Bianca’s voice came first—uneasy, tense. “You should leave before she gets here. If you stay, we’ll get caught. I’m tired of hiding, Matteo… of hiding Mason. When are you actually going to make this official?”
My blood ran cold.
Then Matteo answered, calm as ever. “Soon. I just need a little more time. You know how important this is. Once everything is settled, I’ll take care of it. You and Mason will finally have my name… and I’ll get rid of her and her father.”
A pause.
Then Bianca again, frustrated. “You’ve been saying that forever. I can’t keep living like this. Mason needs stability—he needs a father.”
He gave a soft laugh. “Patience,” he said. “She’ll figure it out eventually. After that, we won’t need to hide anymore.”
Her voice turned sharper. “She’s so blind… she has no idea we’ve been doing this behind her back all this time.”
Everything in me went still.
Every memory. Every laugh. Every comfort she gave me. Every moment I trusted her.
It was all staged.
I didn’t wait to hear more.
I left without a sound, got into my car, and just drove.
I ended up at the pier.
The same place Matteo once told me we’d build our future.
The wind was cold, biting. The sea restless.