It felt like the world stopped for a second—like even the air forgot how to move.
Before I could respond, he already turned around and walked out.
The door clicked shut behind him.
And that silence… that was the moment I broke.
My hands shook as I covered my face, and everything I had been holding in finally spilled out. Not quiet tears—real, ugly crying that came from somewhere deep I couldn’t control.
Because it wasn’t just pain anymore.
It was understanding.
The man I loved… wasn’t coming back.
Or maybe he had never been there at all.
And then, without warning, the memories came rushing in.
Back to the beginning.
When Matteo and I weren’t lovers, weren’t even close—just two people forced into a marriage built on competition and resentment.
We fought like it was second nature.
Deadlines, clients, proposals, even stupid things like office layouts—nothing was ever peaceful between us.
“You really think you’re better than me just because your father handed you half the company?” he once snapped during a meeting, voice cutting through the room.
I didn’t even hesitate.
“At least I didn’t get mine handed over on a silver plate,” I fired back. “You’re just scared I’ll actually outperform you.”