Ninety-Nine Times Too Many

In the most visible corner of the bathroom counter sat a lace panty that didn’t belong to me.

At the same time, Gianna’s voice message played through Luca’s phone outside the door.

“Luca, I think I accidentally left my underwear in your bathroom this morning when I was getting ready… It’s my favorite pair. Can you bring it back to me? Also, I really loved the suit you wore today. Wear it only for me from now on?”

So that was why Luca had worn the white suit he usually never touched. It was because Gianna liked it.

He really did listen to her.

While listening to the voice message, Luca hurried toward the bathroom.

The moment he walked in, he saw me standing there beside the underwear.

His gaze shifted awkwardly.

“Gianna wasn’t comfortable earlier, so I let her come here to clean up and change.”

“Okay.”

I didn’t react much. I simply stepped aside for him.

Luca packed the underwear away and was about to leave when he suddenly stopped.

“If this is going to make you overthink things, I just won’t bring it to her for now.”

I waved my hand casually to show I didn’t care.

Luca hesitated for a moment, but then Gianna called again to urge him.

After hanging up, Luca said to me, “I’ll come back after I deliver this. You should prepare too. Tomorrow, we’re going to the church for the wedding.”

With that, he left in a hurry.

Once I finished packing everything, I took one last look at the home I had lived in for so many years.

Right then, a text from Luca came through.

[Something came up unexpectedly, and I can’t make it back. Tomorrow’s wedding is postponed.]

Looking at the message, I actually laughed.

This was already the ninety-ninth canceled wedding.

I didn’t reply.

Instead, I picked up the packed suitcase and closed the door to the home I had lived in for eight years.

As the car drove out through the gates, I turned back for one final glance.

The entire estate was lush and beautiful, yet not a single piece of land had ever truly belonged to me.

I once thought this place was my home, having spent eight years of my youth helping Luca manage everything around him.

I had blocked assassination attempts for him, cleaned up his messes for him, and helped turn him from an inexperienced young man into a feared mafia don.

But in the end, I was nothing more than an outsider staying here temporarily.

Not long after the car drove away, Luca called me.

I watched the screen light up and darken without answering.

Then another text came through, carrying his usual unquestionable certainty.

[Once I’m done handling this situation, we’ll have the wedding. I promise. Just wait for me a little longer, okay?]

I stared at the message for half a minute before blocking his number and deleting every way he could contact me.

As the plane took off, I watched the city slowly disappear beneath the clouds.

I touched the scar on my face that hadn’t fully faded, then looked down at the bandages wrapped around my hands.

There was no reluctance, only relief.

Ninety-nine canceled weddings were enough.

This time, I wasn’t waiting anymore.

I was going somewhere that truly belonged to me, where I could finally live my own life.