Anastasia’s POV
The ashes still smoldered faintly at my feet as Leonardo’s anger slowly ebbed into something that looked dangerously like regret. His expression—familiar yet distant—dimmed under the pale moonlight spilling through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He straightened his shirt collar, trying to summon the calm, controlled presence he always wore like armor, but I wasn’t deceived. His pulse raced visibly at his neck and temples, betraying the storm he couldn’t hide.
I brushed the lingering soot from my hands and lifted my chin, holding his gaze without a flicker of warmth. “It’s fine,” I said evenly. “I noticed a few insects crawling in the album—cockroaches, maybe—so I decided it was best to burn it.”
Leonardo’s brows knit in confusion and disbelief as he stepped closer, the tension in his posture unmistakable. “You burned it? Ten years’ worth of memories? How could you—” His words faltered, cut off by the unintentional growl that escaped him.
I raised an eyebrow, unshaken. “Are you finished?”
The casual cruelty in my tone seemed to strike him harder than any insult I could have thrown. He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his disheveled hair, frustration softening to something almost… vulnerable. “I— I overreacted,” he admitted quietly, his voice losing the edge it had held. “But that album meant so much to us. Why didn’t you wait? Why would you destroy it before I even had a chance?”
I let out a dry, humorless laugh. Us. There was no “us” anymore—not since he had given his attention entirely to Camila, the insufferably charming newcomer with her calculated sweetness and carefully curated public persona.
“You’ve been too preoccupied with work—or whatever it is you’ve been doing with her. I didn’t want to bother you with something as insignificant as this,” I said, letting the words land.
He took another step forward, voice softening, attempting to draw me back into the orbit I had once inhabited. “I know I’ve neglected you. I realize that now. But we can fix this, can’t we? We could rebuild the album, start over. Another set of memories—better ones, if you let me.”
There was a time I would’ve let those words melt me, would’ve let them pull me in like a tide I couldn’t resist. But that was years ago. I had seen the way he looked at Camila, smelled the faint trace of her perfume clinging to his shirts. My heart was no longer an option.
“Sure,” I said flatly. “If you really want to make amends, start by throwing me a proper birthday party. One that doesn’t come with a side of allergies and neglect.”
His eyes flickered, caught off guard by the specificity of the request. For years, my birthdays had been forgotten or compromised because of dietary restrictions and his endless work. He had always been too busy to make them special.
A pause. Then a nod. “All right. Whatever you want,” he said, his tone hesitant, almost uncertain.
Before he could continue, his phone buzzed. The distinctive chime that I had learned to recognize immediately went off—a notification meant only for her. He glanced at it, expression tightening as the screen lit up. “It’s something urgent. I’ll handle it and be back soon. Don’t wait up.”
The lie was so blatant I almost laughed. “Go ahead,” I said, dismissively waving him off. “I’ve gotten used to it.”
He lingered for a beat, as if debating whether to argue, then turned and walked out, leaving me alone with the fading embers of our shared past.
The next morning, the mansion buzzed with activity. Party planners moved about with clipboards, arranging flowers, tables, and decorations in ways that made my stomach twist. By midday, the truth became painfully clear: the setup was almost identical to Camila’s lavish birthday from two months prior.
And then she appeared. Every step of hers screamed control. A sleek red dress hugged her figure, her artificially sweet fragrance drifting across the room and pricking my nerves.
“I hope you like it,” she said with a deliberately saccharine smile, voice dripping with feigned warmth. “I chose every detail myself. Thought it might suit your… taste.”
I didn’t respond immediately. My eyes flicked to the diamond-encrusted crescent moon necklace resting at her throat. My necklace. The one Leonardo had given me on our fifth anniversary, weeks before it disappeared without explanation.
“A recycled party for a recycled personality,” I said, cold and unyielding. “It’s perfect for you.”
Her confident smile faltered, replaced by a flash of rage. She seized a crystal ornament from the nearby table and hurled it to the floor. Shards scattered, one slicing into her foot. She shrieked, clutching her ankle in exaggerated pain.
Leonardo stormed into the room moments later, his posture tense, eyes scanning the chaos. “What’s happening?” His gaze shifted between the broken ornament, her bleeding foot, and me.
“She—she was helping,” Camila squeaked, eyes wide with feigned terror. “I was just trying to fix things, and she—”
The slap landed before my brain had processed it. My cheek flared with heat, but I didn’t flinch. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me react.
“Enough!” he bellowed. “Camila spent her day helping you, and this is how you repay her? If you don’t like it, do it yourself!”
He didn’t wait for a response. Scooping her up in his arms, he carried her out, leaving me alone amidst the wreckage of a celebration that was never mine.
That evening, the party never began. No guests arrived—none I would have wanted there anyway. Over the years, Leonardo had replaced my friends with allies, loyal sycophants, and yes, her entourage. No one dared cross him, or her.
I opened the leftover cake, cut a small slice despite knowing I couldn’t eat it, and stuck a single candle into the frosting. I lit it, closed my eyes, and whispered softly,
“I hope I never see either of you again.”
The next morning, I packed the essentials into a single suitcase. On the way to the airport, I sent Leonardo one final message:
This ends here. Do not contact me again. Ever.
As the plane lifted from the tarmac, I powered off my phone, silencing the constant stream of calls and messages from a man who had once promised me the world but chose someone else instead.
