Chapter 40. The Beginning of Obsession
533 Words
After the dinner ended, Adrian personally walked Elena toward her car outside the rooftop restaurant.
Cold night wind moved softly through Milan while flashing city lights surrounded them beautifully.
For a moment—
Neither of them spoke.
Then Adrian suddenly looked toward her calmly.
“You seem happier now.”
Elena slowly turned toward him.
“I fought hard for my peace.”
Something about those words felt personal again.
Painfully personal.
Before Adrian could respond, Elena’s driver opened the car door respectfully.
But just as Elena was about entering—
Adrian unexpectedly grabbed her wrist gently.
The sudden contact made both of them freeze slightly.
Elena slowly looked down at his hand.
Then up at him.
And suddenly—
Fragments flashed inside Adrian’s mind again.
A younger Elena laughing beside him beneath sunset skies.
Music.
School uniforms.
A familiar melody.
His head suddenly hurt sharply.
Adrian immediately released her wrist while frowning slightly.
“You okay?” Elena asked calmly despite her racing heart.
“I’m fine.”
But he wasn’t.
Because lately…
The closer he got to Elena, the more strange memories haunted him.
Meanwhile Elena quietly entered the car afterward while trying to calm herself too.
Seeing Adrian affected her more than she wanted.
And that frightened her.
Back at the mansion, little Isabella immediately ran toward Elena excitedly the moment she arrived.
“Mama!”
Elena smiled warmly before carrying her lovingly.
“Did you wait for me?”
“Yes,” Isabella nodded proudly. “I stayed awake.”
Nina laughed softly nearby.
“She refused sleeping until you came back.”
Elena kissed Isabella’s forehead gently.
“My clingy princess.”
Meanwhile far away at the De Luca mansion—
Leonardo sat alone inside the massive dining room eating dinner quietly while Sofia remained busy on a video call discussing fashion events.
“Leonardo, stop making noise,” Sofia said impatiently without even looking at him.
The little boy’s face fell slightly.
“Where’s Papa?”
“He’s busy.”
Again.
Always busy.
Meanwhile Adrian finally returned late into the night.
The moment Leonardo saw him, his eyes instantly brightened.
“Papa!”
Adrian looked down at him briefly.
“You’re still awake?”
Leonardo nodded quickly.
“Can I stay with you tonight?”
For a second, Adrian remembered Isabella’s warm voice calling Elena “Mama” earlier.
The difference between both children suddenly became impossible to ignore.
Still cold as usual, Adrian gently touched Leonardo’s head once.
“Go sleep. You have school tomorrow.”
Leonardo quietly lowered his eyes.
“Okay…”
After the child left sadly, Adrian loosened his tie while walking toward his private office.
But strangely—
His thoughts returned to Elena again.
Her smile.
Her eyes.
Her voice.
And that bracelet.
Suddenly frustrated, Adrian opened an old locked drawer inside the office.
Inside rested several forgotten items from his youth.
Then his hand slowly froze.
Because among them…
Was the second matching music-note bracelet.
Exactly like Elena’s.
Adrian stared at it silently while his heartbeat slowly grew heavier.
And for the very first time—
He began questioning whether the woman called Elena Moretti was truly a stranger after all.
- Writer
