead, you handed that place to someone else before we even reached the end.”
His jaw tightened. “You’re twisting things. Francesca—”
“Francesca,” I interrupted calmly, “only took what you made available. The pictures. The attention. The way you stand beside her in public. Don’t insult me by pretending it happened by accident.”
He stepped closer, his voice dropping, rougher now.
“She works for me. I’m responsible for her safety, for—”
“Enough.” I lifted my hand. “Don’t hide behind titles or duty. This was never about business. You chose through your actions.”
I took a step back, firelight dancing between us.
“And now,” I said quietly, “I’m choosing through mine.”
