5 • Dumped and Heartbroken

◇ MYKAELA ◇

Barely six hours left before our next shift. Yikes. I was needed in the hospital first thing. It would be my last shift this month before our assessment next week. And I should be sleeping, not a slave to my phone, waiting for nothing significant.

Another life-ending asteroid hitting Earth sounded more likely than Miles calling me up again. Unfortunately, my brain was in no mood to rest. Fixing myself a cup of coffee wouldn't do me any favors, either. Ugh.

I just needed to talk. Vent to someone—anyone, really. Then maybe cry it out. Seek some post-breakup advice.

Sadly everyone seemed too busy. Mommy Tilda, my sister Jill, and her baby were traveling with David, my brother-in law. They just left me on read. Barely responded to my chats all day. My bestie didn't even return my call.

"Enzo," I muttered with a sigh, too lethargic to move, just melting on the covers I'd almost forgotten to change. "Distracted" would be downplaying how I felt the last couple of days.

Was he still up?

Past midnight in Florence. "Tsk."

Enzo wasn't a night owl, but he might pick up.

I scrolled through my contacts list and rang his number. My breath caught when he picked up after the second ring.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"You alright?"

My chest stiffened at his voice. Deep but soothing. Almost too calm, but also straightforward. Odd combination. "Yeah," I answered.

Thankfully he didn't sound like he just woke up. "Good."

"Am I disturbing?" I held my breath.

"No. I was in a meeting. I'm in the car now."

"Oh. Sorry." I sat on the bed. Did he have time to chat about something else besides work? "A-Are you driving?"

"No. Berto's driving."

"I see. Could you— Can we switch to video?"

"Why?" he asked.

"Nothing. I just..." In the dimness of my room, I closed my eyes, cringing. My palms felt clammy. "I just wanna see you."

"Alright," Enzo muttered, breaking the awkward silence. "But I'm in the backseat, bellezza. It's dark."

"It's fine."

"Alright." Now he sounded quite amused. "Switching to video now."

I accepted the video call request, the restlessness and impatience erasing my inhibitions.

We hadn't seen each other since we left the Falcos' estate after his psycho brother's outburst. Miles said Leandro beat up Enzo over some family drama I'd rather not ask about. That happened just weeks ago. But I missed Enzo already.

My dark screen went grainy before his tan face popped up. Deep-set blue eyes. Tired smile. It looked quite forced.

But I didn't really care. "You held a meeting? This late?"

"Yeah." Enzo itched his scruff.

I'd never seen him clean-shaven ever since we met. Something in my stomach twisted as his shadowed eyes watched me.

"Had dinner with Rafa and our team. In Rome. Went over some management issues. On my way home now."

"Okay," I mumbled. An urgent meeting? Their newly opened drugstores in South Italy could've been the main concern. "How's Rafa doing?"

"Not great."

"Oh."

"But he's fine." Enzo scratched his thick brow, an anxious tell of his. "He's just... Alodia's still staying with him."

"Oh."

So, Rafa's still hiding from Leandro, who must be cross if he figured out his girlfriend happily moved on—and with his brother's best friend. Of all people.

I had yet to meet Enzo's best friend, but I knew enough about Rafa. Early 30s like Enzo. Also from a wealthy Italian family. Best friends since high school. Raffaele was Enzo's first ever business partner, too.

"Yeah. Bloody mess." Enzo ran his fingers through his dark hair. The recent trim emphasized his angular jaw and high cheekbones. "You don't wanna know the rest."

"Nope. Not really." I returned his smirk with a half-meant grin.  

"Why'd you call? I thought you're in trouble or something."

"No. I'm fine," I lied.

"Sorry, love. Gimme a sec." Enzo looked away and pinched his nasal bridge while talking to someone else. One of his bodyguards, probably. Enzo scowled as they conversed in Italian.  When his phone's flashlight turned on, he squinted at the camera.  "You alright? Could you turn on your flash? Can't see your face."

"Yeah. Sorry." I got up to switch on the nightstand lamp, curbing a smile at his words laced with genuine concern. Still thoughtful. Still caring. Still sweet.

Before he'd admitted that he proposed to Olivia Roche, a Milan-based fashion designer, his bachelor status at 34 downright baffled me. Perhaps romantic relationships no longer interested him. After their failed engagement, I'd understand why.

What that woman did to him still made my skin chafe. Was she both selfish and stupid? Manipulative to no end.

According to his bodyguard, Olivia had cheated on Enzo before calling off their engagement, disrespecting him in the worst way after years of his loyalty.

That wasn't even the end of it. She got pregnant after hooking up with her best friend, then had the gall to blame Enzo for being too busy. What a narc!

"Sorry. What?" I asked when Enzo muttered something in Italian.

"Are you in bed?" he said louder. The darker skin under his eyes matched the hoarseness of his voice.

I should let him rest. But I couldn't say goodbye. Not yet. I missed our late-night conversations. "Yeah."

"Surgery ward, still?"

I nodded and smiled. Despite everything going on in his life, he still recalled our last conversation. "Yeah. Quite a busy month."

"But you're enjoying it?"

"Definitely not a breeze. We're learning a lot every day, though. More challenging than lab work."

"Great." Dimples formed beside his pale lips when Enzo grinned. "Your graduation's in May. Right?"

"Yeah." I chuckled. I didn't expect he'd remember that, too. "You'll be there? At the party? Mommy told me to remind you."

We chatted about his other commitments as my thoughts screamed at me to stop beating around the bush. Get this heavy feeling off my chest.

"When are you coming back?"

"Soon."

My stomach flipped. Did he mean he'd be here in New York next week?

"Gonna meet with new investors. Why?"

"Nothing. I, uh, just need you to sign something."

"Sign what?" Enzo scowled.

"Just some paperwork." The payment contract, to be precise. I asked him to sign it weeks ago. No confirmation or willingness on his part, to date. "And Mom wants me to invite you to Meesha's christening." She actually wanted to ask him to be one of my niece's godfathers. "Next week."

"Right. Almost forgot. Thanks for reminding."

"I mean, only if you'll be here in New York that weekend and you're not too busy." The conversation went on calmly until I brought up the loan talk again. "And, uh, I really need you to sign the paperwork."

"What paperwork?"

"The payment terms."

Actually he could just sign the document online now. Get it over with before he had to be here again.

"Gaia's been emailing you. She said you're still ignoring her."

"Right. Gaia." Enzo palmed his forehead.

"Just read the terms. Tell her whether you agree or disagree with the clauses. Or if there's something in the contract you wanna change. Then you could sign it next time you're here—"

"No. Like I said, it's a personal loan. No interest."

"Enzo..."

"Alright."

I giggled when he rolled his eyes. "Alright what?"

His palm rubbed his jawline. "I never told you to pay me back soon. Like I said, I don't need the money. But since you keep insisting..." Enzo sighed, exasperated. "I need you for something. Maybe next month. Before the launch."

"Launch?"

"For Zione."

Right. Their investors expected him to launch their new biotech company this year. "Sure. Sure. What d'you need me to do?"

"We hired a marketing consultant. He said we're gonna need models for a photo shoot. Not sure if there's gonna be a commercial shoot the same day," he went on, casually explaining the details as I tried to contain my excitement.

Besides the good pay, I actually missed doing the work. "Okay. I'll do it." I asked him about the venue.

"Indoors. Clinical lab setting. Venue's definitely gonna be there, in New York."

"Okay." I nodded enthusiastically. I just didn't expect he'd ask me to model for his company, as a way of paying him back. Partially, of course. But much better than still owing him almost a hundred grand without a steady income stream to my name.

"See you soon."

◇

• A week later •

"So he dumped you?"

Dumped? Ugh. Was it even a real breakup?

Miles never said we're "dating" or "exclusive", or told anyone that we were in a serious relationship. Maybe he never really saw us getting past the friendzone. Well, he lied to his parents about our status a while back when I first met the Falcos.

But that was an entirely different story.  As the car swerved past traffic, I stared at Enzo sitting next to me, then at the black partition between us and the front seat.

"You alright?" he whispered, his fingers gingerly tilted my chin to make me look at him, waiting for my confirmation as his dark brows furrowed.

I nodded weakly. I was pretty good at masking my real feelings. Most of the time. Not today.

Every single thought keeping me up at night threatened to swallow me whole. The dimness and the soothing calmness in his voice didn't really help. Repeatedly biting on the inside of my cheek didn't work, either. The tears rushed out.

The back of my eyes and the rest of my face were burning up. "We weren't even..." I covered my face to smother a sob that escaped.

"Hey." Enzo placed his arm behind me, gently rubbing my back. After giving me a clean handkerchief, he let me lean against his shoulder and chest as I tried to hold back tears. "S'alright."

Ugh. I didn't want him to see me like this. Or tell him the things Miles said. But I just really needed a friend.

And Enzo seemed to genuinely sympathize. Like he understood the reasons behind the gnawing pain inside me without knowing every detail of that phone call.

"Sorry. I-I don't mean to..." I dabbed at my tears using his handkerchief. "It's just... Sorry. I'm just tired." Poor sleep. Poor appetite. Stressful trainings. Schoolwork. I could go on and on.

"No. Don't say sorry."

Avoiding his stare, I tried to give him a side-hug as non-awkwardly as I could.

"You're doing your best."  A faint grin stretched his lips. Enzo let go of me and just stared. Like my crying face amused him or something. "It's alright."

Nah. I was far from alright. I barely slept last night. My eyes were stinging from the minute I woke up. But at least my flair for drama somewhat entertained him.

"Feel any better?" Enzo muttered, his deep voice cutting the silence.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Good." He cleared his throat. His head stayed close to mine. "We'll get ice cream after church."

I faked a smile after glancing at his stubbled handsome face. The urge to avoid his eyes lingered, but his attempt to cheer me up was sort of working.

I drew in a deep breath, facing the back of the passenger seat. If I stared into his eyes again, I might just bawl all over him and ruin this night for both of us.

Shit. I wished my brain had one button that could force reset everything. These bouts of anxiety weren't getting any better. But with Enzo keeping me company, I might just get through the night without tossing and turning for hours as my thoughts succumbed to another downward spiral. 

◇

"Thanks for picking me up," I tried to say flatly despite my aching throat. Well, I should be grateful.

Enzo willingly took time off his busy schedule and flew here a day earlier than he'd initially planned. Just so he could pick me up after my shift.

I didn't even have to ask twice. No thanks to that stupid anxiety attack last night, I'd impulsively texted him to ask if he could accompany me this evening. As though he owed me the favor. Before I could even reflect on what I just did, he'd texted back with "Sure", then forwarded his flight details. Just like that.

Why didn't he just say no? Sheesh. My text probably forced him to cancel a slew of meetings. "Sorry if, you had to cancel some meetings or..."

"Not really."

"Oh." Thank goodness. "Okay."

When his driver stopped at a red light, Enzo tightened his arm around my waist, hugging me close. Stubble lightly scratched my temple. Like always, he smelled great, his warmth comforting.

Strangers might assume we're a couple on a date night. But I didn't have the energy to deny it. I'd always liked his hugs—as much as I liked these quiet, private moments with him. And that was saying a lot.

Enzo looked like his brother. They even sounded the same whenever Enzo spoke Italian. But talking and hanging out with him like this didn't really trigger any nightmares or memories—the kind my brain had been blocking out for my sanity's sake.

After what his brother did, I gradually developed an aversion towards older men with dark hair and thick beards.  My therapist had said, "It's very normal. Typical." Even after all the trauma Leandro gave me, I was doing well, according to her professional opinion.

But, yeah. This shouldn't be a thing. I shouldn't get used to this.  To Enzo, this wasn't anything of substance. Just two friends hanging out. 

Sporadic mental breakdowns were becoming an issue, but my grip on reality was still mostly intact.  "I didn't think you'd actually pick me up and go to Mass with me."

"Why not?" Enzo made a face. Confusion dulled his voice. Or was it disappointment?

"Nevermind. Sorry. I just need a nap." I sighed.  "How's work?" I said just to switch the topic.

"Same old. How's he doing?"

He? Did he mean Miles? 

Shucks... Did he really want me to talk about that phone call?

Hesitation and the spineless arguing in my head held me back. But, I eventually told him about my last conversation with Miles. Just to get this weight off my chest.

Enzo just knew how to make me talk. And with little to no effort. Like he knew me better than I knew myself.

It was both annoying and impressive.

"That's it?" he mumbled with a slight frown, voice thin from exhaustion. During the long flight, he was texting me and probably didn't rest much. "That's all he said?"

"We talked for a bit." I sniveled and dried my eyes with my sleeve.

"About?"

"Just, y'know... Why he's gonna be too busy, his new job, going to rehab, and... I mean, I didn't beg him to reconsider. But, I sort of tried to talk him out of it."

"Out of going to rehab?"

"No. About...um...calling things off."

"Right." Enzo sighed and kneaded my shoulders, pressing his lips together until they formed a thin line. "I get it. But I don't like how he did it, to be perfectly clear."

"He's busy." I looked away and pretended to be sleepy. The A/C unit wasn't on full blast anymore, but the goosebumps hadn't really left my skin. "I didn't ask him to come see me, to catch up or whatever. Anyway, he'd just say no 'cause his schedule's not really..."

"Flexible?" Enzo smirked. A hint of disdain hardened the last syllable.

"Yeah."

"But did he explicitly say he wants to stay friends?" Some caution softened his voice.

"Yeah, I-I think."

To be fair, Miles did have a point. Staying friends could be easier for us both. Because no matter what happened, deep down I knew he would remain an important part of my life. Regardless of what his family thought of me and our relationship.

It was just the shock and hurt feelings that upset me when he dumped me over the phone. Like it just couldn't wait another day.

"Did he explain what pushed him to make that decision?" Enzo asked with a bored sigh. "And why now?"

"Kind of." Although I still didn't know the actual reason (or reasons) behind his decision, knowing Miles was the type to keep secrets, it was best to just give it time. Give him the space he wanted. At the end of the day, if he really valued our friendship, he wouldn't just walk out of my life. As if I didn't exist anymore.

"He thinks he's just trying to protect you."

Ugh. I wished it were that simple. "From what?"  The police?  "I already know enough."

"My point exactly. You know too much." Enzo yawned. "He doesn't wanna compromise your safety."

"I know that. But..."

"He's just lookin' out for you, and your family."

Sure. Cutting ties by restricting communications again. Just to minimize my involvement with him. If ever Miles and the Falcos had to testify in court, then my name and our relationship wouldn't get dragged into the whole thing. At least that's what I deduced.

"And thinks he's too much baggage for you and your career choice."

"Pfft. Everyone comes with baggage."

"True." Enzo chuckled. "Just need to find that person who loves you enough to help you unpack."

"Exactly! I wish he would just, look at it that way. Not hate and blame himself all the time."

"Or he believes a long-distance relationship with you won't work 'cause of what his father's been up to."

"Sure." I shrugged resignedly, my head and chest somewhat lighter now. I didn't blame Mr. Falco for everything, but I appreciated Enzo's attempts to comfort me with half-truths and assumptions that somewhat justified Miles' behavior.

As my thoughts darted from one memory to another, Enzo and I fell silent in the backseat of the dark sedan he brought. But it was a comfortable silence. And I didn't want this evening to end. Not yet.

Despite what my heart wanted me to say and do, my cowardice pinned me still as I sat to his right. I pulled back, leaving some distance between our bodies. Shucks. I wrinkled his expensive-looking shirt.

"Did he reach out after that call?" Enzo put on a more pleasant expression, as if he didn't want to chat about anything else.

"Kind of. I didn't block him." I definitely tried, multiple times, but just couldn't. I'd rather lose sleep thinking about Miles, waiting for him to call than never hear from him again.

"Right." Enzo restrained a sigh. "You texted him today?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Just told him to stop paying for bodyguards."

"Did he?"

"I dunno."

"Did he call again?"

"No." I scoffed. "Just texted 'Okay, sorry'." Like he couldn't be bothered to send a slightly longer message. No explanations whatsoever. I didn't respond. Gave him a dose of his own medicine.

Enzo sat back and stopped massaging my shoulders. "Wanna keep talking about it?"

The breakup that never happened because Miles and I weren't in a real relationship to begin with? No thanks. I'd rather nap through this shitty feeling. "No."

"You sure?"

Two half-hearted nods was my reply.

"Alright." Enzo snuck his arm around my waist again to pull me closer to him.

My sigh jammed in my throat as his nose and mouth pressed on the side of my head. When he murmured something reassuring in his native tongue, my heartbeat went up a notch.

Stop.

Okay. Breathe...

Long, deep breaths...

It's nothing; he's just being nice.

I bit on my lip to put a lid on my thoughts.

He just wanted to make me feel heard and understood. Nothing more. To him, this was no big deal. Just a friendly gesture of support.

Yet my body still reacted.  Traitor. 

Darn.  Why did he have to be so nice?  If only he'd say he was 100% single and not going on dates with anyone, I would hug and kiss him back right now. For many reasons. Valid reasons.

For showing up tonight. For being here early, as he'd promised. For letting me use him as my crying shoulder. Like he owed it to me.

We barely talked the past months. Naturally, my brain assumed he was keeping his distance because I was being such a clingy friend. Too needy. Demanding. Wanting too much of his time and attention. As if I had the right.

But he still showed up. Like he'd rather lose hours of much-needed sleep than disappoint me.

"Here's your, um..." I returned his handkerchief without meeting his gaze, cringing at the damp spots my tears and snot left on the soft cloth. It smelled of his perfume. Hints of rose and vanilla mixed with a minty musk. Subtle, but intoxicating all the same. Probably ten times more expensive than my whole outfit. "Thanks. It's a little wet. Sorry."

"S'alright." Enzo faintly grinned.

Although the back of my eyes still stang, I smiled as sincerely as I could before turning to my side. If I sat closer to the tinted window, I'd look like I was checking the road. More importantly, I wouldn't have to look him in the eye.

"You good, love?"

◇