Chapter 48
VITTORIA
There was something so familiar about that girl at the restaurant today. I keep racking my brain, trying to figure out where I know her from, but I’m drawing a blank. It’s like the answer is there, but as soon as I’m about to figure it out, it gets fuzzy, eventually fading away into an abyss.
“Tesoro … Tesoro … Vittoria …”
I mentally snap myself out of my thoughts and bring my attention back to my husband. “I’m so sorry. I got lost there for a moment.”
He places his hand on my thigh as we sit side-by-side in bed and gives it a light squeeze. “What were you thinking about?”
I know that girl told me not to tell Ignazio about her, but maybe he’ll know who she is.
“There was a girl at the restaurant Rosa and I had lunch at today. She looked very familiar. Honestly, she kind of reminded me of myself.”
Ignazio’s grip tightens on my leg, which draws my gaze to his. He still has the book he was reading open on his lap, but he’s staring at a random spot on our comforter.
He clears his throat. “A girl, you say? One that looked like you?”
“Yes. She seemed a bit frazzled, definitely concerned about something, and very familiar. I’ve been trying to figure out where I could know her from, but it’s stumping me.”
“Did she tell you her name?”
“That’s the weird thing. She told me her name is Liana, but I still can’t place her.
It’s like everything about her sounds and looks familiar, but when I try to focus and think of how I could know her, there’s this wall I can’t break through to get the answer.
Do you know a Liana? Maybe she’s friends with Chiara? ”
Ignazio clenches his teeth.
So he does know who Liana is.
He clears his throat again, and just when I think he’s going to tell me who this girl is, he says, “I’m sorry, tesoro mio, but Chiara doesn’t have any friends named Liana, and I don’t know of any Liana’s either.”
I crinkle my brow. He just lied to me. I know my husband well, and those words that just came out of his mouth are a lie. I know it. He does know who Liana is, but why won’t he tell me?
“You can’t tell your husband about me.”
Liana’s words come rushing back to my mind. At first, I assumed she might’ve been after me with ill intentions, but the more I think about our interaction, the more I realize I never truly felt scared around her.
“I just want to talk. Please. Meet me at the address tomorrow.”
There was absolute and utter desperation in her tone but nothing threatening.
“What else did she want?” Ignazio says.
There’s a little voice in my head that’s telling me to keep everything else to myself.
“Nothing specifically. She tried to talk to me about something but then left in a rush. It was the strangest interaction.” I try to brush it off like it was nothing, hoping Ignazio doesn’t push me for the truth.
He stares at me for a moment, then lets out a sigh. “That is quite strange. Is there anything else you can tell me about the interaction? Maybe I can locate her and see what it is she wanted to speak with you about. I don’t feel very comfortable knowing someone is out there stalking my wife.”
I brush his hand with mine, squeezing his arm lightly.
“No, no. That’s not necessary. I’m sure she just had me confused with someone else.
I figured I’d bring it up to you just in case you knew, but since you don’t know who I’m talking about, I’m just going to forget about it.
Hopefully, she finds whomever she meant to find. ”
Setting down my book on my nightstand, I turn and give Ignazio a kiss on the cheek. Smiling at him, I say, “I’m going to get some rest now. Bona notti.”
“Goodnight, tesoro mio,” he says, then I turn onto my side, giving Ignazio my back.
I slide my hands under my head and let out a small sigh, willing my mind to shut off so I can get some sleep and figure out if I should meet with that girl tomorrow. Thankfully, it doesn’t take long before I succumb to the darkness and I’m falling into a deep sleep.
“What about this one, Mom?”
I take the sketch my daughter hands me and admire the beautiful emerald-green floor-length gown she drew.
I gasp. “This is beautiful, Liana.”
“I think this is what you should wear to the charity gala,” she says, beaming at me as she sits at the dining room table.
“Oh, yeah, and who will make this for me?” I say with a smile.
“I will, of course.” She says it as if I should’ve already known. Silly me.
“You’re going to make this? How, my darling daughter?”
“I just need some material, but I can totally have this ready in time if we can get the stuff today.”
“Are you sure? This is a much grander design than the ones you typically make for yourself, sweetheart.”
“Of course.” She smiles brightly at me. “I would love to make this for you, Mom. Please, will you let me?”
I glance down at the sketch once more. It’s an extremely detailed design. A mermaid silhouette with intricate beading on the side of the skirt that flows into the bodice. It’s incredibly impressive that my little eleven-year-old drew it, let alone can make it.
“Of course, sweetheart.”
She claps her hands excitedly. “Oh, yay, thank you, Mom!” She jumps up from her seat and wraps her little arms around my waist. “You’re going to be my first model! I can’t wait to tell Daddy!”
I laugh, giving her the biggest hug back.
“Why don’t you go put your shoes on and grab your coat. I’ll tell Daddy we’re heading out for a little bit.”
“Okay!” she squeals, running down the hallway.
I walk to the study where Giacomo is. It’s cracked, so I knock on the door as I push it open.
He’s sitting behind his desk, on his computer. When he glances up at me, a large smile takes over his face.
“Amore mio,” he says, then pushes his chair back from the desk and taps his thigh. I take a seat on his lap, wrapping my hand around his shoulder, and lean down to give him a kiss on his lips.
“Are you almost done?” I ask.
“Almost, why, what’s going on?”
“Liana wants to go to the fabric store so she can make me this dress for the gala in a couple of weeks,” I say, holding her sketch out to him.
He raises his brows, creasing the fine lines in his forehead that show the mature age of the love of my life. “She drew this?”
I nod. “She did.”
“It’s amazing. Just give me two more minutes and we can all go together.”
I run my fingers through his hair, and say, “She’ll love that,” then give him another kiss. “We have a very talented daughter, Giacomo. I have a good feeling about her future. I know if we keep supporting her dream of designing clothes, she’ll make it far.”
“And so she will, amore mio, because I know no matter what, she will always have the two of us to support her and her dreams.”
I grin widely at him. “I love you.”
“I love you more.”
I suck in a sharp breath and bolt upright. It takes a minute for my eyes to focus in the dark and realize I’m in bed.
“It was a dream,” I pant out, lifting my hand to my racing heart.
But that dream. It felt so real. Like it wasn’t a dream at all, but a … memory.
I lift my hand up to my throbbing head. My temples feel like they’re about to explode. How could I possibly be dreaming about a daughter named Liana and a husband who is not my husband?
I glance over at Ignazio, who thankfully is still sound asleep, snoring as if there isn’t a care in the world.
I don’t recognize the little girl from my dream, but she did look like a much younger version of the Liana I met today. And the man?
Letting out a sigh, I rub my temples, trying to ease the pain.
I don’t know that man, but something is not right here, and I think I need to speak with Liana to figure it out.