Chapter 3: Goodbye To The Past
876 Words
The first rays of dawn slipped through the curtains, but Isabella hadn't slept.
The suitcase lay open on the bed, half-filled with clothes and the few belongings she truly cared about. Everything else could stay behind.
Every corner of the apartment reminded her of Lorenzo.
The coffee mug he had once insisted on buying because it matched her eyes.
The faded blanket they had shared during rainy movie nights.
The tiny potted lavender plant he had nearly killed by watering it every single day.
A bitter smile tugged at her lips.
"I guess you finally won," she murmured, gently touching the leaves.
The plant was still alive.
Unlike her dreams.
A knock sounded at the door.
Sofia stepped inside carrying two cups of hot coffee and a paper bag filled with pastries.
"I figured you wouldn't have eaten."
"I haven't."
"I knew it."
She placed everything on the kitchen counter before noticing the packed suitcase.
"So... you're really leaving."
Isabella nodded.
"If I stay here, I'll keep hoping he'll come back."
"And if he does?"
"He made his choice."
Sofia sighed.
"I still don't believe he stopped loving you overnight."
"Neither do I."
The words surprised even Isabella.
She wrapped both hands around the warm coffee cup.
"I just don't understand why."
Silence settled between them.
Finally, Sofia reached into her handbag and handed Isabella an envelope.
"What's this?"
"I sold my old motorcycle last week."
"Sofia..."
"Don't argue."
"I can't take your money."
"You can."
"I'm your sister even if we don't share blood."
Tears burned Isabella's eyes once again.
She hugged Sofia tightly.
"I'll pay you back."
"I know you will."
"When?"
"When you're rich and famous."
For the first time in days, Isabella laughed.
A genuine laugh.
Small.
Fragile.
But real.
---
By noon, she was standing at the city's central train station.
The platform buzzed with travelers.
Children laughed.
Vendors shouted.
Announcements echoed overhead.
Life moved forward without caring that hers had fallen apart.
She adjusted the strap of her handbag and instinctively rested a protective hand over her stomach.
"I'm going to take care of you," she whispered.
"No matter what."
A train horn sounded.
Passengers began boarding.
Just as Isabella stepped toward the entrance, she froze.
Across the crowded platform stood a familiar figure.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Black suit.
Her heart skipped.
"Lorenzo..."
She whispered his name before she could stop herself.
Hope exploded inside her.
Had he come?
Had he changed his mind?
She took one hesitant step forward.
Then another.
The man turned.
It wasn't Lorenzo.
Just another stranger.
The tiny spark of hope inside her died instantly.
She lowered her head and climbed onto the train.
Without looking back.
---
Hidden several streets away, a black armored SUV remained parked beneath the shade of old trees.
Inside sat Lorenzo.
His eyes never left the departing train.
Marco stood beside the vehicle.
"Are you sure about this?"
Lorenzo nodded once.
"If I stop her now..."
"They'll know she still matters to me."
"And they'll use her against you."
"They'll kill her."
Marco remained silent.
The train slowly pulled away from the platform.
Lorenzo watched until the last carriage disappeared beyond the horizon.
Only then did he allow himself to breathe.
"Goodbye, Bella."
"I pray you never have to return to this world."
For the first time in years...
The feared Don cried.
---
Six hours later...
The train rolled into the quiet coastal town of Raven Hill.
Everything felt different.
There were no towering skyscrapers.
No speeding luxury cars.
Only salty sea air, colorful fishing boats, and the gentle sound of waves crashing against the shore.
Isabella stepped onto the platform with nothing but a suitcase and a broken heart.
An elderly woman selling fresh flowers smiled warmly.
"First time in Raven Hill, dear?"
"Yes."
"You'll like it here."
"It's peaceful."
Peace.
The one thing Isabella had been searching for.
She hired a small taxi and gave the driver the address her grandmother had left her years ago.
The journey took nearly twenty minutes.
When the taxi stopped, Isabella stared at the modest white cottage surrounded by blooming roses.
It was old.
Simple.
Nothing like the luxurious mansion Lorenzo had once promised her.
Yet somehow...
It already felt safer.
She unlocked the front door.
Dust floated through the sunlight pouring in from the windows.
The furniture was covered with white sheets.
A grandfather clock ticked softly in the hallway.
It smelled of old wood and lavender.
Home.
For the first time since leaving Lorenzo...
She allowed herself to believe she might survive.
Standing in the doorway, she placed both hands over her stomach.
"I don't know if your father will ever find us."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"But I promise you this..."
"You will grow up surrounded by love."
Far away, in the heart of the city, Lorenzo stood before the graves of his parents.
The wind carried the scent of rain as he placed a single white rose on the marble stone.
"I let her go," he said quietly.
"I hope one day she'll understand why."
He had no idea that, at that very moment, the woman he loved was beginning a new life...
...while carrying the future heir of the De Luca empire.
- Writer
