The Moretti Woman Who Stopped Waiting

That night,Adrian did not return to the bedroom.He stayed on the sofa,pacing more than sleeping.Through the door,I heard his lighter click and his low voice on the phone.

"She is just angry."

"No,she cannot really marry someone else."

"I know her.Eight years.She will not let go."

My phone lit up with Sophia's message.

[Are you asleep?I am still furious.Claire knew that bouquet was yours.]

Another came right after.

[And Adrian.If he says next time again,I swear I will throw champagne in his face.]

I typed,[You postponed your wedding five times for me.]

She replied,[Because I wanted to.]

Then,after a pause:[But this time,I do not want to tell you to wait.Elena,if you choose to leave,I will clear the road.]

My eyes burned.Everyone said a Moretti daughter did not need protection.Sophia was the only one who still treated me like a girl who could hurt,get tired,and cry in the dark.

I wrote back,[When have I ever broken a promise to you,babe?]

At three in the morning,the family lawyer arrived downstairs.Nico,my older brother,sat in the car,black sleeves rolled up,a stack of documents beside him.He saw me and asked nothing,only draped his jacket over my shoulders.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"The apartment?"

"Sell it."

He raised a brow."You loved that place for five years."

I looked at the keys in my palm."I loved it because I thought it would be a home."

Nico was quiet for a moment,then ruffled my hair.In the Moretti family,softness was something we hid from enemies.But right then,he was only my brother.

"All right,"he said."I will handle it.Do not look back."

The next day,Adrian moved into his emergency apartment near the office and sent me one message.

[When you figure yourself out,I will come back.]

I did not reply.

He thought it was a cold war.He thought a few days away would make me lower my head first,swallow my hurt first,and go back to folding his shirts like nothing had happened.

This time,I gave him no step to stand on.

I listed the apartment,moved my share out of the joint account,mailed his spare key back to his office,and deleted his friends one by one.Finally,in the empty living room,I texted my father.

[I accept the Valenti marriage.]

His answer came fast.

[Good.]

The Morettis did not waste time asking why someone finally woke up.They gave you a road,a car,and enough power to leave.