Gone in the Sea of Faces

As I was packing my things in the guest bedroom, Cesare came in and casually sat on the bed. When he drew closer, I held my breath. Sonia's perfume was mixed in with his scent, and it made my head spin.

"Why did you move into this room? Are you upset because you had to give up your room?"

Cesare stared probingly at me. It was as if nothing could escape his gaze. I looked down to avoid his eyes, but my body was screaming to move closer to him. I fought hard to suppress the love I felt for him, which still came so naturally to me. I pushed it down, burying it deep inside my heart.

As I tried my best to contain my sadness as well, I replied with a slight tremble in my voice, "This room seems like a good one to me."

I forced myself to keep my tone light and unaffected.

A helpless sigh came from above my head. I felt a warm breath washing over my neck.

"Don't get upset because of this. Once Sonia leaves, that room will still be yours."

I didn't say anything. For some reason, my senses were exceptionally sharp right now. I could see the way his warm body slowly approached mine. His lips grazed the top of my head. His hands glided across my skin, making me shiver.

I closed my eyes and forced down the moan that had almost escaped my lips. I loathed myself for reacting this way.

Even though I had given up on our relationship, my body was still instinctively responding to his touch.

Cesare had only just begun unbuttoning my blouse when his phone started ringing, instantly snapping him back to his senses. From the corner of my eye, I noticed the name on the screen.

Sonia was calling.

Expression impassive, he turned and left my room at once, as if everything that just happened between us had been an illusion of mine.

I vaguely overheard some of their conversation. The words "pregnancy" and "feeling unwell" hit me like a bucket of cold water.

That night, I sat stiffly in my room without going to bed. Cesare never came back.

I should've seen that coming, no?

Sonia, Cesare's true love, was back. They were even about to have a child together.

Perhaps I could regain some of my pathetic dignity by voluntarily walking away from everything.

…

The next morning, I took the divorce paperwork, which now had both our signatures, to the courthouse. Once it was approved, the divorce was filed.

Right after that, I went to the embassy and completed more paperwork to confirm my migration to Ressonia. I kept myself busy by completing all of the necessary procedures, giving myself no time to pause and dwell on the situation.

When I went to the hospital to complete the health check I needed before I could move, I caught a familiar scent in the hospital corridor—Sonia's distinctive perfume.

I had to grab the wall to stay on my feet.

Cesare and Sonia stood close together in front of an examination room at the end of the corridor. They were both reading a report together.

A nurse patiently explained, "Since you're only four weeks pregnant, and the fetus is also in an unstable condition, you'll need to prioritize rest above all else. You mustn't engage in any intercourse either."

Four weeks? Wasn't that around the time when Sonia just returned to the country?

Smiling, Sonia gave Cesare a light smack on the back of his hand. He simply gave her a gentle reminder to get plenty of rest.

It was a warm, cozy scene, but it made my heart feel as cold as ice.

I was about to leave with renewed determination when Cesare happened to look up. The moment our eyes met, all the color drained from his face.

"Rosalia! What are you doing here?"

I took a step back, hiding my equally pale face in the shadows.

Sonia abruptly let out a cry. Clutching her abdomen, she collapsed into Cesare's arms.

My eyes started to water, but I forced down those tears. As I turned, I heard Cesare calling out anxiously, "On our anniversary tomorrow, I'll wait for you at our usual spot. I'll explain everything to you then!"

But I didn't respond. I was flying off tomorrow. We wouldn't be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary.

I staggered back to Fontana Estate. After leaving the divorce papers in a drawer in the guest bedroom I'd used, I grabbed my suitcase and walked off without looking back.