224
Gianna’s POV
I slammed the door behind me and leaned against it, taking in deep, shaky breaths. My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t get enough air. The comversation at Alaric’s house pressed down on me, and tears blurred my vision as I finally let go of the composure I’d been clinging to all night.
Emilia’s words and her thinly veiled disapproval played on a loop in my mind. The skepticism in her tone, the way she questioned everything without outright saying it. I’d felt every ounce of judgment in her eyes, and no matter how polite I tried to be, I could feel myself shrinking under her scrutiny.
It wasn’t just what she said; it was how she said it. The casual way she implied that I wasn’t right for Matteo, that I didn’t belong in his life. As if loving him wasn’t enough.
I tossed my bag onto the couch and sank down next to it, pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes. I’d known this relationship wasn’t going to be easy. Matteo was in deep in a world I’d never been part of-a world of powerful families, unspoken rules, and endless expectations. A very dangerous world that just any woman couldn’t survive in unless she was made of steel. Emilia didn’t think I was. And tonight, she had made it clear just how out of place I really was.
Even though Matteo had defended me. He always did. But it wasn’t enough to drown out the doubt Emilia had planted in my mind.
I leaned back, staring at the ceiling as the tears finally spilled over. Was she right? Did I not belong in Matteo’s life?
I thought back to how he’d introduced me to her. He’d been so excited, so proud to show me off, and I’d wanted to live up to that. I’d wanted to make a good impression, to prove that I was the woman he saw me as. But instead, I’d felt like an outsider.
And the worst part was, I couldn’t blame Emilia entirely. I understood where she was coming from. Matteo was her younger brother, and she was protective of him. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.
I let out a shaky breath and pulled my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them.
Maybe she was right. Maybe I wasn’t good enough for Matteo. He deserved someone who fit into his world seamlessly, someone who wouldn’t cause waves or make his family question his choices.
The thought made my heart ache. Matteo was everything to me-kind, passionate, stubborn in the best way. He saw me in a way no one else ever had, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I mattered. Like I was enough.
But tonight had shattered that illusion.
I wiped my face and stood up, pacing the room. My condo felt too small, too quiet. My thoughts bounced around like an echo chamber, each one louder and more overwhelming than the last.
Maybe I needed to take a step back.
The idea scared me. I didn’t want to lose Matteo. But at the same time, I didn’t want to be the source of conflict in his life. I didn’t want to come between him and his family.
I reached for my phone, staring at it for a long moment before finally dialing Matteo’s number. It rang twice before going to voicemail, and I couldn’t tell if I was relieved or disappointed.
“Hey, it’s me,” I said after the beep. My voice was hoarse, and I cleared my throat. “I just wanted to let you know I got home okay. Um… I think I need some time, Matteo. Tonight was… a lot. And I don’t want to cause more problems for you.”
I paused, trying to find the right words, but they wouldn’t come.
“I care about you,” I said finally, my voice breaking. “But I think we need to figure out if this is really… if we’re really right for each other. I don’t know if I fit into your life the way you think I do.”
I hung up before I could second-guess myself and set the phone down on the table.
My chest felt hollow as I stared at the screen, waiting for it to light up with his name. But it didn’t.
I wandered into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water, though my hands were shaking so much I nearly spilled it. The cold liquid didn’t do much to calm me, and I ended up leaving the glass half-full on the counter.
Sitting back down on the couch, I pulled a blanket over myself and curled up, letting the tears come again. I hated this feeling-this uncertainty, this doubt. I hated that I was questioning something that had felt so right just hours ago.
But maybe this was for the best.
Maybe Matteo would see that I wasn’t the right person for him. Maybe he’d realize that his family’s approval mattered more than he wanted to admit. And maybe… maybe I’d learn to live with the heartbreak.
The thought made me cry harder, and I buried my face in the blanket, wishing I could block out the world entirely.
I stayed like that for what felt like hours, lost in my own thoughts. When my phone buzzed, I almost didn’t check it. But curiosity got the better of me, and I reached for it, my heart racing as I saw Matteo’s name on the screen.
“I don’t care what Emilia thinks. I care about you. Please don’t push me away.”
The message made my chest ache even more, and I stared at it for a long time, unsure how to respond.
Finally, I typed back: “I need time, Matteo. Please understand.”
I set the phone down again and pulled the blanket tighter around myself.
I loved him. I knew that. But love didn’t feel like it was enough right now.