Chapter 13
She’d caught every word of that Italian conversation!
Aria had known all along–his marriage to Sofia, the conspiracy to keep her in the dark–everything.
Alessandro’s chest tightened with dread.
He’d thought his juggling act was flawless. Keep his arrangement with Sofia while maintaining his relationship with Aria. So clever, so careful.
With Sofia, it had been about unfinished business. The rage he’d felt when she’d abandoned him for another man had twisted into this compulsive need to bring her back into his orbit. But Sofia was meant to stay in the shadows–a secret that wouldn’t disrupt what he had with Aria, the woman who’d become his world after he lost his sight.
Never in his calculations
had he factored in Aria’s language studies. She’d picked up every syllable, every promise,
every betrayal.
God, how could she just cut him off like this? Sure, he’d indulged an old fixation, and yes, he’d felt protective toward Sofia–but to erase herself completely from his life? To vanish without a trace?
His eyes welled up as memories crashed over him. Those dark years, with only Aria’s voice to guide him–steady and warm when everything else was black.
“You’ll get through this, Alex. I’m not going anywhere.”
“You promise?”
“As long as you don’t betray what we have–then yeah, I’m here for good.”
He’d pulled her close then, his voice cracking. “I’d never do that to you. So it’s settled–you’re stuck with me.”
When had the tide changed?
Was it Sofia’s constant SOS calls? That practiced vulnerable look she’d perfected?
Somewhere along the way, he’d started taking Aria for granted. His thoughts drifted back to the woman who’d left him broken, who now conveniently needed a white knight.
He’d cockily assumed he could have it all, control it all.
What he’d forgotten was that Aria, though alone in the world, had too much self–respect to settle. Rather than become a martyr to his ego, she’d chosen the door.
She knew his playbook by heart. She knew the moment Alessandro caught wind of her departure plans, he’d launch a full–scale campaign to keep her.
So she’d methodically erased every breadcrumb, every digital footprint, every possible way he could track her
08:35
I Love You So Much. But I Just Don’t Like You Atyre
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Chapter 13
down.
As this reality sank in, a desperate anger bubbled up in his chest.
“This isn’t over, Aria,” he whispered hoarsely. “Not even close.”
Her name fell from his lips like a mantra, his eyes burning with longing.
“I screwed up. I know that. I shouldn’t have put another woman ahead of you.”
“Hate me if you need to. Yell at me, throw things–whatever it takes. Just come back.”
His pleas echoed through the empty penthouse, his voice growing ragged.
But the one person who needed to hear them was gone.
“I will track you down,” he vowed, his jaw clenching. “It doesn’t matter where you’ve hidden yourself. Our story isn’t
finished.”
He couldn’t accept this ending. Aria belonged with him, would always belong with him.
He would grovel, would drop to his knees if that’s what it took, would do whatever necessary to earn her forgiveness–but letting her walk away permanently? That wasn’t an option.
With shaking fingers, he opened his phone’s photo gallery, pressing his lips to her image with the devotion of a man
at prayer.
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