I threw out every piece of the alliance ceremony I'd gathered with my own hands.
This safe house had never really been mine, and now not a single trace of me remained inside its walls.
The last thing left was the slips from our covert sit-downs across the water, the ones I'd kept folded like a diary of our love.
I hesitated for half a moment, then fed them into the fire one by one.
Every slip the flames swallowed was a version of me that had loved Lorenzo.
When the burning was done, all that remained was a basin of ash and a choking column of black smoke.
It looked exactly like these ten years of love.
The next morning, the smell of cooking woke me.
"Adriana, hurry and go freshen up. I've already made breakfast."
"Eat first. I'm going to bring Vittoria her breakfast, so you don't need to come along."
"Mm."
Lorenzo's hands paused over the thermal container.
"Don't feel guilty. Vittoria doesn't blame you."
"After we eat, we'll go pick out a new stone for the pledge ring. There was a problem with the one I had cut, and it won't arrive in time for the union."
"Fine."
He liked playing his little drama, so I'd just play along.
Maybe it was because I seemed so cold, but Lorenzo, his face heavy with guilt, brought over the kit to clean the cut on my knee.
"Adriana, we've loved each other for years. Everything I do is for your sake. I don't want you standing at our union without a single soul of your blood beside you."
"You said you couldn't find anyone to stand for you, didn't you? I've already taken it on myself to have Vittoria stand at your side for the ceremony."
"Fine."
Lorenzo said it carefully, and when he saw how readily I agreed, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Then he took my hand and pressed a warm, wet kiss to it.
After he delivered Vittoria's breakfast, he didn't come back.
I was scrubbing my palm raw when he called.
"Adriana, when you're done eating, come straight down to the garage. I'm waiting in the car."
When I got to the garage, I reached for the passenger door out of habit, only to find Vittoria already sitting there.
Without a word, I got into the back seat.
Lorenzo glanced at me a few times, pleased that I knew my place.
"Adriana, Vittoria has an eye for stones. With her here, she's sure to help you choose one you'll love."
I nodded and closed my eyes, pretending to doze.
When I opened them by chance, I saw Lorenzo give Vittoria's cheek a gentle pinch.
In the rearview mirror, our eyes met, and he smoothed the lapel of his too-perfect suit with his palm before he spoke.
"Vittoria had something on her face. I was just wiping it off for her."
I closed my eyes again and kept them shut until we got out of the car.
The three of us walked into the jeweler's, a quiet front near the heart of Castellano territory, and the clerk, all warmth, addressed Vittoria, who was pressed close to Lorenzo.
"What would you like to buy your sweetheart today, sir?"
Vittoria and Lorenzo both flushed at the same time.
Lorenzo pulled me over by the arm.
"What are you standing so far away for? Come pick out a stone!"
The clerk turned bright red with embarrassment and hurriedly brought out the diamonds for me to choose from.
But Vittoria took the lead, inspecting them and offering her opinions.
"This one isn't big enough."
"This one's poor quality."
…
Set against the stone already on her own hand, not a single one met her standards.
The clerk glanced at me awkwardly, hesitating to speak.
Vittoria pretended not to notice, and in the end picked out a rather ordinary one.
"Adriana, just take this one. It'll do for the ceremony. Later I'll design you something with my own hands, prettier than mine."
The clerk awkwardly complimented her on her good eye.
But Vittoria, not without smugness, thrust her hand in front of my face. Her fingers found the pendant at her throat and twisted it.
"Of course it's prettier. My intended designed and had this one made just for me."
Beside us, Lorenzo just stood there quietly watching her show off to me, neither stopping her nor looking the least bit guilty, the smile at the corner of his mouth all but melting into the spring air.
"Then we'll buy the one Vittoria picked!"
He didn't even bother letting me try it on. Lorenzo had already paid.
He took out the stone and slid it onto my finger, his face blank.
No bended knee, no roses, no words spoken over a pledge.
This time the ring wasn't big. I had to force it on.
I knew Vittoria had done it on purpose.
She had an eye for stones. She could gauge a size precisely at a glance. There was no way she'd make such a glaring mistake.
I couldn't be bothered to call her out. I just pulled the ring straight off.
