24. Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Four
A ntonio
I lay in bed, enveloped by the memories of Kendra. This was the room she had stayed in during her visit, and though three weeks had passed, the faint trace of her perfume lingered.
Maybe it was my imagination, but it felt as though every corner of this house was haunted by her—her scent, her presence. I couldn't escape it. My room, the garden, the parlor, the library—each place bore a piece of her, making it impossible to forget.
A soft knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts.
"Antonio, lunch is ready," Damon’s voice echoed from the doorway.
I hadn't noticed him standing there. Without turning around, I muttered, "Not hungry."
The silence that followed hung heavy in the air. Damon hesitated, and I knew he wanted to say more, but I didn’t give him the chance. The weight of Kendra’s betrayal pressed down on me, gnawing at my insides.
The world outside might have moved on—the headlines had faded, and the public had found new scandals to feast on—but inside, my wound was still raw, festering like a fresh cut.
I hadn’t heard from Eve since it all blew up. My birth mother, who had orchestrated this chaos, had gone silent. A part of me was relieved.
But another part of me, the one that longed for an explanation, for some kind of reckoning, wanted her to speak. Why did she choose Kendra, the one woman I had allowed myself to love, to betray me?
I couldn't shake off the feeling of being broken, shattered into a million pieces. Kendra's lies had shredded my trust, leaving me vulnerable.
Countless calls and messages from her went unanswered. I couldn't bear the thought of hearing her voice, of being sucked back into her web of deceit.
Even Jake had tried to intervene. "Give her a listening ear, Antonio. Hear her out." But I couldn't risk it. I couldn't let her manipulate me again.
My chest constricted, making it hard to breathe. I missed her so much it physically hurt. But I couldn't let her back in. I couldn't risk being hurt again.
The door creaked open again, but this time Damon stepped in, carrying a tray of food.
"Thought you might change your mind," he said, setting the tray on the bedside table.
I shook my head, my throat tight. "Take it away, Damon."
He sat on the edge of the bed instead, his eyes studying me. "You can’t keep doing this, bro. You’re barely eating, barely talking to anyone. It’s not good for you."
“What do you know?” I snapped, my voice sharp and brittle. “You think some food’s going to fix everything?”
Damon shrugged, unfazed. "Maybe not. But starving yourself isn’t going to make the pain go away either."
I rolled over, turning my back to him. "Leave me alone."
Minutes after Damon left, the door creaked open again. This time, it was Vivian, my stepmother. Her gentle presence filled the room, and she perched on the bed beside me, her hand brushing my hair back like she used to when I was younger.
"Hey, sweetie," she said softly.
I mumbled a response, barely lifting my head.
"Damon told me you’re not eating. How are you holding up?" she asked, concern filling her voice.
I shrugged, staring at the ceiling, refusing to meet her eyes.
She sighed. "You know, we can talk, or I can leave. Your choice."
A surge of guilt ran through me. "I'm sorry. I’m just…"
"It’s okay," she said, gently squeezing my hand. "I get it. Have you spoken to Kendra at all?"
The mention of her name sent a jolt through me. "No," I muttered, my voice hoarse.
Vivian sat quietly for a moment before asking, "Do you want to talk about it?"
I shook my head, but the words came spilling out anyway. "She lied to me, Vivian. She used me. Everything we had—it was just a game to her. I thought I knew her. I thought… I thought she loved me."
Vivian listened, her eyes soft with understanding. "That must hurt, Antonio. But sometimes people make mistakes. It doesn’t mean the feelings weren’t real."
I scoffed, bitterness filling my chest. "Real? She sold out our family. She betrayed me for a story."
Vivian took a deep breath. "Has she told you why she did it? Have you given her a chance to explain?"
"I don’t want to hear it," I said, the anger simmering just beneath the surface. "I don’t want to risk her manipulating me again."
"Antonio," Vivian’s voice was calm but firm, "you need closure. This limbo you’re in is tearing you apart."
I stayed silent, but her words hit home. Closure. It was what I needed, wasn’t it? Yet the thought of facing Kendra, of hearing her voice, terrified me.
"I don’t know if I can trust her," I whispered.
"You don’t have to trust her yet. Just hear her out. Decide afterward what to do."
I nodded, not fully committing but not entirely dismissing the idea either. "I’ll think about it."
"That’s all I ask," Vivian said, standing. "Now, let’s get some food for you. You’re looking thinner by the day."
I managed a weak smile as she left, her words echoing in my mind: “You need closure.”
***
As evening fell, the restlessness grew unbearable. I threw off the covers and grabbed my keys. A drive would help clear my head.
The night air was crisp and cool, a welcome contrast to the heat swirling inside me.
I had no destination in mind, but my subconscious led me to the park where I’d first held Kendra.
The bench, the swings, the trees—they were all the same. Yet everything felt so different now.
Sitting there alone, the ache of missing her grew stronger. My chest tightened, and the pain I had been trying to escape resurfaced with brutal clarity.
Needing a distraction, I started the car again.
A name flashed in my mind: Stephanie. We’d met at one of Jake’s events. She’d been persistent, and I had politely turned her down. But tonight… tonight, I needed something, someone, to make me forget.
I dialed Jake, cutting straight to the point. "Give me Stephanie’s number."
Jake hesitated. "Are you sure that’s a good idea? Have you spoken to Kendra?”
“There’s nothing more to say to her.”
“Then let her do the talking while you listen.”
"Just give it to me," I demanded, not in the mood for advice.
A few seconds later, the text came through.
My heart racing, I dialed her number, and when she picked up, her voice was a mix of surprise and flirtation. "Antonio? I wasn’t expecting to hear from you."
After a brief chat, we agreed to meet for dinner.
***
At the restaurant, I tried to focus on Stephanie—the way her laughter filled the air, how her smile sparkled under the dim lighting—but the more she talked, the more my mind wandered back to Kendra. Everything about this felt wrong.
As the evening dragged on, Stephanie noticed. "You’re distracted," she said gently. "Still thinking about Kendra?"
My fork paused mid-air. "How do you know about Kendra?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
Stephanie's smile was sympathetic. "Asheville's a small town, Antonio. Everyone knows what's happening with everyone."
My eyes narrowed, unsure how much she knew.
"Tell me," Stephanie pressed, her voice gentle. “What's the real reason I'm sitting with you tonight?”
I sighed, setting my fork down. "Well, I guess you already know. Kendra and I are… no longer on speaking terms.”
Stephanie's expression remained the same. "I can understand why you're hurt. But, Antonio, you are still obviously deeply in love with her.”
I didn’t deny it. "Yeah," I admitted, my voice low.
“But it does. Maybe you should talk to her. I'm guessing you've not heard her side of the story.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?! There's nothing to hear.”
Stephanie gave me a sad smile. "I get it. You’re not ready to move on, and that’s okay. Just… take care of yourself."
Her words stung with truth. Even in this attempt to forget, Kendra still dominated my thoughts.
I drove her home in silence, the weight of my emotions pressing down on me.
***
Back at my apartment, the memories hit harder than ever. I sank onto the couch, the emptiness suffocating me. I had to talk to Kendra. Tomorrow, I will hear her out.