His Heart Begged, His Hands Destroyed

I turned for the door. Mrs. Bellandi called after me, and Old Mr. Bellandi ordered someone to stop me, but no one dared touch me. Only Luca caught my wrist in a few long strides. His palm was ice-cold, his grip hard enough to bruise.

[Vivi, are you really angry? I was wrong. I shouldn't have let Ava sit there. Look at me, please. Don't leave me. If you leave, I won't know how to breathe.]

My heart trembled. For ten years, every time his heart cried out, I forgot I was bleeding too. Then his mouth dragged me back to reality.

"You want to leave?" Luca glanced at my heels and sneered. "Take off the shoes. I bought them."

I went still. The ivory heels on my feet were old now, the soles worn and the heels repaired twice. I still couldn't throw them away. On our wedding day, Luca never told me I looked beautiful. After the reception, he left those shoes outside our bedroom and acted as if he didn't care whether I noticed.

Back then, I heard him think, [Vivi, do you see them? I had them made in Italy. My bride should wear the prettiest shoes and walk wherever she wants. I hope you're loved well for the rest of your life. I hope I'm the one who gets to love you.]

Because of those words, I treasured them for six years. Now he wanted them back.

I crouched, unbuckled the straps, and set the shoes in front of him. The floor was cold under my bare feet. "Fine. They're yours."

Luca's face darkened, but his eyes slowly turned red.

Mrs. Bellandi hurried forward. "Vivian, don't take him seriously. He'd never make you leave barefoot. He just doesn't know how to ask you to stay."

Before she finished, Luca picked up the heels and threw them into the fireplace. Flames swallowed the pearl buckles.

"You wore them for six years and only returned them now," he said softly. "They're dirty."

Something heavy hit my chest. For six years, I had cleaned, repaired, and protected those shoes. To him, they were old things he could burn on a whim.

His thoughts panicked. [Vivi, you're crying. You still care, right? Say you didn't mean it. Tomorrow I'll fill your closet with every pair you want. Anything you want, I'll give you.]

I looked into the fire and suddenly felt tired. No matter how many beautiful shoes he bought, none of them would be that first pair. No matter how soft his thoughts were, they couldn't undo the fire he had lit.

I walked out of the Bellandi estate barefoot. Wet gravel cut into my feet, the guards lowered their eyes, and no one followed. Behind me, Ava's fake concern drifted out.

"Luca, are you really not going after her? She looks heartbroken."

Luca scoffed. "Why would I? Give her half an hour. She'll come crawling back for forgiveness."

I didn't look back.

He didn't know I was truly leaving. Aurelia Shipping had offered me a transfer to New York, and I had planned to tell him tonight, maybe ask if he wanted to start over with me somewhere else. Now there was nothing to discuss.

My flight was tomorrow. This time, I wouldn't come back begging.