Chapter 26
We've been in the country for almost three months now, with exactly eight days left before it all ends.
Spending this time here has made me so happy.
Sam and I explored on our own many times, and Mattia often joined us.
It's a small city, but there's so much to see.
Sometimes we'd just watch movies and eat popcorn, and even that was wonderful.
Today Mattia is going to cook for us. We were deciding on the menu when Samantha called me over. I excused myself and went to find my friend.
“What happened? You look like you've seen a ghost.”
“You could say I did.”
“Stop beating around the bush and just tell me.”
“Frank is here. I just ran into him, and he asked me to tell you he wants to meet you tomorrow at this café. If you don't show up, he'll come here,” she said, handing me a piece of paper.
“What do you mean he found me? Only my mom and the company know where I am.”
“I don't know, but here's what we'll do. Tomorrow I'll go with you, but I'll watch from a distance. I'm not leaving you alone.”
“I don't want to go, but knowing him, he'll end up coming here anyway. So I have no choice but to meet him.”
I went back to the kitchen, but I wasn't as enthusiastic as before.
Mattia noticed but didn't say anything. We finished preparing dinner.
Sam went upstairs before us, and I was heading up when I felt strong hands grab me.
He picked me up and carried me straight to his room.
We spent a wonderful, magical night, as if it were a farewell.
He was different from all the other times, treating me with so much love and tenderness, worshipping every part of my body.
We finally fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms. I didn't want that night to ever end.
I woke up before him that day. I went to my room, took a shower, and got dressed.
I told him we were going out for a walk and that this time we wouldn't need a driver since we wanted to walk.
And so we went to the designated spot where I would meet him.
I sat at a corner table where I could see the entire café, everyone coming and going.
Suddenly he walked in, scanned the room until he spotted me, and headed my way.
At that moment, I felt a tremor run through my entire body.
“Hi, my love,” he said as he sat down.
“Just tell me what you came here for.”
“I came to get you, of course. You came here without telling me, so I had to bring you back.”
“Frank, when are you going to understand that there's nothing between us anymore?”
“I told you, kitten, if you're not mine, you won't be anyone else's. I'm just taking care of what's mine.”
“You're crazy. I'm leaving because I don't have any—” I said, standing up. He grabbed my arm and cut me off.
“I saw you with that piece of shit Italian, and you're here because of him, aren't you?”
“Leave Mattia out of this,” I said, glaring at him.
“You're staying at his house. I know that.”
“What do you want? Just tell me why you came.”
“I just want you, my love, but since talking to you is so difficult, I'll have to start taking action.”
“What are you going to do?” I asked, trembling, and he noticed.
“I'm not going to do anything to you—but I will to your Italian if you don't stay away from him. I'm tired of chasing after you and seeing you with this guy, so you'd better end it, and fast.”
“You can't do this to me. We broke up a long time ago, and you can't just show up and tell me what to do.”
“I warned you. I know you like him. I know where he lives, his restaurants, every route he takes, every single day. I’ve been watching you both for days now. So do what I’m telling you, or you’ll never see him again.”
He releases my arm. Without looking at him, I stand up. My legs are shaky, and I’m trembling all over. After a few steps, he speaks.
“I’ll give you three days. When you finally leave his house, I’ll send you my address, and you’ll come to me. I’ll be waiting. And if you don’t show up, you know what happens, right?”
I didn’t hear anything else. I just left.
How can it be that after all this time apart, he still wants to control my life?
And now he’s dragged Mattia into it. I can’t let anything happen to him.
I need to end everything. We were so happy.
We’d agreed he would take me to New York, that we’d spend a few days there.
We made so many plans. Everything was finally falling into place.
That feeling of breathlessness returns, and panic sets in. Sam comes running toward me.
“Girl, you’re pale. Sit here—I’ll get some water.” When she comes back, I ask her if we can leave, go somewhere else, until I calm down.
We left and took a ride on the canal—it was the only way I could tell her everything I’d heard. She’s shocked and doesn’t agree with what Frank ordered me to do, but I don’t want to involve Mattia in my problems. He doesn’t deserve to go through all this. He’s been wonderful to me.
“I have three days, and I’m going to make them perfect, girl. Then I’ll say goodbye,” I say with tears in my eyes.
“Actually, I don’t agree with any of this, but I’m here to support you. If that’s what you want, then you have my help. I’ll get a hotel room around here so you two can have more time alone together.”
“Thank you, girl, for understanding and helping me.”
We finish our walk near Mattia’s house, and that’s where we head.
Sam packs her bags and asks the driver to take her to a hotel.
We decide to meet up in a few days. When Mattia asks why she’s leaving, I tell him she wants to give us space.
I plan out our days. First, I ask him to give all the house staff time off, keeping only the security guards.
He does it, even though he doesn’t understand why.
On the first day, I prepared dinner, set the table, lit candles, and served the wine.
Then we made love all night. That’s how it went until the last day.
I prepared a delicious breakfast for him, and lunch.
Then we went to the living room. It was already getting dark.
On the coffee table, I’d placed some snacks, a bottle of wine, and two glasses.
We sat there on the floor. I’d packed my bags earlier, so I was ready to leave.
This was the moment I would talk to him.
“Hmm, I’d like to know what the next surprise will be.”
“Sit down and let’s enjoy the moment.”
He sits next to me. We settle in, me leaning against his chest, one of his arms around my waist. Then I begin.
“Sometimes in life, we face setbacks that make us realize nothing is the way we want it to be…”
“What are you trying to say, Emma?” He doesn’t let me finish.
“Wait, let me finish.” At that moment, I turn to face him and continue.
“When I came to Italy, it was with one purpose: to find you and tell you how much I love you. I didn’t expect us to meet so quickly, and I was happy—to finally look into your eyes again, to make love with you, or just feel your kisses and your embrace.
But like I said, nothing is perfect, nothing lasts forever, and even though I love you so much,” I say, tears streaming from my eyes, “there can’t be anything more between us. I’m leaving today.”
“Emma, what do you mean you’re leaving? You know how important these days we spent together were. I don’t understand. Explain to me why—why all of this, now.”
“There’s no explanation, Mattia. We live in completely different worlds. We’ll never be happy—not to mention the distance.”
“We were very happy these last three months, so that’s no excuse. I want the truth, Emma. Now.” He raises his voice.
“That’s the truth, Mattia. I don’t want this anymore. Everything was wonderful, but for me, it was just a moment.” It hurts to say this, but it’s necessary.
“So you’re saying that everything we shared meant nothing to you? But what about the love you said you feel for me, just minutes ago?”
“I’m saying that this love will pass, like the wind, like a season. And from now on, I’ll move on alone.”
I look at him. His expression is closed off—he says nothing, doesn’t understand what I’m saying.
Because everything we shared up to this moment showed it was different, that there was something beautiful between us.
Even though he never said he loves me, I felt it in every touch, in every kiss, in the love we made.
But I can’t drag him into the mess I’m in.
He doesn’t deserve to go through this. So I get up, go to the corner where I left my bags, grab them, and walk toward the door. That’s when I hear him say:
“Emma, if you walk out that door without giving me a plausible explanation—one I can accept—don’t bother coming back. Ever.”
I just looked at him, lowered my head—tears still in my eyes—and walked out, leaving behind the love I’d finally found and experienced.
That’s when I broke down, as if my world had ended right there, in that instant.
But this was my decision, and I had to see it through.
I had to be strong. So I wiped away the stubborn tears and asked the driver to take me to Sam.
He dropped me off at the hotel entrance. From a distance, I spotted Frank, clapping as I ran into the building. I found my friend, and she hugged me tight. All I could say was:
“It’s over. It’s all over. There’s no going back now.”
“Come on, let’s go upstairs. You need to rest.”
And so began another phase of my life—one where I’d need the people who loved me close by.
My ex had destroyed me once again, tearing me away from someone I’d fought so hard to love and accept.
A new chapter was starting, and I just hoped this one wouldn’t bring so many surprises. I couldn’t have been more wrong.