Chapter 9

Vanessa stared at the small black box.

For a moment, I thought she hadn’t heard him.

Then she looked up.

“You’re ending our engagement?”

Luca nodded.

“Yes.”

“After everything we’ve been through?”

“Because of what we’ve been through tonight.”

Vanessa looked toward Sophie.

The little girl immediately lowered her eyes.

Luca noticed.

“Don’t look at Sophie for an answer,” he said. “This is my decision.”

Vanessa swallowed.

“I know I’ve made mistakes.”

“This wasn’t one mistake.”

“I know.”

“You asked my daughter to remove her mother’s name. You made her believe she was responsible for our marriage. You arranged to send her away and used my signature without permission.”

Vanessa began twisting her engagement ring.

“I thought I could make things better before anybody noticed how bad they’d become.”

Luca’s expression softened slightly.

“That was the problem. You kept deciding what everyone else needed without asking us.”

Vanessa looked around the dining room.

The red roses she’d chosen filled enormous silver vases.

Her wedding invitations sat near the sideboard.

Tomorrow, this house was supposed to be full of people celebrating her marriage.

Now she was sitting at the same table where she’d humiliated a housemaid and frightened a child.

“I never thought I’d become like my stepmother,” she whispered.

Luca remained quiet.

Vanessa shook her head.

“She used to tell me there wasn’t room for two families in one house.”

Sophie looked up.

“Did she make you leave?”

Vanessa swallowed.

“No. She let me stay. But I always felt like I was visiting.”

The little girl considered that.

Then she asked, “Why did you want me to feel that way?”

Vanessa looked at her.

For several seconds, she couldn’t answer.

Finally, she said, “Because I was afraid I would never belong here.”

Sophie frowned.

“But you could have.”

Vanessa started crying again.

It wasn’t loud.

There was nothing theatrical about it.

She simply sat there, looking at the child she’d frightened, with no reasonable explanation left.

“You’re right,” she whispered.

Luca stood.

“Vanessa, I’ll arrange for your belongings to be packed. You can stay in the guest suite tonight if you’d rather leave in the morning.”

She nodded.

Then she slowly removed her engagement ring.

The diamond caught the chandelier light.

She placed it beside the unopened box.

“I didn’t want to lose you.”

Luca looked at her.

“I know.”

“That doesn’t make any difference?”

“It makes me sad. But it doesn’t change my decision.”

She looked toward Sophie again.

“Could I say something to her?”

Luca turned to his daughter.

“That’s up to you, sweetheart.”

Sophie looked uncertain.

Then she nodded.

Vanessa moved closer but stopped several feet away.

“I’m sorry I made you feel like you didn’t belong in your own home.”

Sophie held her coat tighter.

Vanessa continued.

“And I’m sorry I made you think your father’s love depended on what you did for me.”

The little girl looked at the floor.

“Okay.”

Vanessa waited.

Perhaps she expected forgiveness.

Perhaps she hoped Sophie would hug her the way she sometimes had after a bedtime story.

But Sophie didn’t move.

Luca didn’t ask her to.

After a moment, Vanessa nodded.

“Good night, Sophie.”

“Good night.”

She turned toward me.

For one uncomfortable second, I wondered whether she intended to blame me again.

Instead, she said, “Emily, I owe you an apology.”

I stood straighter.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I humiliated you in front of everyone. I threatened your job because you wouldn’t do something cruel.”

I said nothing.

My wrist still hurt where she’d grabbed it.

Vanessa glanced at the faint red marks.

Her expression changed.

“I’m sorry.”

I took a breath.

“Thank you for saying that.”

It wasn’t forgiveness.

It was acknowledgment.

That was all I was ready to give.

She left the dining room without another word.

For a while, none of us spoke.

Then Luca turned to me.

“Emily, about your job.”

My stomach tightened.

There were still bills waiting at home.

My mother had a medical appointment the following week.

I couldn’t afford to lose my income, no matter how relieved I was that Sophie would be staying.

“Sir, I know tonight has been difficult—”

“You were dismissed for protecting my daughter.”

I nodded.

“That’s unacceptable.”

He pulled out a chair.

“Please sit down.”

I hesitated.

“I’m still on duty.”

“Then consider this part of your workday.”

I sat.

He looked at me seriously.

“Your employment will continue. You’ll receive the wages you would have earned during any missed hours, and tomorrow I’ll make sure the employment record reflects that you were wrongfully dismissed.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“And I’m going to review how staff complaints are handled here. You shouldn’t have needed to risk your livelihood to tell me what was happening.”

My eyes stung.

I hadn’t expected him to understand that part.

“Mrs. Bellini knew I needed the job,” I said quietly.

“I know.”

“She reminded me.”

Luca looked down at his hands.

“I’m sorry she had that power over you.”

Then he added, “And I’m sorry I didn’t notice how it was being used.”

I believed him.

Not because he was Luca Moretti.

Not because he was wealthy enough to repair every expensive thing in the mansion.

But because he didn’t try to excuse what had happened.

He looked at Sophie.

“Sweetheart, tomorrow we’re going to cancel the wedding arrangements. Then we’re going to make sure Briarfield knows you aren’t coming.”

She nodded.

“Will they be mad?”

“No.”

“Will Vanessa be mad?”

“Maybe she’ll be sad. But that isn’t your responsibility.”

Sophie thought about that.

Then she climbed into his lap.

She hadn’t done that since the guests left.

Luca wrapped his arms around her.

For several minutes, he simply held her.

Eventually, Sophie touched his cheek.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Are you really staying home tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“All day?”

“All day.”

She considered that.

Then she whispered something that made my chest ache.

“Can I sleep in my own room tonight, or is it still being packed away?”

Share