Lorenzo no longer cared about the doubts gnawing at him and rushed Stefania inside the house after I said that. He looks so funny with his urgency and unrelenting footsteps.

I sighed watching them and turned to look at Matteo. “I think your boss allowed me to enjoy my night, Matteo, so better… fuck off!”

I stepped back to find my car in the parking lot, I changed my mind to call a cab at first. But five more steps, some stone tripped my walk and I sprawled on the cold pavement. I furiously stared at my knees scraped by sharp stones that bit into my already battered skin.

“Seriously?” I shook my head in disbelief. “Why am I so unlucky tonight?!” I hissed.

Sitting up slowly on my own without taking the hand of Matteo as he extended it to me for some help, I noticed something glinting faintly. A cheap crescent moon necklace, its tarnished chain and weathered design betrayed its age. My hand trembled as I reached for it, and an unsettling sense of familiarity washed over me the moment I held it.

Memories from a lifetime ago flooded my mind, and then it clicked: the crescent moon tattoo on Lorenzo’s chest. My pulse quickened. This necklace wasn’t just a random trinket; it was part of a story Lorenzo had never shared with me. A story that now felt inextricably tied to Stefania.

"So that’s how it is..." I whispered, the words bitter on my tongue. The puzzle pieces I had ignored for years suddenly snapped into place, painting a picture I wished I’d never seen. The weight of the realization was suffocating.

Eight years of love, loyalty, and sacrifice—all one-sided. Lorenzo had never truly been mine. This trinket was purposely here as Stefania left it for me to see. I know it belonged to her, I saw it earlier in the engagement party worn by her. That’s why I felt odd looking at Stefania’s necklace that looks old and tarnished, it doesn’t suit her aura. Now, I know… it was just a display for me to see.

Clutching it tightly, I returned to the house. It felt heavier entering, but my resolve hardened with every passing second. By the time I reached my room, I knew what I had to do.

After sending a message to my mother that I will be with her in Sicily the day of the wedding, I looked around and began dismantling the remnants of the life I had meticulously built around Lorenzo. The red and gold decorations that once filled me with joy now felt like a mockery, each piece a reminder of the farce I’d been living.

Hours passed in a blur. By the time I was done, the wedding countdown caught my eye. My fingers hesitated, hovering over the glossy calendar. With a sharp inhale, I ripped off the word ‘wedding’ and replaced it with ‘departure countdown.’

This wasn’t the end, I promised myself. It was a beginning—of my escape from a decade of lies.

I walked outta my room and went downstairs again. I met Matteo’s piercing eyes and just continued my pace. I left the villa with one of Lorenzo’s luxury cars and went straight to a club and ordered a tequila. I saw Matteo following me but I didn't give a damn at all.

****

The next morning, my phone rang sharply, jarring me from my thoughts. Lorenzo’s voice greeted me in his tone of smooth yet distant, as if he were speaking to an employee rather than his fiancée.

"Aletta, are you awake? I had your favorite breakfast delivered. I’m tied up with something at the office today, so we’ll need to reschedule the wedding photos."

I pressed my fingers against my temple, trying to stifle the surge of frustration. "Alright," I replied evenly, keeping my tone neutral.

Lorenzo paused, sensing something amiss. "Don’t let last night’s incident trouble you," he said, his voice softening. "I’ve already apologized to Stefania on your behalf."

Woah! A bitter laugh threatened to escape, but I swallowed it down. "Okay."

"Stefania thinks the wedding is just a formality," he continued, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me. "She said we don’t need to put too much effort into it. Our marriage doesn’t rely on grand gestures. And she’s right. What matters is us being husband and wife."

"I’ll go along with whatever you decide," I replied, the words tasting like ash. And honestly, it bores me.

Because in my heart, the decision had already been made. This wedding would be the simplest in history because it would never happen. I would let Lorenzo play his games until the very last moment.

As the day wore on, the suffocating weight of the house became unbearable. I needed to clear my head, to reclaim some semblance of control. I left the villa’s estate, driving aimlessly until I reached a quiet café on the outskirts of the city.

The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as I settled into a corner booth. I pulled out the crescent moon necklace from my pocket, running my fingers over its worn surface.

"Trouble in paradise?" a deep voice interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up to find Matteo. Again.

I observed him, thinking why he—an ally of Volantes and Corvinos, and one of the most dangerous men in the underground society, kept on pestering me. I didn’t buy his reasons for being my driver and bodyguard after I learned from some confidant what he was capable of.

"Matteo," I greeted, forcing a smile. "Still have the fun following me, eh?"

Matteo’s piercing gray eyes studied me too with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. He slid into the seat across from me, his expression unreadable. "I need to, right? And why here? I thought Lorenzo’s bride-to-be wants to enjoy dancing in the club and not hiding in a café. Alone and looked so sad. Neglected again?"

I sighed, twirling the necklace between my fingers. "Just needed some air." I don’t want to say much about what he said about me. He was there last night in the club. He saw what I did on the dance floor and he was there protecting me with the advances of some men.

Matteo’s gaze flicked to the necklace, his brows furrowing slightly. "That’s not yours, is it?"

My grip tightened instinctively. "Why? Do you have any idea about this?"

"Enough to know it’s not just a necklace for you," he replied cryptically. "You've been keeping it since you found it last night. Why? Playing with fire, Damsel?”

A dark laugh escaped me. "Yep, because fire might be exactly what I need right now."

Matteo leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "If you’re planning to take on Lorenzo and Stefania, you’ll need more than fire. You’ll need allies."

I met his gaze, the weight of his words sinking in. "And what are you offering, Matteo?"

He smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Revenge. The kind that will make them wish they never crossed you."

“And why the hell are you suggesting that to me?”

“Because I have reasons.” He grinned.

The trending headline about Lorenzo flashed on my phone screen like a siren—Lorenzo Corvino spends $8 million on vintage moon brooch to bring a smile to his beloved.

The accompanying photo was grainy, but the world assumed the woman beside him was me.

I stared at it, my laughter bitter and sharp. Eight million dollars poured into a bauble meant to appease Stefania. The absurdity struck me like a slap. While I’d been planning a future with him, Lorenzo had already spent, gifting all he could afford to his beloved woman.

Lorenzo didn’t bother coming home after that. Days stretched into nights, and his absence became a constant. I didn’t ask questions, for I stopped caring about answers.

Instead, I turned my focus inward. Quietly, methodically, I submitted my resignation from Corvino's pharmaceutical company—a front for all illegal drugs they produced for underground society.

There were no dramatic goodbyes, just a few lingering hugs and whispered promises to stay in touch. My colleagues—a handful of whom had become friends—didn’t seem surprised.

“We suspected as much,” Liz murmured when we were dining in the company’s cafeteria, sliding her phone across the table toward me. “Look.”

On the screen was Lorenzo’s social media account’s feed, filled with snapshots of him and Stefania. Each post was a punch to the gut. They were at an amusement park, her smile wide as he held her hand. Another showed her modeling wedding dresses, the caption teasing about—The perfect fit 🥰.

The photo that sealed it for me, though, was taken atop Monte Luna. The moon hung low in the sky as they gazed at it together, his arm draped protectively around her shoulders. He’d never taken me there, despite knowing how much I’d longed to see it.

“Lorenzo’s not hiding it anymore,” Liz said softly. “He’s parading her around, Aletta. I’m sorry.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “There’s nothing to apologize for, Liz. I just wonder what he would say to explain once I told him I know about these feeds.” My voice didn’t shake, though my heart was breaking with the insults the two were giving me. “Or maybe, he thought I don’t have friends to show me his feeds. It’s obviously customized, right? Not for me to see.”

“Yeah, I thought so too…” Liz pouted. “And you still wanted to marry him?”

I snickered. Then I shook my head because I couldn't give her a hint for my plan. “Just say you don’t need to worry about my feelings, Liz.”

“Aletta, you don’t deserve him.”

“Enough of Lorenzo…” I smiled at her concern. “Actually, there’s something I need from you. Better than him and Stefania.” I gave her a USB drive. “Can you help me get some files?”

Liz frowned at first but tilted her head next. “Of course! Anything for you, Aletta.”

“Thanks,” I smiled sweetly. “Here's what you need to do for me… Please help me ensure I leave no loose ends behind. Get the transaction’s list of Corvino’s Drugs and Co. All of it.”

****

By the time Lorenzo returned, I had already packed most of my things. I’d boxed up the wedding preparations, stripped the house of decorations, and transformed the once supposed-to-be vibrant home into a sterile shell.

He noticed the change the moment he walked through the door. His brows knitted together as he surveyed the bare walls and empty shelves.

“Why does it feel so... empty in here?” His tone was casual, but his eyes lingered on the other wedding countdown that I taped to the fridge.

“You told me to keep it simple,” I replied, my voice flat. “This is simplicity.”

He nodded absentmindedly and sank into the couch, his attention immediately drawn to his phone. His fingers flew over the screen, undoubtedly messaging Stefania. I resisted the urge to snatch it from his hands.

While he was distracted, I sat at the dining table, my laptop open. The surveillance files I’d collected over the past weeks—videos of Lorenzo and Stefania, their stolen moments and whispered secrets—were transferred onto a sleek USB drive. Each file was another nail in the coffin of my patience.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him glance up. His gaze landed on the countdown, and he smiled. “In ten days, we’ll be married.”

I stood, tearing three pages from the calendar. “No, Lorenzo. Seven days. Just a week alone.” I didn’t bother hiding the sarcasm in my tone.

His smile faltered as his eyes swept over the scribbled notes on the torn pages.

Ride the Ferris wheel together…

Watch the stars…

Fitting wedding dress…

Wishes we were supposed to share. Wishes he had fulfilled with Stefania.

Something flickered in his expression—regret, confusion—but it passed as quickly as it came. He opened his mouth to say something, but the sharp trill of my phone interrupted him.

It was my mother. I stepped out onto the balcony to take the call, leaving him alone with his thoughts—or Stefania, more likely.

When I returned, Lorenzo was still sitting on the couch, his phone pressed to his ear. His voice was low, coaxing, and I caught snippets of the conversation.

“Of course, Steffi. I’ll be there soon. Don’t cry, okay?” He hung up before I could say anything. “I have to go,” he said, already halfway to the door.

I folded my arms, leaning against the doorway. “Another emergency?”

He hesitated, his hand on the knob. “It’s business. You know how it is.”

“Do I?” My tone was sharp, and for a moment, he froze.

But then he shrugged and walked out, leaving me alone again.

****

The next days blurred together. Lorenzo’s absence became my sanctuary, giving me the space I needed to finalize my plans. I canceled the remaining wedding arrangements, dismantled the illusion of a future I no longer wanted.

Sixth day before the wedding, I found myself standing in the living room, staring at the countdown. Six days left. Six days to let go.

My phone buzzed with a text. I read it.

LORENZO CHEATER: Can you pick out a tie for the wedding? I’m swamped at work.

I stared at the message, my lips curling into a bitter smile. The audacity of him. Without replying, I walked to the closet, grabbed a random tie, and left it on the kitchen counter.

He didn’t come home that night. Or the night after. Four nights to go before the wedding, I knew he wouldn’t bother showing up at all.

And that was fine.

Because all that remained now in me was the final act—a goodbye he would never forget.

“Who was that? I thought I heard something about a visa,” Lorenzo asked casually, his gaze fixed on his phone, scrolling as always. I don’t know what time he got home last night. And I didn’t care to ask.

“It’s nothing. Just work-related,” I replied, my tone light, dismissive.

His shoulders relaxed, the tension leaving him with a quiet sigh. “Good. I hope you’re not planning some extravagant honeymoon. I don’t have time for that.”

“I know,” I said simply.

Since Stefania had returned to his life, Lorenzo barely had room for anything—or anyone—else. It was obvious, even in the smallest moments. We were sitting side by side on the couch, but the silence between us was palpable. Heavy. Suffocating.

The quiet stretched on until I couldn’t bear it any longer. I stood and went to the bedroom. When I returned, Lorenzo held the crescent moon necklace. “This,” he said. “How did it end up with you? I’ve been looking for it everywhere.”

“I found it on the road,” I replied. “Only realized it was yours after I saw your lost item post online. I wanna give it to you, anyway. Since you have it, no surprise wedding gift then.”

Lorenzo’s eyes flicked to the necklace, a spark of recognition lighting up his face. “Yeah. Thanks.”

I nodded, feigning indifference. It didn’t escape me that he had spent two million dollars searching for that trinket—because it belonged to Stefania. Meanwhile, the total cost of our wedding barely reached six hundred thousand.

The favoritism was so blatant, it was almost laughable.

“You seem relieved,” I said coolly. “By the way… where’s our wedding rings?” I asked since he said he will show those to me.

That caught him off guard. His hand instinctively went to his pocket, “I… I forgot it.”

I stared at him, silent, unyielding. Something flickered in his expression—uncertainty, discomfort. Lorenzo Corvino, the man who ruled his organization with an iron fist, looked uneasy under my gaze.

He shifted in his seat, opening his mouth as if to explain. But before he could, his phone buzzed. The screen lit up with Stefania’s name.

Without a word, Lorenzo stood. The tension in his shoulders spoke louder than any excuse he could have offered. He took a step toward the door but stopped halfway. Turning back, he leaned down and pressed a fleeting kiss to my forehead.

“Sorry, mia moglie,” he murmured, his voice unusually soft. “I’ve been so caught up lately. You’ve had to handle everything on your own.”

I didn’t respond. I just smiled. Acting dumb again in his eyes.

“I promise,” he continued, a faint smile playing on his lips, “once this busy schedule is over, I’ll make it up to you. I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world.”

He said the words like a man reciting lines from a script—lines that had worked wonders before. If this had been the past, I might have believed him. I might have clung to those words, hoping against hope that they were true.

But not now. Not anymore.

I watched him walk out, closing the door behind him without a backward glance. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. His sweet words were nothing but sugar coating over a bitter reality that once might have made my heart flutter.

****

The following day, the last two days before the wedding, dawned gray and overcast. Only two thin pages remained on the calendar in the living room. I tore one page without ceremony, my eyes lingering on today’s wish—Have a reunion dinner together with families.

It was a wish I had clung to for years, a dream born from the fracture of my family. But just as my mother could never forgive my father, I could never forgive Lorenzo.

I didn’t dwell on it. There was no point.

Instead, I applied a light touch of makeup, slipping into a black and red dress I’d always loved. It wasn’t extravagant, but it was enough to remind me of who I was—before Lorenzo, before Stefania, before all of this.

I spent the day alone. I went to the movies, ordering a full couple’s meal for myself. The server gave me a curious look, but I ignored it, savoring the food without a care for how it might appear.

Next, I rode the Ferris wheel. It was something I’d always wanted to do, though Lorenzo had never found the time. As the gondola climbed higher, the city stretched out before me. The sun began its slow descent, casting everything in a golden, almost ethereal light.

At the highest point, I opened the gondola’s window and let the wind rush in. The breeze kissed my face, carrying away the remnants of sadness that clung to me like a second skin. For the first time in years being with Lorenzo, I felt weightless. Free.

I opened my arms and let the moment wash over me.

The memories—the fights, the lies, the betrayals—seemed to drift away with the wind, fading into the horizon as the sun disappeared below it. In their place, there was only peace.

The Ferris wheel slowed to a gentle halt, and I stepped off, still carrying the faint remnants of the breeze that had seemed to cleanse me. As I walked through the park, the colorful lights from nearby attractions painted the ground in shifting patterns. My heels clicked against the pavement, a steady rhythm that matched the calm resolve building in my chest.

“Miss Damsel!”

The voice was soft but unmistakable. I turned to see Matteo standing a few paces away, his tall frame silhouetted against the glowing carnival lights. His eyes were fixed on me, a mixture of concern and something deeper flickering in their depths.

“Matteo,” I said, my tone neutral. “What’s the need to follow me even here?”

He stepped closer, his presence grounding me in a way I couldn’t quite explain. “I could ask you the same thing. Riding a Ferris wheel alone, dressed like you’re going for some date night? That’s quite lonely!”

I rolled my eyes and turned to walk away. “I wanted to be alone.”

“Clearly,” he replied, following. “But you know I can’t just let you wander around without keeping an eye on you, Miss Damsel.”

I stopped walking, faced him. “What you can’t comprehend in what I said?”

“Same question for you, Damsel. What you don’t get when I say ‘I can’t just let you wander without keeping an eye on you,’ huh?’

“What’s your problem?” I annoyingly asked. “Don’t tell me you wanna keep your act playing a loyal dog of Lorenzo when in fact you already suggested something ‘revenge,’ right?”

“Act?” He grinned. “Aren’t we on the same boat?”