As the night was coming to a close, a friend tapped me on the shoulder. "I thought you'd forget about us once you got a boyfriend. Don't let that happen again."

I chuckled and nodded. "No way. Just tell me when the next get-together is, and I'll be there."

Over the years with Carlo, my life had revolved entirely around him. I handled his business, his family, and even his daily meals. My own friends and social circle had slowly faded away. In hindsight, it all seemed almost foolish.

I walked in around 2:00 am. As I switched on the light, I froze. Carlo was sitting on the couch, and for a brief second, I wondered if I was imagining him.

He looked at me, taking in my drunken state, but made no move to help.

His expression was full of contempt. "Anna, can you try to act sensibly? If you're jealous, just say it. You're only making me look down on you by drinking like this."

Feeling lightheaded, I clutched the dining table for support and eased myself into a seat.

Carlo sniffed the air and frowned deeply. "I told you I don't like it when you drink. Lucia and I aren't what you think—we're just old friends. There's no reason for you to get yourself like this over her."

I rubbed my temples and murmured through a haze, "You're imagining things. I'm drunk because I'm happy."

Carlo snapped, "Enough! I'm giving you a way out. Take it, and don't test my patience. I'm busy. I can't always accommodate you."

I lifted my head, feeling the alcohol twist in my stomach. I forced a smile. "Accommodate me? Carlo, when have you ever done that?"

My voice was light, roughened by alcohol. "You said you didn't like bright dresses, so I wore only black, white, and gray. You said I shouldn't see male friends, so I cut them off. You wanted me at home taking care of you, so I skipped countless parties. Is that your idea of accommodating me?"

Carlo's face darkened with every word. He stood abruptly, looming over me with a pressure that made my chest tighten. "I'm doing this for your own good! A woman of the Carlione family must follow the Carlione family rules!"

I scoffed. "Rules?"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I choked out, "Do your rules include a clause that says a boyfriend can ditch his girlfriend on Christmas to watch fireworks with another woman? Or one that lets an ex flaunt herself on social media while the current girlfriend is stuck at home, picking at a cold turkey?"

"Enough!" Carlo roared.

He reached for me, but I instinctively dodged.

My head throbbed. I didn't want to fight. I rubbed my temples and said, "Calm down. I'm going to bed."

Carlo exhaled sharply, struggling to rein in his anger as he stood. I staggered toward the guest room and locked the door behind me, ignoring his knocks. That night, I slept more soundly than I had in months.

In the morning, Carlo sat in the living room, silently drinking coffee. His face was dark with fury, but I didn't bother trying to calm him. After washing up, I left the house without a word.

I went to the office and handed in my resignation.

I had chosen this job in the first place because it was close to Carlo's family. I thought that once we got married, it would make it easier for me to look after them. Now, that reason no longer mattered. My boss tried several times to persuade me to stay, but I was firm in my decision to leave.

A few days ago, one of the applications I had sent out finally received a response. It was from a company in Porta Nova, a place that had once been my dream destination when I graduated.

Back then, I had given up that opportunity for Carlo. Thankfully, it was not too late now.

After resigning, I was busy handing over my work. The first thing I did was call my friend to share the news.

She was happy for me. After a brief silence, she asked, "What about Don Carlione? Is he going to Porta Nova with you?"

I let out a bitter smile. "No. It's just me. We're breaking up."

My parents passed away long ago. Aside from a few friends in Astonia, Carlo was all I had left.

I used to think that wherever Carlo was, that was where my home would be. But now, I had no home at all. I felt like dandelions, settling wherever the wind took me.

When I got home, Carlo was about to head out. His hair was neatly styled, and he was dressed in a tailored suit. I could catch a faint trace of the cologne I had given him. In his arms, he held a bouquet of vibrant roses.

I knew it was Lucia's birthday.

He was on the phone, and I could tell he was in a good mood. "Stop guessing. If I tell you, it won't be a surprise anymore. Just wait for me."

I leaned against the wall by the entryway and watched as he talked on the phone while changing his shoes. The smile on his lips was so gentle it seemed like it could melt.

It was an expression I had never seen before. Not even on my birthday had he ever looked at me like that.

Lucia must have said something playful, because he let out a low laugh. Even the faint lines at the corners of his eyes carried a trace of indulgent affection.

He had always indulged Lucia without hesitation, yet he was so stingy with me that he could not even spare a single smile.

"Yeah, I'll be there soon," he said.

He hung up, and only when he turned around did he notice me. The smile on his face faded instantly, returning to the usual distant indifference.

He glanced at me without asking where I had been or when I had come back, as if I were nothing more than an insignificant piece of furniture in the house.

"I'm heading out," he said flatly, as if it were just a formality.

"Okay," I replied softly.

My gaze landed on the roses in his arms.

The flowers were in full bloom, and their deep red petals burned like flames.

All of a sudden, I realized that in all the years we had been together, Carlo had never once given me roses. He used to say they were too cliché and not suitable for a woman of the Carlione family. Yet now, he was willing to give those same "cliché" roses to another woman.

After changing his shoes, he walked straight toward the door. As he passed by me, a faint breeze followed in his wake, carrying the sweet scent of roses mixed with his cologne.

It used to be a scent I loved. Now, it only felt suffocating.

"Carlo," I called out just as he was about to open the door.

He stopped but didn't turn around. "What is it?" he asked coolly.

"Nothing," I said, looking at his straight back.

My voice was so calm that even I was surprised. "Have fun."

He seemed to pause for a moment, probably not expecting that response. After a brief hesitation, he opened the door and walked out without another word.

The door clicked shut, cutting off two separate worlds.

I slowly slid down onto the cold floor, staring at the empty living room. Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting scattered shadows across the floor, but it did nothing to chase away the chill in my chest.

The Christmas gift box he had given me still sat quietly on the table. The worn edges were especially noticeable in the sunlight.

In the end, I couldn't hold back. I reached out, picked up the box, and opened it.

Inside was a necklace. The design was simple, even a little outdated. A small diamond pendant caught the light, giving off a faint sparkle.

I recognized it. Back when we first started dating, I had lingered over this very style in a shop window. At the time, he had said he would buy it for me on our first anniversary. But we had been together for three years.

This necklace, which arrived two years late, came into my life in such a careless way that it felt like a belated joke.

I placed it back into the box and closed the lid.

In the past, every argument between Carlo and me had been because of Lucia Caruso. He liked to give me the silent treatment. Back then, I would treat it like a crisis, doing everything I could to appease him. Even when he ignored my messages, I would still keep reaching out, trying to win him over.

But now, I simply picked up my phone and started searching for rental listings in Porta Nova.

I needed to start getting used to this.

While lying in bed, I came across Lucia's social media post. It read, "Grateful to God. After everything, you were always there."

In the comments, Carlo's Underboss, Marco Russo, had written, "Seeing you two happy makes me happy."

I scrolled through the likes. Every member of the Carlione family had liked Lucia's post. They had never thought highly of me. In their eyes, I was the one who had come between Carlo and Lucia. They believed the two of them would have been happier without me.

Carlo himself had commented, "Everything happens for the best."

I stared blankly at their interactions.

One of Carlo's friends commented, "Stop posting. What if Anna sees this? With her temper, she'll blow up."

Others replied, "Exactly. If she sees it, she'll definitely pick another fight with you."

Their words pierced me like icy needles. To them, I was a hysterical, unreasonable woman who overreacted to everything. His friends and family mocked me openly, and he couldn't be bothered to defend me.

In the past, I had tried to speak to Carlo calmly, asking him to keep his distance from Lucia. His family accused me of being petty and controlling, claiming I interfered with his basic freedom to choose his friends.

Carlo had agreed with them.

This time, I refused to give them the reaction they expected. I didn't argue or make a scene. I simply logged out of the app, watched a few videos, and went to sleep.

By the time Carlo returned home, I was already asleep.

He shook me awake and questioned sharply, "Anna, I was out so late, and you didn't even call once. Other guys' girlfriends keep calling nonstop, but you? I didn't receive a single call from you. What exactly are you trying to say, and why didn't you even bother to check in?"

I looked at him in confusion, unable to understand his anger.

I had acted the same way toward him before, and he had said, "I'm not some toy for you to control. I can't even breathe with you smothering me."

Now that I no longer acted that way, he accused me of not caring. I had no idea what he wanted anymore.

I didn't bring up the past. I said calmly, "You were at a birthday party. It would have been strange for me to keep calling. Besides, you were with Lucia and the others, so there was nothing for me to worry about."

A hint of disbelief passed over Carlo's face. He clearly hadn't expected me to mention Lucia so calmly.

He seemed to realize something and quickly explained, "That post was just something casual. It didn't mean anything, so don't overthink it."

I shook my head. Just as I was about to respond, he cut me off. "Or do you think I shouldn't have gone to Lucia's birthday? We've known each other for over ten years. We dated briefly, but now we're just friends. It was her birthday, so it was only right for me to go."

I looked at him with understanding. "I know all that. It's late. You should get some rest."

Carlo fell silent.

He stared at me, as if trying to figure out whether I was truly not angry. After a long moment, he still couldn't find an answer.

He reached out, trying to wrap an arm around my waist, but I simply stepped aside.

"Are you sleeping in the master bedroom or the guest room?" I asked calmly.