7. Rebound

Luca

I turned to the lady with a flirtatious smirk playing on my lips, letting my fingers brush against her waist. I pulled her closer till there was no space between us.

And just like that, I gave Diane a reason to look. I didn't check to see if she did. I didn't allow myself to hope for a reaction, but my instincts told me that she glanced in my direction.

I leaned in towards the woman, whispering into her ear. “Pardon my ungentlemanly manners, darling. You look beautiful as always. So beautiful that I wanna change your name to Cleopatra.”

“Oh, Luca. You flatter me too much, but I prefer my actual name, Sophia, to Cleopatra,” she let out a giggle that sounded annoying to my ears, but at least it did the trick.

Now I know her name.

“Let’s get out of here, Sophia,” I murmured loud enough to catch Diane’s attention.

Sophia flashed her perfect set of teeth in a wide grin, oblivious to the real reason behind my sudden attention. She looped her arm through mine, giggling as I led her away from the ballroom.

And yet, even as I walked out, my body moved on autopilot. Sophia whispered sexy things into my ears, but I could barely register a word.

Even as we took the elevator to the private suite, and the door closed behind us, all I could think about was Diane. My memories of her from the past, and seeing her again today haunted my mind.

“I’ve missed you so much, Luca,” Sophia murmured against my lips, hoping to elevate the mood.

But it only irritated me the more. The lips I wanted to be kissing were Diane’s, not hers. The body I wanted to hold was Diane’s, not hers. I wanted to hear Diane moan my name and breathe out hot, heavy breaths as her body jerked under mine, just like it did during our college days.

With my lips still devouring Sophia’s, I pulled her zip down to her waist, my fingers unhooking her bra in one fluid motion. She yelped in excitement as I turned her around, bent her over, and lifted her already short dress up her back.

She was wearing a very thin thong, which was just perfect. I pulled the tiny string of the underwear to the side, and thruster into her.

Her moans filled the room, and her body moved in rhythm with mine, but all I could imagine in my head was Diane.

After a few minutes of reaching climax, I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling. The room smelt like perfume and expensive wine, but none of it felt real.

Sophia was next to me with her body lying half draped over mine, and her fingers idly tracing circles on my cheat.

But I felt nothing. I didn't feel the usual satisfaction, or the mind-numbing distraction that needed.

Instead, I felt an empty, gnawing ache in my chest.

Even with another woman in my bed, my mind was somewhere else—with someone else.

Diane.

I sighed, running my hand down my face.

I needed to get out of here.

I sat up, and reached for my shirt, causing Sophia to stir.

“Are you leaving already?” She asked in a drowsy voice, but there was something sharp in it too.

I didn't answer. I just kept buttoning my shirt.

“Luca,” she sat up now, watching me. “What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing,” I responded flatly as I pulled on my jacket.

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Right. Because that’s unbelievable.”

I didn't owe her an explanation. I wrote her a cheque, and stood, adjusting my cuffs. “I’ll call you.”

I wouldn't.

Sophia sighed, falling back against the pillows. “You really think she still wants you, don't you?”

I froze in my tracks.

My jaw tightened, but I didn't turn around.

Sophia chuckled softly like she had just figured something out. “I was right—you are hiding something about Diane Allen.”

I didn't reply, because she wasn't wrong.

Without another word, or glance at Sophia, I walked out of the room.

By the time I returned to the event, the hall had mostly emptied. The music had died down, and the chatter had reduced to soft murmurs as guests started moving toward the exits.

Diego was waiting outside, leaning against my car with his arms crossed.

“You look like hell,” he observed.

I ignored him, unlocking the door.

But then, I heard a familiar laugh, and I turned my head sharply.

It was Diane. And she was standing with Marko.

Again.

Marko was holding the car door open for her, and his hand was resting too comfortably on the small of her back as she slid inside gracefully. Her lips curled into a smile as she said something to Marko which made him chuckle, and he leaned in closer as if they were sharing some private joke.

And she still—still—didn’t look my way.

I stood there, my fingers wrapped around the keys so hard till the metal bit into my skin. My jaw clenched until it ached as annoyance and jealousy bubbled through me.

“Let it go, man,” Diego said in a cool tone, but I could hear the amusement in his voice. “You’re acting like a damn teenager.”

I didn't respond.

Instead, I opened the car door, slid into the driver’s seat, and slammed the door shut with more force than I had intended.

But even as I brought the engine to life, my eyes kept going back to Diane and Marko, watching them as they drove off, laughing like they didn't have any care in this world.

The tires screeched against the pavement as I drove out of the parking lot, and took the longest, most scenic route back to the hotel. Diego was silent beside me, but I could feel his eyes on me like he was waiting for me to explode.

When I didn't, he broke the silence.

“Man, you’ve got issues,” he snorted, shaking his head.

I shot him a glare from the corner of my eyes. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that not everything is about you, Luca,” he said slowly like he was talking to a child. “It’s clear that you want Diane—”

“Back,” I cut him off. “I want her back.”

Diego was silent for a while as he processed my words, then he let out a short laugh. “Wait. What do you mean you want her back?”

I gripped the steering wheel, a sigh escaping my lips as I prepared myself to open up the past to my friend.

“Diane was my girlfriend all through my college days. We dated for four years and planned on starting a family together when we graduated. But I got an offer to join the hospitality industry after we graduated, and I—I broke up with her. I broke her heart.”

First, there was silence.

Then Diego’s voice resounded in the car.

“What?! You had Diane Allen in your life and you let her go?”

I let out a frustrated sigh. “Believe me, I regret my decision every day. I looked for her too, everywhere, I couldn't find her. Until tonight. And now, she's with another man.”

I continued, my voice rising slightly with annoyance. “The man—Marko—came after she saw me. She did it on purpose. She knew I was watching her and she wanted me to see them together.”

“Luca, will you calm down,” Diego said in exasperation as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Maybe she's just living her life—the life that she built for herself. Maybe she doesn't give a damn that you’re here.”

His words hit harder than I expected, and I felt my chest tighten as the ache deepened.

“That's bullshit, Diego,” I snapped. “She’s trying to get to me.”

Diego let out a sharp laugh, running a hand through his hair. “Or maybe she's just over you. Deal with it, man. After all, you were the one who left her.”

The words stung, and I felt my temper rise. “You don't know what the hell you're talking about.”

“Oh, I know exactly what I'm talking about,” he shot back in a cool tone that irritated me. “You think flashing your wealth and acting like a big shot is going to win her back? Newsflash, Luca— Diane Allen isn't like those other women. She doesn't give a shit about your money ‘cos she's got hers too.”

I slammed on the brakes, pulling the car over to the side of the road. I barely noticed as the tires screeched and the car jerked to a halt. I turned to Diego, narrowing my eyes at him.

“You think you know everything, huh? I hissed. “You think you’ve got me all figured out?”

Diego didn't flinch. He just stared at me with an expressionless face. “I know you're an idiot if you think Diane’s gonna come running back just because you've got a fancy and a big bank account.”

I felt my blood boil as my anger bubbled to the surface. “I left her for her sake,” I growled. “I did what was best for her, and now that I have made it, it shouldn't be this hard.”

Diego shook his head, letting out a laugh. “Just listen to yourself, Luca. You're so full of shit. You didn't leave her for her sake—you left her to pursue your career. You left her because you were selfish. You chose wealth and fame over her.”

“Shut the hell up, Diego,” I snapped in a low and dangerous voice.

But Diego wasn't done. He leaned closer as he narrowed his eyes. “Now that I think about it, you don't deserve Diane Allen—not with the way you're acting. And if you keep this up, you're going to lose more than Diane and you'll never get her back.”

That was the final straw. Just like that, the thread that had been holding my patience in place snapped.

My trembled with rage and I shoved him back. “We're just friends and business acquaintances, Diego. You don't get a say in my personal life.”

My words hung heavily on the air, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. Diego’s jaw tightened as he stared at me, his eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place. Disappointment, maybe?

“Right,” he finally broke the silence between us, his voice cold as ice. “Just business.”

Without another word, he opened the car door and stepped out, slamming it shut behind him. I watched his figure retreat into the night as he walked away, and for the first time in a long time, I felt something worse than anger.

I felt alone.

I sat there for a moment, allowing the silence to press in on me from all sides. The city lights blurred against the windshield, and the ache in my chest gree heavier and more suffocating.

I ran a hand down my face, letting out a shaky breath.

Diane was everywhere. And no matter how I tried to drown her out with other women, with wealth, with distractions, she was always there.

I had everything—the money, the power, the success, the women.

But without Diane, it all felt hollow.

The engine purred back to life as I started the car again, but this time I didn't drive fast as my mind swirled with thoughts.

Diego’s words replayed in my head, and I wondered if he was right—if I had already lost the one thing that mattered to me.