Serenity
The night felt too thick, too heavy with expectations. The music played softly, the low hum of a string quartet blending into the background of the ballroom. I hadn’t wanted to come to this event, but Luca had insisted, like he always did—like this was part of the job, part of the image. And I had tried to be the perfect wife, the perfect accessory, the one who smiled at the right moments, made polite conversation, and stood beside him like I belonged here.
But tonight, the weight of it all felt different. The air was charged, but not in the way I was used to. There was an undercurrent of tension between Luca and me that had been building for days, months, maybe even longer. It wasn’t something I could ignore anymore. I couldn’t pretend it didn’t exist.
And now, as I stood near
