He Saved His Old Flame. I Erased Myself

On our tenth anniversary, Adrian actually cleared his schedule.

He drove me himself to a private restaurant on the north shore of Long Island. The place sat on a cliff, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the black sea and scattered lights in the distance. White roses stood on the table, and a cellist played low music in the corner.

Once, his effort would have softened me. Now it only felt ironic.

He pulled out my chair and switched my plate with the steak he had already cut, so practiced it almost looked like the man from ten years ago had come back.

“You’ve lost a lot of weight. When this mess is over, I’ll take you to Tuscany for a while. You always wanted to do a research visit there, didn’t you?”

I looked at him. His concern wasn’t entirely fake. Adrian Moretti had loved me once. The problem was that every time Evelyn and I stood on opposite sides of a scale, he pressed her side down first.

“Sure,” I said.

The main course had barely arrived when his phone vibrated. Adrian glanced at the screen, and the softness on his face tightened into tension.

I saw the caller ID: Evelyn.

He stood up and lowered his voice. “Something came up with the family. I need to take this outside.”

Five minutes later, he returned with anxiety all over his face.

“Selena, some of the Blake family’s men were seen near Evelyn’s place. She’s alone at the estate, and security says the situation is unstable.”

I put down my knife and fork and looked at him calmly.

“So you’re leaving.”

His throat moved. “I’m sorry. She’s pregnant. Luca asked me to look after her before he died. I can’t ignore this.”

“It’s our tenth anniversary.”

“I know. When I’m done, I’ll make it up to you. The necklace, dinner, a trip, anything you want. Just let me go tonight, okay?”

I didn’t argue. I didn’t ask him to stay. “Go.”

He stared at me.

I even smiled at him. “Evelyn and the baby matter more. That’s how you’ve always chosen. I shouldn’t make it harder for you.”

Adrian’s face shifted slightly, as if my words had stung him, but he had no answer.

He leaned down to kiss my forehead. I turned away.

In the end, he only said, “Wait for me.”

I watched him hurry out. The black Maybach rolled down the gravel drive, and its taillights soon disappeared into the night.

There would be no more waiting, Adrian.

I sat in the restaurant until it closed. When the server brought out the anniversary cake, I cut the first slice myself.

The frosting was sweet, but in my mouth it tasted like blood.

Ten years ago, I had been an orphan buried under my father’s debts with nowhere left to go. It was a younger Adrian who had taken me from the alley behind an underground fight club, paid off what I owed, and given me a room with heat.

That night, he put his coat around my shoulders and said, “From now on, you’re not alone. Every birthday, every anniversary, I’ll be there.”

I believed him for ten years.

And tonight, he still left.

When I returned to the villa, the rain had stopped. One of the lights over the spiral staircase was out, and I held the railing as I climbed slowly. Halfway up, a sharp cramp tore through my abdomen, and my vision went black.

As my body tumbled down the stairs, I heard the dull thud of bone against each step.

My temple split open. Blood ran along the corner of my eye. I lay on the cold marble floor and, out of instinct, pressed the emergency button on the wedding ring Adrian had given me.

It was the Moretti family’s highest-level spousal protection device. Once I pressed it, his phone, watch, and car system would all be alerted at the same time.

A few seconds later, his voice came through the earpiece.

“Selena.” He sounded impatient. “I’m handling Evelyn’s situation. Don’t turn one anniversary into this.”

I was in too much pain to speak properly.

“Adrian... I fell down the stairs.”

There was one second of silence.

Then Evelyn’s voice floated through, perfectly frightened. “Did I make you two fight? Adrian, don’t worry about me. Even if those cars are still outside, I can get through the night by myself.”

When Adrian spoke again, his voice had gone cold.

“I’ll send the night driver to check on you. Don’t hit the emergency button again.”

The call ended.

The next second, my wedding ring’s emergency access was shut off from his end.