ERICAI stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest, my mind struggling to process what I had just heard. The words still echoed in my ears, circling in my head like they couldn’t be real.Erica, I love you.No. No, he didn’t. He couldn’t.I blinked, swallowing hard as I tried to find the right words, but nothing came out. My throat felt tight, like something was lodged there, preventing me from speaking.Raffael watched me, his face unreadable, but his eyes… his eyes held something different tonight. Something I wasn’t used to seeing from him.Honesty.Vulnerability.I shook my head slightly, letting out a breathless laugh. “You don’t mean that.”His jaw clenched. “I do.”I forced another laugh, but it felt hollow, empty. “Raffael, come on. You don’t just—just say things like that.”His gaze never wavered. “I’m not just saying it.”I felt my stomach twist painfully. This had to be some kind of game. Some twisted joke. He was playing with me, just like he always did.“You’re lying,”
ERICA’S POVIt had been a week.Seven days since Raffael had looked me in the eyes and told me he loved me. Seven days since he’d shattered every assumption I’d ever had about him. Seven days since I’d decided—against my better judgment—to give him a chance to prove it.And in those seven days, I had seen a version of him I never thought existed.It still didn’t feel real.I kept expecting the old Raffael to slip through the cracks—the cold, arrogant man who had once treated me like an inconvenience. The one who barely acknowledged me unless it was to make a sharp remark or push me away. But that man had seemingly vanished, replaced by someone… softer.Not soft—Raffael could never be soft. But different. Gentler.He still had that quiet intensity, that unwavering confidence that made it seem like the whole world revolved around him. But now, that intensity was directed toward me in ways I didn’t know how to handle.He brought me flowers every morning—fresh, beautiful arrangements that
ERICA’S POVThe room felt frozen.Clarissa stood in the doorway, her gaze flickering between me and Raffael, her expression unreadable for a moment—until she laughed.A sharp, manic laugh that sent a chill down my spine.Raffael tensed immediately. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he slowly stood up. I could feel the shift in his demeanor, the way his entire body stiffened in shock.“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice low, controlled—but I could hear the irritation bleeding through.Clarissa smirked, flipping her long dark hair over her shoulder as she stepped inside, completely unbothered by the tension crackling in the room.“Is this why you didn’t bother telling me about your little trip?” she drawled, sauntering past him like she owned the place. “So you could sneak off with her and let her warm your bed?”My heart pounded.Raffael inhaled sharply, nostrils flaring as he turned to face her. “Clarissa, don’t start—”“Oh, I will start,” she snapped, turning t
RAFFAEL’S POVI sat at my desk, fingers flying over the keyboard as I worked, my eyes fixed on the screen. The glow from the monitor was the only source of light in the dark room, creating shadows across the walls. The document in front of me was filled with numbers, reports, projections—things that required my attention. Things that demanded focus. And that was exactly what I needed right now.Work had always been my escape. The one thing I could rely on when everything else felt out of my control. It was predictable, structured—unlike the chaos unraveling in my personal life. Numbers didn’t change on a whim. Spreadsheets didn’t come with complicated emotions. Deadlines didn’t demand explanations.Unlike Clarissa.I clenched my jaw, fingers pressing harder against the keys.Everything between us had spiraled so fast. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I hadn’t planned for tonight to end in a fight, hadn’t expected to break things off with her in such a brutal, final way. But it had
ERICA’S POVThe moment Raffael pulled away, everything inside me shattered.I stood frozen in the doorway, my feet rooted to the floor, my breath caught somewhere between my lungs and throat. My vision blurred as my brain struggled to process what I had just seen. Raffael. Clarissa. Their lips.I felt sick.Clarissa’s eyes landed on me first. The corners of her lips curled into a smug, knowing smirk, and her gaze flicked between me and Raffael like she had just won some twisted game.Then Raffael turned. The second he saw me, all the color drained from his face, his eyes going wide with shock and something that almost looked like fear.“Erica—” His voice was sharp, urgent, desperate.But I didn’t wait to hear whatever excuse he had.I turned and ran.My heart pounded violently against my ribs, my stomach twisting into painful knots as I rushed down the hallway. I could hear the quick, heavy thuds of Raffael’s footsteps right behind me, hear the way he called my name, voice full of urg
RAFFAELThe conference room was empty, silent except for the faint hum of the air conditioning. I paced back and forth, dragging a hand through my hair, my thoughts a chaotic mess.I hadn’t slept.Not a second.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the look on Erica’s face when she walked in last night—the shock, the hurt, the betrayal. It burned into my mind like a wound that wouldn’t close. She hadn’t given me a chance to explain, hadn’t let me tell her that I pulled away the second Clarissa kissed me.But why would she?She had every right to shut me out.I had spent the entire night waiting for her to open her door, knocking, calling her name, begging for just a second of her time—but she never did. The silence on the other side of that door was louder than any words she could have said.And this morning?Nothing.Not a single sign of her.The realization that she didn’t even want to see me twisted like a knife in my chest.I clenched my jaw, my hands fisting at my sides as I turned
ERICA’S POVI sat in the living room, curled up on the couch, staring blankly at the coffee table. My hands rested in my lap, fingers intertwined, squeezing together every now and then just to feel something—anything—other than the dull ache in my chest.The house was quiet. Unsettlingly so.The silence pressed in from all sides, heavy and suffocating, amplifying the thoughts I had tried so hard to push away. The weight of it sat in my chest, making it hard to breathe, hard to think.I hadn’t seen Raffael since last night. Since that moment. Since my world turned upside down.I told myself I didn’t care. That I didn’t want to see him, that I didn’t need to hear whatever excuse he had prepared.But the truth was, I had spent the whole day waiting.Waiting for him to come to me.Waiting for him to explain.Waiting for something.Something that never came.The hours stretched painfully, each second dragging on longer than the last. Every small sound in the house made my heart jolt, only
ERICA’S POVIt had been a week since we got back from Chicago, but the tension in the air made it feel like no time had passed at all.Things should have felt different. The house should have felt like home again. But instead, it felt like we were holding our breath, waiting for the next storm to hit.And today, it finally did.Raffael’s mother had insisted on this meeting. She claimed it was necessary after Clarissa went to her, sobbing about their engagement being over. Raffael had been furious when he found out. He didn’t want to see Clarissa, let alone entertain her or her mother in his house. He had made it clear that whatever history they shared was over.But in the end, he agreed.Not for Clarissa. Not for her mother.For his own mother. And, in some way, for me.Now, we sat in the living room, and whatever peace we had hoped to maintain had long since shattered.Clarissa’s mother sat stiffly across from us, her face pinched in disapproval. Her sharp gaze moved between Raffael
ERICA’S POVThe house felt strangely quiet after Clarissa and her mother left, as if all the tension had been sucked out of the air along with them.Raffael’s mother, still standing in the middle of the living room, let out a long, tired sigh. She turned to her son, her expression softer now—almost vulnerable.“I owe you an apology,” she said quietly. “I should have told you the truth a long time ago.”Raffael didn’t respond immediately. His jaw was tight, his hands still clenched at his sides. I could tell he was still processing everything that had just happened.His mother continued, her voice thick with emotion. “Clarissa’s mother has used this secret to blackmail me for years. Every time I tried to stand my ground, she would threaten to tell you. I was so afraid of losing you, of what you might think of me.” She swallowed hard. “But today… today, you stood up for me.”Raffael finally exhaled, his shoulders loosening just slightly. He stepped forward, his voice steady. “Nothing wi
ERICA’S POVIt had been a week since we got back from Chicago, but the tension in the air made it feel like no time had passed at all.Things should have felt different. The house should have felt like home again. But instead, it felt like we were holding our breath, waiting for the next storm to hit.And today, it finally did.Raffael’s mother had insisted on this meeting. She claimed it was necessary after Clarissa went to her, sobbing about their engagement being over. Raffael had been furious when he found out. He didn’t want to see Clarissa, let alone entertain her or her mother in his house. He had made it clear that whatever history they shared was over.But in the end, he agreed.Not for Clarissa. Not for her mother.For his own mother. And, in some way, for me.Now, we sat in the living room, and whatever peace we had hoped to maintain had long since shattered.Clarissa’s mother sat stiffly across from us, her face pinched in disapproval. Her sharp gaze moved between Raffael
ERICA’S POVI sat in the living room, curled up on the couch, staring blankly at the coffee table. My hands rested in my lap, fingers intertwined, squeezing together every now and then just to feel something—anything—other than the dull ache in my chest.The house was quiet. Unsettlingly so.The silence pressed in from all sides, heavy and suffocating, amplifying the thoughts I had tried so hard to push away. The weight of it sat in my chest, making it hard to breathe, hard to think.I hadn’t seen Raffael since last night. Since that moment. Since my world turned upside down.I told myself I didn’t care. That I didn’t want to see him, that I didn’t need to hear whatever excuse he had prepared.But the truth was, I had spent the whole day waiting.Waiting for him to come to me.Waiting for him to explain.Waiting for something.Something that never came.The hours stretched painfully, each second dragging on longer than the last. Every small sound in the house made my heart jolt, only
RAFFAELThe conference room was empty, silent except for the faint hum of the air conditioning. I paced back and forth, dragging a hand through my hair, my thoughts a chaotic mess.I hadn’t slept.Not a second.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the look on Erica’s face when she walked in last night—the shock, the hurt, the betrayal. It burned into my mind like a wound that wouldn’t close. She hadn’t given me a chance to explain, hadn’t let me tell her that I pulled away the second Clarissa kissed me.But why would she?She had every right to shut me out.I had spent the entire night waiting for her to open her door, knocking, calling her name, begging for just a second of her time—but she never did. The silence on the other side of that door was louder than any words she could have said.And this morning?Nothing.Not a single sign of her.The realization that she didn’t even want to see me twisted like a knife in my chest.I clenched my jaw, my hands fisting at my sides as I turned
ERICA’S POVThe moment Raffael pulled away, everything inside me shattered.I stood frozen in the doorway, my feet rooted to the floor, my breath caught somewhere between my lungs and throat. My vision blurred as my brain struggled to process what I had just seen. Raffael. Clarissa. Their lips.I felt sick.Clarissa’s eyes landed on me first. The corners of her lips curled into a smug, knowing smirk, and her gaze flicked between me and Raffael like she had just won some twisted game.Then Raffael turned. The second he saw me, all the color drained from his face, his eyes going wide with shock and something that almost looked like fear.“Erica—” His voice was sharp, urgent, desperate.But I didn’t wait to hear whatever excuse he had.I turned and ran.My heart pounded violently against my ribs, my stomach twisting into painful knots as I rushed down the hallway. I could hear the quick, heavy thuds of Raffael’s footsteps right behind me, hear the way he called my name, voice full of urg
RAFFAEL’S POVI sat at my desk, fingers flying over the keyboard as I worked, my eyes fixed on the screen. The glow from the monitor was the only source of light in the dark room, creating shadows across the walls. The document in front of me was filled with numbers, reports, projections—things that required my attention. Things that demanded focus. And that was exactly what I needed right now.Work had always been my escape. The one thing I could rely on when everything else felt out of my control. It was predictable, structured—unlike the chaos unraveling in my personal life. Numbers didn’t change on a whim. Spreadsheets didn’t come with complicated emotions. Deadlines didn’t demand explanations.Unlike Clarissa.I clenched my jaw, fingers pressing harder against the keys.Everything between us had spiraled so fast. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I hadn’t planned for tonight to end in a fight, hadn’t expected to break things off with her in such a brutal, final way. But it had
ERICA’S POVThe room felt frozen.Clarissa stood in the doorway, her gaze flickering between me and Raffael, her expression unreadable for a moment—until she laughed.A sharp, manic laugh that sent a chill down my spine.Raffael tensed immediately. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he slowly stood up. I could feel the shift in his demeanor, the way his entire body stiffened in shock.“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice low, controlled—but I could hear the irritation bleeding through.Clarissa smirked, flipping her long dark hair over her shoulder as she stepped inside, completely unbothered by the tension crackling in the room.“Is this why you didn’t bother telling me about your little trip?” she drawled, sauntering past him like she owned the place. “So you could sneak off with her and let her warm your bed?”My heart pounded.Raffael inhaled sharply, nostrils flaring as he turned to face her. “Clarissa, don’t start—”“Oh, I will start,” she snapped, turning t
ERICA’S POVIt had been a week.Seven days since Raffael had looked me in the eyes and told me he loved me. Seven days since he’d shattered every assumption I’d ever had about him. Seven days since I’d decided—against my better judgment—to give him a chance to prove it.And in those seven days, I had seen a version of him I never thought existed.It still didn’t feel real.I kept expecting the old Raffael to slip through the cracks—the cold, arrogant man who had once treated me like an inconvenience. The one who barely acknowledged me unless it was to make a sharp remark or push me away. But that man had seemingly vanished, replaced by someone… softer.Not soft—Raffael could never be soft. But different. Gentler.He still had that quiet intensity, that unwavering confidence that made it seem like the whole world revolved around him. But now, that intensity was directed toward me in ways I didn’t know how to handle.He brought me flowers every morning—fresh, beautiful arrangements that
ERICAI stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest, my mind struggling to process what I had just heard. The words still echoed in my ears, circling in my head like they couldn’t be real.Erica, I love you.No. No, he didn’t. He couldn’t.I blinked, swallowing hard as I tried to find the right words, but nothing came out. My throat felt tight, like something was lodged there, preventing me from speaking.Raffael watched me, his face unreadable, but his eyes… his eyes held something different tonight. Something I wasn’t used to seeing from him.Honesty.Vulnerability.I shook my head slightly, letting out a breathless laugh. “You don’t mean that.”His jaw clenched. “I do.”I forced another laugh, but it felt hollow, empty. “Raffael, come on. You don’t just—just say things like that.”His gaze never wavered. “I’m not just saying it.”I felt my stomach twist painfully. This had to be some kind of game. Some twisted joke. He was playing with me, just like he always did.“You’re lying,”