“I know what you’re thinking — that he’s cruel, heartless, impossible,” she said.“But he’s not.He has a huge heart.He just hides it.I love him for that.”
My throat thickened as I tried to hold everything in.I lowered my gaze, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from falling.
“Alessandro loves deeply, but he doesn’t show it,” Mia continued, her voice quieter now.“Something happened — one night that changed everything.He never talks about it, but he lost someone he loved more than anything.After that, he changed.He became quieter, harder, more focused.He works himself to the bone, and still...it’s like he’s never satisfied.”
My stomach turned.My fists clenched.“W-what happened?”I whispered, though I already knew.
“Alessandro lost the woman of his dreams,” she said softly.“And after that, he lost himself.”
I looked away and dug my nails into my palms until they stung.The ache in my chest was unbearable.He lost himself — because of me.
Mia must have felt the heaviness in the air, because she suddenly smiled again, shaking off the gloom.“But don’t worry.Once you see him more often, you’ll get used to his coldness.He warms up — slowly.He always does.That’s what happened with me.”
Her smile brightened the room again, easing the tension.I was grateful for that.If she had kept talking about Alessandro any longer, I would’ve fallen apart completely.
“Mia...could you please stay here with me?”I asked, wiping at my eyes.
“Of course, Ariana.I’d love to,” she said warmly.“But I need to grab a few things for you from the estate.Would you like to come with me?”
“No,” I said quickly.
“Okay,” she giggled — the sound so light, so innocent, it almost made me smile.“I’ll be back soon.”
With that, she stood and left the small house — leaving me alone again to drown in my thoughts.The silence pressed down on me, thick and cold.I thought about everything — about Alessandro, about who he’d become, about the version of him I used to know and love.
Mia said he’d changed.I believed her.People do change — eight years is a long time.But not like this.Not this much.
The Alessandro I knew had a heart.He had warmth, patience, love.
The man I saw now?He was a stranger wearing his face.
And the worst part?
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know him anymore.
CHAPTER 18
