Chapter 29: I am leaving in two days

Luca

I couldn't take it anymore.

The entire night had been a blur of frustration and anxiety as I sat on the edge of my bed, phone in hand, watching the screen light up, only for it to be notifications that weren’t from him. The missed calls, the unread messages, the radio silence, it all added up to one thing. Elliott was ignoring me.

My chest tightened with every passing minute. Had I pushed him too far? Was he angry? Or was something actually wrong? My mind spun with possibilities, each one worse than the last. The longer I waited, the more suffocating the silence became, swallowing me whole.

I should have just told him the truth from the beginning. The moment I found out, I should have just told him when he came earlier, I should have looked him in the eyes and confessed everything.

Maybe then he wouldn’t be shutting me out now. Maybe then he would still be talking to me instead of making me feel like I no longer existed in his world.

But I couldn't undo the past.

What I could do was fix this now.

I couldn't sit here any longer, drowning in uncertainty. If he wouldn’t answer my calls, if he wouldn’t read my texts, then I’d go to him myself.

Because I needed to see him.

And no matter what, I had to make this right.

The towering glass building of his father’s company loomed over me as I stood outside, trying to calm my nerves.

I shouldn’t be here.

Every rational thought in my head told me to turn around and leave before I did something I couldn’t take back. But I had already spent the entire night staring at my phone, waiting for a reply that never came. The missed calls, the unread messages, Elliott had ignored every single one.

I had no idea if he was angry, hurt, or if something had happened, but the silence was unbearable.

I should have told him the truth the moment I found out. Maybe then he wouldn’t be shutting me out now.

Maybe then I wouldn’t be standing here, debating whether I had the right to barge into his life like this.

But I couldn’t wait any longer.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside.

The lobby was sleek, modern, and far too intimidating. Polished floors, glass walls, and expensive furniture filled the space. Businessmen in tailored suits walked past me without a second glance, and I suddenly felt out of place in my simple jacket and jeans.

I hesitated before approaching the front desk.

The receptionist, a woman with neatly styled hair and a sharp gaze, barely looked up as she spoke. “Can I help you?”

I forced a polite smile. “Yeah. I’m here to see Elliott.”

Her expression shifted slightly, her brows raising in mild curiosity. “Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but I’m a friend. I just need to talk to him for a few minutes.”

She frowned, clearly unimpressed. “Mr. Elliott doesn’t take walk-ins. If you’d like, I can leave a message for him.”

That wasn’t an option.

“I really need to see him. It’s important.”

Her frown deepened, and I could already see her forming the words to dismiss me when a voice interrupted.

“Luca?”

I turned sharply, my heart skipping a beat.

Elliott stood a few feet away, his tall frame tense, his expression unreadable. His normally sharp, confident gaze looked tired, like he hadn’t slept. His tie was slightly loosened, and his jaw was tight.

But the worst part?

He didn’t look happy to see me.

I swallowed hard. “Hey.”

For a second, he just stared at me. Then, with a sigh, he turned to the receptionist. “It’s fine. He’s with me.”

I exhaled in relief as he gestured for me to follow him toward the elevators.

Neither of us spoke as the doors closed behind us.

The silence between us felt suffocating.

I stole a glance at him, but his face was unreadable, his posture tense. He looked like he was holding something back, something he wasn’t ready to say.

I finally broke the silence. “Elliott, I…”

“Why are you here, Luca?” His voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it.

I hesitated before answering. “Because you wouldn’t answer my calls. Or my messages.”

He let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head. “Yeah, well… I had things to deal with.”

I frowned. “Elliott, if you’re mad about yesterday, I…”

“I don’t want to talk about yesterday.” His tone was sharp and final.

I clenched my jaw. “Fine. Then let’s talk about why I’m really here.”

His eyes flicked toward me, guarded.

I took a deep breath. “I got accepted. The filmmaking production company. I’m leaving in two days.”

There it was.

The truth.

Elliott’s expression didn’t change immediately.

But something flickered in his eyes, something I couldn’t quite place.

He looked away. “That’s great, Luca. Congrats.”

That was it? No reaction, no emotion.

Just… that?

Frustration bubbled in my chest. “Elliott, I didn’t want to tell you like this. I wanted to explain, to talk about it.”

He gave a small nod, still staring at the elevator doors. “Yeah. And now you did.”

I frowned. “Elliott, come on…”

The elevator doors opened, and he stepped out without another word.

I followed quickly. “Elliott..”

He suddenly stopped, turning to face me. “Luca. I’m happy for you, alright? But you made your choice. And now I have mine.”

My stomach twisted. “What does that mean?”

He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “It means… I have things to figure out, and I don’t think you being here helps.”

The words hit harder than I expected.

“You’re pushing me away.” Elliott met my gaze, and for the first time, I saw something break in his eyes.

“I have to.”

And with that, he turned and walked away.

I stood there, my chest tightening as I watched him disappear down the hallway.

I had come here hoping to fix things, to explain, to maybe even change his mind. But now, standing in the middle of this cold, unfamiliar office, I realized something else entirely.

Maybe Elliott wasn’t just mad at me.

Maybe he was hurting, too.

And the worst part? I had no idea how to fix it.