My body ached from head to toe. My chest burned. I couldn’t take it any longer. I collapsed onto the cold tiles, shivering, the corners of the room blurring into blackness.
When I finally opened my eyes, sunlight was creeping through the curtains. My head was heavy, every muscle stiff and sore. And somehow… I was lying on the very bed I had shared with him.
Damian stood nearby. He said nothing. Simply watched. Calm, too calm, but there was a glimmer in his eyes I couldn’t place. For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw pity. Perhaps even a trace of care. But I knew better than to trust it.
“Since it’s come to this,” I said, my voice weak as I tried to sit up, “why not just throw out my things? Let Chiara move in. Isn’t that what you both want?” I shivered. “Is this what excites you? Sleeping with her here, in my bed, surrounded by my life?”
His expression shifted instantly. Rage flickered in his eyes. “You know about Chiara?”
“I saw you yesterday… holding her hand. I saw the girl.”
He didn’t even flinch. “Yes. We have a child.”