20

A sharp knock on the door broke the silence in Bella’s apartment. Valeria, who had been staring absentmindedly at the untouched cup of tea in front of her, snapped her head up. Bella exchanged a glance with her before getting up to answer.

As soon as the door opened, Lars stepped in, his towering presence filling the small space. His usual stoic expression remained unchanged, but there was something in his eyes—a flicker of hesitation, perhaps pity.

“Mrs. Moreno,” he addressed Valeria formally, stepping forward and extending a thick envelope. “These are the divorce papers. Mr. Markus has signed them. He’s asked you to review and sign them as well.”

Valeria’s fingers curled slightly before she forced herself to reach out. The envelope felt heavier than it should have, as if it carried the weight of every moment she had spent hoping for a marriage that never truly existed.

Lars then pulled out a sleek black pen from his coat pocket and handed it to her. “You can sign it now. I’ll take them back with me.” Bella shot Lars an unimpressed look. “No pressure, huh?”

Lars didn’t react, keeping his gaze trained on Valeria, who slowly opened the envelope. As she unfolded the crisp white papers, her eyes skimmed the legal jargon, pausing when she saw the settlement details. “The house. The money. Markus had agreed to everything I asked for without a fight. Whoa!” 

So that’s how badly he wanted her gone. Her throat tightened, but she willed herself not to waver. This was what she had wanted, wasn’t it? The finality of it. The closure. Bella sat beside her, placing a hand over hers. “You don’t have to do this right now, Val.”

Valeria swallowed hard, shaking her head. “No,” she murmured. “It’s time.” She picked up the pen, her fingers trembling only slightly as she pressed it to the paper. With each stroke of ink, she felt something inside her splinter and break apart—every memory, every whispered promise, every foolish dream she had once held onto.

Her name stood stark on the final page, sealing the end of her marriage. Lars extended his hand, taking the signed documents without a word. As he tucked them away, he gave Valeria a long look, as if waiting for her to say something.

But she didn’t. She just sat there, staring at the empty space in front of her. After a beat, Lars nodded once. “I’ll deliver these to Mr. Markus.” And with that, he turned and walked out the door.

The sound of it clicking shut felt deafening. Bella exhaled deeply. “It’s done now, Valeria.” Valeria closed her eyes. Then why does it feel like I just lost everything?

Lars reached for the door handle but hesitated, his fingers curling into a loose fist. “Um, miss?” His shoulders tensed as if he was debating whether to say what was on his mind. 

Finally, he turned halfway, his usually unreadable face shadowed with something close to regret. “I wish things had been different this time,” he murmured, his voice quieter than usual.

Valeria blinked, confused by his words. “This time?” she echoed, her brows knitting together. Lars exhaled through his nose, his expression unreadable but laced with something almost… sad. “History has repeated itself, unfortunately.” he muttered, mostly to himself. “No matter how much you try to escape it.”

Bella crossed her arms, wary. “What are you talking about, Lars?” The bodyguard shook his head as if regretting saying anything at all. “It’s not my place to disclose anything.” He turned fully toward Valeria, meeting her gaze with rare sincerity. “But for what it’s worth… I don’t think you deserved this.”

Valeria felt something tighten in her chest. She swallowed. Lars didn’t respond to that. Instead, he gave her a final, lingering look before stepping out and closing the door behind him. The silence that followed was thick with unspoken questions.

Bella was the first to speak. “Okay, what the hell was that? And about whom he was talking?” Valeria’s mind spun, grasping onto Lars’s words. ‘This time. History repeats itself.’ A strange unease settled over her. Jealousy? 

What had happened before? And what part of Markus’s past was she unknowingly walking into? Valeria let out a shaky breath before shifting closer to Bella, tucking her head against her shoulder like a lost child seeking comfort. 

“I don’t know, Bella…” she whispered, her fingers absentmindedly twisting the fabric of Bella’s sleeve. “I think I need some space to clear my head.”

Bella wrapped an arm around her, rubbing slow circles on her back. “You mean space from Markus?” Valeria sighed. “From everything.”

She lifted her head slightly, her eyes distant, almost hollow. “I want to move to the estate Markus gave me,” she admitted. “Before I decide what’s next.”

Bella frowned but didn’t pull away. “Are you sure? I mean, that place is his gift to you. Won’t it feel like… like you’re still attached to him?”

Valeria forced a small, humorless smile. “I don’t think I’ll ever be truly free of Markus. But this isn’t about him. It’s about me needing a place where I can just breathe.”

Bella studied her, hesitating, but Valeria took her hands in her own, squeezing them. “Come with me?” she asked, her voice almost pleading.

Bella sighed dramatically. “You know I can’t say no to you.” A flicker of relief passed through Valeria’s tired eyes. “Then it’s settled.”

Bella smirked and nudged her lightly. “But just so you know, I expect top-tier service at this fancy estate. Breakfast in bed. Daily massages. Maybe a butler named Giovanni.”

For the first time in days, Valeria let out a genuine laugh. “I’ll see what I can do to satiate your thirst for men.” Bella pulled her into a tighter hug. “Then let’s pack our bags. New beginnings, right?” Valeria nodded, but as she leaned into Bella’s embrace, Lars’s words echoed in her mind. History repeats itself.

And for the first time, she wondered if running away was really an escape—or just another loop in a cycle she didn’t understand yet.

As Valeria leaned into Bella’s embrace, her phone buzzed on the coffee table, the screen lighting up in the dim room. She almost ignored it, but something in her gut told her to look.

With a hesitant breath, she reached for the device, her heart sinking the moment she saw the sender’s name. “Markus? What does he want now?”

Her fingers trembled as she unlocked the phone, her breath hitching when she read the message. "Thank you for signing the papers. May we never cross paths again."

A few simple words. Nothing more. No explanation. No emotion. He acted as if she had done him a favor. As if her signing the divorce papers had freed him from some burden.

A raw sob tore from her throat before she could stop it. The dam she had tried so hard to keep intact finally broke. Tears spilled down her cheeks, silent at first, but soon turning into quiet gasps as she clutched the phone tightly.

Bella tensed beside her. “Val? What happened? Who is it?” she asked cautiously. Valeria tried to speak, tried to brush it off, but her voice cracked before any words could form. She pressed a hand against her lips, as if that could stop the heartbreak from spilling out.

Bella took one glance at the phone screen, and her face darkened. She grabbed the device and tossed it onto the couch, pulling Valeria fully into her arms. “Let it out,” she whispered. “You don’t have to hold it in.”

Valeria clung to her, burying her face in Bella’s shoulder as sobs wracked her body. She had known this moment would come—known that Markus would eventually move on. But she hadn’t expected it to hurt this much.

Not when she was still carrying a part of him inside her. Not when he didn’t even know. Bella rubbed her back, whispering reassurances, but Valeria could barely hear them through the weight of her grief.

‘Has Markus had truly let me go? He has no liking or any emotion towards me?’ She wondered. And now, she had no choice but to do the same.

Bella’s sharp voice cut through Valeria’s silent breakdown. “That’s it! Enough crying. You’re eating something now.” Valeria sniffled, blinking as Bella pulled away and marched toward the kitchen. “I swear, Val, if you think I’m going to let you starve yourself over a man who sent a bunch of bullshit filled text, you don’t know me at all.”

Valeria wiped at her wet cheeks, her gaze dropping to the coffee table where Lars had left the house keys. The sleek, polished metal glinted under the soft glow of the lamp. ‘My new home? A place away from Markus. Away from this life.’

Her fingers hovered over the keys, hesitant, as Bella returned, balancing a plate of toast and a glass of juice. “Eat. Or I will personally shove this down your throat.” Valeria exhaled a weak laugh, finally picking up a slice of toast. “You’re bossy, you know that?”

Bella smirked. “Damn right I am.” She plopped down beside Valeria, watching her take a bite with satisfaction. “Now, what’s the deal with those keys? You thinking about moving in tomorrow?”

Valeria twirled them between her fingers, the slight weight of them grounding her thoughts. “Maybe…” She sighed, leaning her head against the couch. “It’s just strange. I thought when I got my freedom, I’d feel lighter. But instead, I feel like I’m still carrying so much.”

Bella nudged her. “That’s because you are. You just signed divorce papers, Val. You can’t expect the pain to disappear overnight.”

Valeria nodded, running her thumb over the cool surface of the keys. “I just need a fresh start. Somewhere to breathe. I have to stay away from stress too.”

Bella smiled, reaching out to squeeze her hand. “Then let’s get you to that estate. And once we’re settled, we’ll figure out the next step.” Valeria tightened her grip around the keys, taking another deep breath.