I half-expected Giovanni to come after me, to pull me back and ask what was wrong. But he didn’t. He didn’t even notice. How could he when he barely looked in my direction.
That hurt more than anything. The weight of it settled in my chest, heavy and suffocating.
When I got home, I felt numb. I couldn’t keep pretending this was going to work. I couldn’t keep pretending like I was fine being a shadow in someone else’s life. Giovanni had made his choice—maybe not in words, but in actions. And his actions screamed that I wasn’t the one he truly wanted.
I started packing my things. Clothes, shoes, a few personal items. It wasn’t much, but it was all I had. I couldn’t stay here anymore. I didn’t know where I was going or what I was going to do, but anywhere was better than staying in this limbo.
As I shoved the last of my things into my suitcase, my hands trembled with frustration and pain. I wasn’t going to wait around for Giovanni to choose me.
Dragging my suitcase, I stepped out into the night, the city lights flickering like distant stars. The air was cool against my skin, the quiet streets a stark contrast to the noise swirling inside my head.