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Gianna’s POV
The quiet hum of my condo was both a blessing and a curse. I’d taken a few days off from work, claiming I needed to recharge, but the truth was I needed to breathe. I needed to be away from Matteo, and away from the chaos of my emotions and anything that reminded me at all of how hus sister had strongly disapproved of me just a few days ago.
I haven’t told anyone the full story yet. My business partners assumed I was just overwhelmed, and my friends, even while supportive, hadn’t pressed for details. Still, their company had been a welcome distraction. The dinners, late-night phone calls, and Netflix marathons with them had helped, but the emptiness of Matteo’s absence wouldn’t stop hanging over my head like a dark cloud.
Sinking into the couch, I curled my legs beneath me and stared at the untouched mug of tea on the coffee table. It had gone cold hours ago, much like my determination to keep myself busy. I’d tried everything-reading, cleaning, even baking, which I never did by the way, but nothing could keep the storm in my head quiet.
Matteo’s voice still echoed in it, replaying every tender word he’d said to me, every sweet name he’s called me. His laugh, the way his eyes softened when he looked at me-it all felt so vivid, like he was still here.
Except he wasn’t.
And it hurt.
I sighed, grabbing my phone out of habit. No missed calls, no unread texts. Matteo hadn’t tried to reach me since yesterday, and the ache of his silence was sharper than I expected.
I knew he was probably angry now, but I couldn’t help feeling like I’d done the right thing by stepping back. Emilia’s disapproval had been a glaring red flag, one I couldn’t ignore. Matteo was so close to his family, and the thought of always being at odds with them terrified me.
“Am I being unfair?” I murmured to myself, scrolling aimlessly through social media.
I paused on a photo one of my friends had posted earlier: a group shot from dinner last night. Everyone looked so happy, and their laughter was frozen in time. I was smiling too, but the more I looked at it, the more it seemed obviously forced. Like a glaring mask I was wearing to convince myself that I was okay.
The truth was, I wasn’t.
I missed him.
The thought startled me, even though it shouldn’t have. Matteo has become such an important part of my life that his absence left a void I couldn’t fill. But missing him wasn’t enough-not when I wasn’t sure where we were now. Or what we were now.
Could we even make this work?
I set my phone down and leaned back, closing my eyes.
The memory of our last night together played out in my mind like a cruel movie. Emilia’s disapproving gaze, her subtle jabs, the tension at the dinner table-it had all been too much. I’d felt like an outsider, unwelcome and scrutinized, and Matteo’s attempts to defend me had only made things worse.
But it wasn’t just Emilia. It was the world Matteo belonged to now. It was a world I didn’t fully understand.
I’d known from the start that dating him wouldn’t be easy, but I hadn’t expected it to feel so isolating.
The knock on the door startled me, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Gianna, it’s me!” Sarah’s voice rang out, muffled by the door.
I got up, smoothing down my sweatshirt as I crossed the room. When I opened the door, Sarah greeted me with a warm smile and a bag of takeout.
“I figured you could use some company,” she said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
I couldn’t help but smile. Sarah has a way of showing up just when I needed her, and tonight was no exception.
“I wasn’t doing much,” I admitted, closing the door behind her.
“Good,” she said, plopping the bag onto the coffee table. “Because we’re having Thai, and you’re telling me what’s going on.”
I hesitated, but Sarah gave me a look that said she wasn’t taking no for an answer.
“Fine,” I said, sitting down beside her. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
She handed me a container of pad Thai, waiting patiently as I gathered my thoughts.
“It’s about Matteo,” I started, twirling the noodles with my fork.
Sarah nodded, her expression softening. “I figured. You’ve been distracted lately, and I know how much he means to you.”
“He does,” I said quietly. “But things got…complicated.”
I explained everything-dinner with Emilia, the tension, the way Matteo had defended me. I even told her about my decision to take some space, though I left out the part where I’d been crying myself to sleep.
When I finished, Sarah was quiet for a moment, her brows furrowed in thought.
“I get why you’re upset,” she said finally. “But do you really think stepping back is the answer?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted, setting my container down. “I just…I didn’t want to make things harder for him.”
“Or for yourself,” Sarah added gently.
I nodded, feeling a lump rise in my throat.
“Gianna, you’re not the kind of person who runs away from challenges,” she said. “If you love Matteo-and I know you do-then maybe it’s worth fighting for.”
Her words hit me harder than I expected.
“Do you think he’s still mad?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Probably,” she said honestly. “But that doesn’t mean he’s given up on you.”
I let out a shaky breath, tears threatening to spill.
Sarah reached for my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You don’t have to decide anything tonight. Just…think about it, okay?”
I nodded. Even though her advice wasn’t much, it still made me feel better just a bit.
I needed to make my decision soon. I wasn’t sure if I could really walk away from Matteo. And I didn’t know if I was just the one holding myself back just because I was too scared to let myself be happy.
But I needed to figure it out before it is too late.