Stop Chasing Me, Mafia Lord!

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the dress Giovanni had bought for me a few days ago. It was a soft shade of lavender, his favorite color on me. Tonight felt special—it was my birthday, and Giovanni had been acting strange all week, slipping away to take calls, coming home late, and being unusually secretive. But I knew he was planning something.

I’d seen the receipt in his pocket when he left for work the other day. He bought an expensive ring! My heart raced every time I thought about it.

I brushed a stray curl behind my ear, glancing at the clock. He should have been home any minute. I imagined how tonight would go. Maybe he’d take me somewhere special, or we’d stay in, and he’d propose. The thought of him slipping a ring on my finger, sealing our future together, made me giddy. I could already hear his voice, “Samara, will you marry me?”

Smiling, I tried not to get too ahead of myself. Giovanni always knew how to make me feel special, even if I couldn’t remember everything about our past. I guessed, I would just wait for him.

I walked into the living room, humming softly to myself. The TV was on in the background, and I absentmindedly flipped through the channels, waiting for him to call or text. My phone buzzed, but it was just a work email. Still nothing from Giovanni. I sighed, deciding to sit and wait.

That was when I saw it.

The screen flashed to life with images of fireworks lighting up the night sky. The camera panned over a familiar face—and my heart sank. Giovanni was there, standing beside a woman, smiling as the fireworks exploded above them.

It was Anya. The woman he swore was just a friend.

I felt the color drain from my face. My hands trembled as I reached for my phone, dialing his number before I could stop myself. He answered on the second ring, his voice calm, like nothing was wrong.

“Giovanni, where are you?” My voice trembled, and I hated how weak it sounded.

“I’m at the office. I’ve been swamped with work. You know how it is,” he replied smoothly.

I froze, staring at the screen in disbelief. There he was, standing with Anya while fireworks burst in the sky above them, and he was telling me he was working. My chest tightened, the air in the room suddenly too thick. I swallowed, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Are you sure about that?” I asked, feeling the words stick in my throat.

There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Of course. Why?”

I couldn’t breathe. My mind raced, a whirlwind of confusion and betrayal. Was this why he’d been distant? Was this why he’d been so secretive? Not because he was planning something for me, but because he was with her?

I closed my eyes, forcing myself to stay calm. "I saw the news."

There was silence on the other end. Then, he cleared his throat. “What do you mean?”

“I saw you,” I whispered, tears welling in my eyes. “You’re not working, Giovanni. You’re with Anya.”

The silence that followed was deafening. For a moment, I thought maybe I’d imagined it all. Maybe I’d misread the situation. But no. The truth was right in front of me.

“I can explain,” Giovanni finally said, but his words sounded empty, like a hollow promise.

I stood up, pacing the room as the tears finally spilled over. “Explain? What is there to explain? You lied to me! You promised she was just a friend, but now you’re out there with her, setting off fireworks while I’m here—waiting for you.”

“Samara, please. It’s not what you think—”

“I don’t want to hear it,” I snapped, my voice breaking. “I thought... I thought we had something real. I believed you when you told me I was your girlfriend, that we were going to build a life together. But now I don’t even know what’s real anymore.”

“Samara, don’t do this. I love you.”

“No, Giovanni. You don’t. If you did, you wouldn’t be with her right now.” My chest ached with every word, but I couldn’t stop. “I can’t do this anymore. We’re done.”

I hung up before he could say anything else. The silence in the room was suffocating. My birthday. The day I thought he might propose. And instead, I was left standing here, broken.

I collapsed onto the couch, burying my face in my hands as the sobs finally overtook me. All I could think about was how foolish I’d been to believe him. To believe in us. How could I have been so blind? I had built my world around him. He was all I had. And now it was all falling apart.

I took a deep breath and looked at the receipt again—the ring he bought for someone. It was clear now. It was never meant for me.

Tears streamed down my face as I whispered to myself, “I don’t even know who I am anymore.”