7 | I didn't care
Three days later, I stared out the window, watching the early morning light spill through the glass, casting faint shadows across the priavte hospital room.
The world outside was so normal, so peaceful. The streets of New York were probably busy with the usual chaos, but here I was stuck in this white-walled prison, trying to piece together a life I couldn't remember.
How did I end up in this mess? How was I married to Luciano Costa?What the hell happened?
I dragged my fingers through my ginger hair, leaning back against the pillows, feeling more out of place than I ever had in my entire life because I was a married woman.
As if on cue, the door opened, and Luciano stepped into the hospital room.
The man who haunted my thoughts for years, the man I had watched from afar, wishing for something-anything-more than the casual nods he gave me when I was just that annoying younger sister.
Now he stood in the doorway of my hospital room like some dark knight in a tailored suit, his dark gaze locked on me with an intensity that made my breath hitch.
I quickly turned my gaze back to the window, pretending I didn't feel the weight of his presence.
I wasn't sure how much I wanted to face him, much less pretend I didn't know exactly who he was.
But then, I heard his voice, low and controlled, like velvet wrapped in steel.
"Aurelia." He stepped inside, his eyes never leaving me. "Do you really not remember me?"
I stiffened, my heart thudding in my chest. Of course, I remembered him. How could I forget him? How could I forget the way my pulse had quickened every time I saw him? My older brother's best friend.
But I had to act. I had to play it cool. I had to pretend to be the innocent girl who had no idea what was going on, and in a way, I had no clue what was going on.
I turned and blinked at him, trying to feign confusion, trying to make it look like I was completely out of the loop.
I wasn't ready to give him anything real, not yet. My brain was a mess, and I had no idea how I even got into this situation, but one thing was clear: I was going to have some fun with this.
If he thought he was going to walk in here and pull some kind of emotional confession from me, he was sorely mistaken.
"I-uh, I'm not sure. My memory's a little foggy, you know? I was in a coma for months." I chuckled nervously, pretending to wave my hand as if it was no big deal. "You know, coma stuff. Messes with your head."
Luciano didn't move, just stood there in the doorway, his dark eyes studying me, trying to gauge if I was lying. And I was lying, but I had to sell it.
"Yeah?" he said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.
The air immediately felt heavier. He was taller than I remembered, and the scent of his cologne was intoxicating, like a dangerous blend of tobacco and something else I couldn't quite place. "So how much do you remember, Aurelia? What do you know about me?"
I tilted my head slightly, staring up at him. My heart raced, but I was good at pretending. It was one of the many skills I'd perfected over the years.
"Well," I started, dragging out the pause for effect, "I remember your name. Luciano Costa. Mafia don. New York's most eligible bachelor. Very bad boy vibes," I said, winking at him playfully.
I couldn't resist messing with him a little. "Everyone in the city talks about you. You've got that whole 'powerful, dangerous' thing down, don't you?"
I could see a muscle twitch in his jaw as he processed my words, his lips thinning. It was clear I wasn't giving him the answers he wanted, but that only made it more fun for me.
"And I know you almost married my sister," I continued, a bit more casually than I felt. "Ciara Nash, the supermodel. She's pretty hot, right? I'm sure it would've been a very beautiful marriage but I guess that didn't work out, huh?"
I could see the flicker of something in his eyes, a mix of frustration and something darker, maybe even anger? But he didn't say anything, just watched me, his gaze never leaving mine.
It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I wasn't sure if it was because I was turning the tables on him, or if it was the way he was looking at me like I was some kind of puzzle he couldn't solve.
"So you remember all of that, but you don't remember us?" Luciano asked, his voice dipping lower, more controlled now.
I swallowed, forcing a smile. "Look, I have no idea what's going on. I don't remember signing any marriage certificate or-" I stopped myself. I was almost slipping up. I had to stick to the act. My amnesia act.
But I couldn't help it. The reality of the situation was too much to handle. How the hell had I ended up married to Luciano Costa in the first place?
"No," I finally said, my voice steady. "I don't remember us," I paused, giving him a look that I hoped conveyed more confusion than fear. "I don't remember how we went from friends to... married?"
Luciano studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. I had no idea if he believed me, but I had to keep this up.
I cleared my throat, trying to ease the tension. "But hey, I'm sure it's not the worst thing to wake up married to a guy like you, right? I mean, you're not exactly hard to look at, so..."
I tried to keep the joke light, but there was something about the way Luciano looked at me that made my stomach churn. Was he amused? Annoyed? Angry? I couldn't tell.
Luciano stepped closer to the bed, and my breath caught in my throat. There was something dangerous about the way he moved, something slow and deliberate, like a predator toying with its prey. And I had no idea which side of the line I was standing on.
His voice dropped to a whisper, just for me to hear. "You will remember me, Aurelia. It's only a matter of time."
"Maybe..." I replied, eyes never leaving his. "But I'm not in a rush to remember everything. Some things are better left forgotten."
Luciano's expression darkened again, but this time, there was something else in his eyes, something that felt like a warning.
But honestly? I didn't care.