Chapter 2: Everything She Lost
1211 Words
Francesca stood frozen in the doorway.
Her fingers still gripped the doorknob, but the strength had long since left her body.
Carlos and Sofia.
Together.
On her bed.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
The apartment was so quiet that she could hear the rain beating against the windows.
Finally, Carlos sighed.
"Well... this is awkward."
Francesca blinked.
Awkward?
That was all he had to say?
Her lips trembled.
"H-How..."
Her voice cracked.
"How could you do this to me?"
Sofia rolled her eyes before pulling the blanket higher over herself.
"Oh, please. Don't make such a scene."
"A scene?" Francesca whispered.
She looked at Carlos.
"You cheated on me..."
Carlos shrugged.
"Things like this happen."
Francesca stared at him in disbelief.
"I gave up my scholarship for you."
No response.
"I worked three jobs for you."
Silence.
"I've barely slept these past eight months just to pay your tuition."
Still nothing.
"I even forgot to buy clothes for myself because every euro I earned went to you."
Her voice grew louder with every word.
"And this..."
She pointed at the two of them.
"...is how you repay me?"
Carlos finally stood up.
Instead of looking guilty...
he looked annoyed.
"Francesca."
He walked toward her.
"You always overreact."
She laughed bitterly.
"Overreact?"
He reached out as if to comfort her.
"This isn't the end of the world."
She slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch me!"
Carlos frowned.
"Can you calm down?"
Before Francesca could answer, Sofia laughed.
"You know, Carlos..."
She crossed her arms.
"I told you this would happen."
She looked Francesca up and down with open disgust.
"I mean... look at her."
Francesca instinctively looked down at herself.
Her oversized sweater.
Her faded skirt.
Her worn-out shoes.
Sofia smirked.
"When was the last time you even looked in a mirror?"
Carlos sighed dramatically.
"I tried telling you."
"Telling me what?"
"That you should take better care of yourself."
Francesca felt as though someone had punched her in the chest.
"I didn't buy new clothes because I was paying your tuition!"
Carlos shrugged.
"That's your choice."
"No..."
Francesca shook her head.
"It was for us."
"There is no 'us' anymore."
The words landed like a knife.
Sofia slipped an arm around Carlos's waist.
"You honestly thought he'd stay with someone who looks like..."
She paused deliberately.
"...this?"
Francesca's vision blurred.
The tears she had been fighting finally spilled over.
She had sacrificed everything.
Her dreams.
Her future.
Even herself.
And now...
they were mocking her for it.
Carlos suddenly glanced toward the kitchen.
"By the way..."
"Did you bring the money?"
Francesca looked at him in disbelief.
"...What?"
"My tuition."
His tone was completely casual.
"You said you were getting paid today."
For a moment...
Francesca simply stared.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
He had just been caught cheating.
And all he cared about...
was the money.
Slowly...
she walked into the kitchen.
Carlos smiled.
"I knew you'd understand."
She picked up the white envelope.
Held it tightly for several seconds.
Then walked back.
Without warning—
She slammed it hard against his chest.
The envelope fell to the floor.
Carlos frowned.
"What was that for?"
Francesca looked him straight in the eyes.
"This is the last thing I will ever do for you."
Her voice trembled.
"But listen carefully."
She took a deep breath.
"Carlos Ferrari..."
"We're over."
"When I come back..."
"I want you and every single thing you own out of my apartment."
She turned toward Sofia.
"And you..."
Her voice broke.
"I hope one day someone betrays you exactly the way you betrayed me."
Without waiting for a reply...
she walked out.
The apartment door slammed behind her.
Rain poured heavily outside.
Within seconds, Francesca was completely soaked.
She kept walking.
She didn't know where she was going.
She only knew she couldn't stay there.
The tears running down her face mixed with the rain until they became impossible to distinguish.
She laughed weakly.
"What a joke..."
"I really believed he loved me."
After several minutes, she stopped outside a small convenience store.
She walked in and bought a can of beer.
Five minutes later, she was sitting alone at a quiet bus stop.
She opened the can.
The sharp hiss echoed through the empty street.
She raised it toward the dark sky.
"Congratulations, Francesca."
"You've officially ruined your life."
She took a long drink.
The bitter taste made her cough.
"So this is what heartbreak tastes like."
She kept drinking.
People passing by glanced at her with pity.
Others simply avoided looking at her.
Francesca didn't care.
Her reflection in the glass beside the bus stop caught her attention.
Messy hair.
Baggy sweater.
Long skirt.
Old shoes.
"When did I become like this?"
She gently touched her frizzy hair.
She used to love dressing up.
She used to enjoy buying pretty clothes.
Then Carlos came into her life.
Every new dress became another month's tuition.
Every pair of shoes became another textbook.
Every dream...
became his dream.
She lowered her head.
"I abandoned myself..."
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
"And for someone who never deserved it."
Just then, a sleek black luxury car pulled up in front of the bus stop.
A man in a perfectly tailored black suit stepped out.
"Miss Francesca Rossi?"
She looked up cautiously.
"Who are you?"
"I came to warn you."
"Warn me about what?"
"Your life is in danger."
Francesca stared at him.
Then burst into laughter.
The man blinked in confusion.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled euro note.
"This was a really good performance."
She stuffed the note into his hand.
"Buy yourself dinner."
He looked down at the money in complete disbelief.
Before he could respond, the rear window of the luxury car rolled down.
Only enough for a pair of dark brown eyes to become visible.
They were cold.
Piercing.
Dangerous.
A deep voice spoke.
"If you walk away now..."
"...you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
A chill ran through Francesca's body.
For a brief moment...
she hesitated.
Then she forced a smile.
"My life can't get any worse."
She turned and walked away.
The suited man quietly returned the euro note to her hand before getting back into the car.
The luxury vehicle sped off into the night, splashing muddy water over her as it disappeared.
Francesca stared after it.
"...What a strange man."
Her phone suddenly rang.
She answered immediately.
"Hello?"
"Is this Miss Francesca Rossi?"
"Yes."
"This is St. Mary's Hospital."
Her smile disappeared.
"We're calling to inform you that your mother's medical treatment will be discontinued due to unpaid hospital fees."
Francesca's heart stopped.
"N-No..."
She gripped the phone tightly.
"There must be some mistake."
"I'm sorry, Miss Rossi. The decision has already been made."
The call ended.
Her phone battery died moments later.
Francesca slowly fell to her knees.
"Mum..."
"I forgot..."
In trying so desperately to save Carlos's future...
she had forgotten the only person who had truly loved her.
She buried her face in her hands and cried.
Suddenly...
Something rough covered her head.
"What—?"
Before she could scream—
A sharp pain exploded at the back of her skull.
Everything went black.
.
- Writer
