I walked home in a daze, my mind off to who-knew-where. A sports car suddenly roared past, its wheels throwing muddy water all over me.

I froze, drenched and miserable, and through the windshield of that familiar car, I saw Isabella's smug, contemptuous face. She rolled down the window with a bright but cruel smile.

"Now, this is how miserable you should look every day from now on, Bianca," she said, then slammed the gas pedal.

The car shot forward with a brazen roar, leaving me behind. Soaked to the bone, I returned to the gilded cage Enzo had bought me. The mansion was absurdly luxurious, but all I felt was emptiness.

As soon as I stepped in, my phone rang. It was my university advisor, Antonio Greco. "Bianca, are you really going to give up your study-abroad spot for that man? That's a chance so many people dream of!"

I stayed silent for a moment, then finally made up my mind. "You know what, Prof. Greco? I'll take the spot. I'll pack my bags and leave in five days."

In five days, it would be Enzo's birthday. He had once said he wanted a handmade gift from me. I opened my wardrobe and pulled out a carefully tailored suit.

Every stitch, every seam, had been done by me, a labor of months. It was once the truest expression of my feelings for him. Now, looking at it, all I felt was bitter irony.

What would Enzo's expression be when he received the suit? Would he even think of me, if only for a moment? With Isabella by his side, my gift probably wouldn't even catch his eye.

And what about the pregnancy test with the double red line tucked in the pocket? That wasn't what he wanted either, was it?

After hesitating for a long time, I threw it into the trash. I had thought it would be the perfect birthday gift, but now, it seemed the ideal gift would be Isabella's return.

That night, Enzo's assistant, Romeo Ricci, came to pick me up. "Ms. Ferraro, Boss Lombardi is waiting for you at the club."

I nodded and followed silently. When we arrived at the club, I barely reached the door of the private room before bursts of laughter spilled out from inside.

"Enzo, where are you going to get rid of that amante of yours?"

"Yeah, Isabella's back now, isn't she? Yet your amante is still clinging on. She's shameless, mio dio."

"That woman's just a pastime for you. Isabella's the real deal for you, isn't she?"

"Hey, Enzo. Now that Isabella's back, just send her away. Don't let her be an eyesore."

My heart sank to the bottom of a pit, my whole body freezing. So, in their eyes, I was nothing more than a joke.

Enzo's deep voice came through the crack in the door, somewhat displeased. "Enough. Stop with the nonsense. She'll be upset if she hears this."

He didn't deny any of their words. My fingers clenched into fists, my sharp nails digging into my palms, yet I felt no pain. My heart had hurt too much to feel anything at that point.

Just then, Isabella's sharp voice cut through the air. "Ah, Bianca, what are you doing out here? Enzo was worried sick about you!"

She yanked the door open and dragged me into the private room. Under the dim lights, Enzo sat on the couch, his expression unreadable.

"Bee, are you okay after the car accident?" he asked as gently as ever, but it sounded strange to me. "My phone died. I didn't read your message and couldn't get to you in time…"

I forced a smile and mumbled, "I'm fine."

Enzo studied me carefully, his brows knitting slightly. "You don't look so well. Are you okay? You know what—let me take you home."

I shook my head, avoiding his gaze.

For four years, I had lived in a fantasy I had woven for myself, and four years of his devotion had made me forget that our relationship started as a transaction. I was only his amante.

Isabella's return forced the truth before my eyes. Enzo's care and pampering didn't mean he loved me. Therefore, when his one true love came back, I had no choice but to step aside.

That night, back at home, I quietly started packing my things. The walk-in closet had once been filled with the jewelry and bags Enzo had given me, each piece carrying a memory of our sweet moments.

Now, I pulled them out one by one and tossed them into trash bags. Even the photos, in which we smiled so happily without a care in the world, had become unnecessary clutter. I gathered them all, ready to throw them away.

I watched as the room slowly returned to the state of emptiness it was before I arrived. The warmth of those memories surged like waves and then receded, leaving only desolation.

Once, we had cuddled on that very couch, watching movies. He would hold me gently in his arms, and we would laugh like carefree kids.

On the balcony, the flowers we had planted together still bloomed. Little did they know, their owners were about to part ways. On the desk sat the pair of clay figurines we had sculpted together, symbols of our love.

Now, everything screamed irony in my face. I took a deep breath, forcing myself not to cry.

At that moment, I heard the lock turn. Enzo had returned with Isabella. He looked around the room, now stripped of much of its contents, and frowned slightly. "Bee, why are so many things missing?"

Despite my nervousness, I tried to sound casual. "I was just decluttering."

His probing gaze lingered on me for a moment. "You're—"

"Enzo," Isabella interrupted. "A woman is allowed to declutter whenever she wants, you know?"

"Anyway, Isabella will be staying with us for a while," Enzo informed me. "Her apartment has some leaks that need fixing."

I nodded calmly, saying no more. I knew my place—an amante with no right to question.

Isabella stayed behind Enzo, a victorious smile dancing on her lips. On the contrary, he looked at me with a flicker of something complex in his eyes. "Bee, you won't mind, will you?"

I shook my head, forcing a faint smile. "Of course not."

He nodded, relief flashing in his eyes. "You've put up with a lot lately. Once things settle down, I'll take you to the auction. I'll get you whatever you like."

With that, he turned and headed upstairs with Isabella.

I stayed frozen, my heart twisting as I watched their backs disappear. Enzo would never understand that it wasn't the jewelry at the auction that I cared about.

The next day, Isabella began renovating the house in the manner of a true mistress. "Enzo, I want the south-facing master bedroom. I like it when there's sunlight—it's good for my health."

Enzo naturally agreed. That had been our room, every detail carefully chosen by me.

I watched them go upstairs, silently clenching my fingers, saying nothing. Out of the blue, she turned her gaze to the flowers I had tended on the balcony. "I don't quite like these… Can we take them away?"

Enzo glanced at me, but I lowered my head, dodging his eye contact. He ultimately agreed as well. "Sure. Whatever you say."

I watched the flowers being carried away, pot by pot. It felt like a knife was slicing across my chest every minute, but I had to pretend I was okay. Strangely, beneath it all was a strange sense of relief, a finality.

I told myself quietly, "It's fine. I'm leaving soon anyway."

Then, Isabella suggested changing the living room curtains. "That color is tacky. Let's replace it."

Enzo agreed to everything, never once stopping her.

Slowly, the place I used to call home was transformed into a place I no longer recognized. This space once held all my love and hopes, but now it stood as a painful reminder of a shattered fantasy.

He looked at me in silence, a flicker of guilt in his eyes, and said softly, "Don't be upset, Bee. I'll make it up to you soon. She hasn't been feeling well lately and has been down ever since her family issues. Be patient with her, okay?"

A weak, bitter smile lifted my lips. "It's fine. I get it."

Over the next few days, the mansion became Isabella's stage. She sat by the window, saying, "Enzo, come be my model! I want to paint you."

Sunlight spilled across her canvas as she smiled up at Enzo. He put away the documents and walked over, gently ruffling her hair. "Of course. As long as it makes you happy."

He sat on the couch, patiently posing, his eyes full of an indulgence I had never seen before. It was a softness that came straight from his heart.

"Come take a walk with me in the garden, will you? The doctor said I need more exercise," she said, linking her arm with his and pouting playfully.

He smiled and rose, strolling out of the room with her. I stood by the window, bitterness in my chest as I watched them walking shoulder to shoulder.

Placing a hand over my belly, I whispered, "Now that your Papa's amore mio is back, Mamma will take you somewhere new and start over, tesoro."

Later, I heard Isabella in the kitchen, softly begging, "Cook for me, Enzo. Ti prego."

Enzo shook his head and rolled up his sleeves to start cooking.

I stood by the door, watching him, my heart tangled with conflicting emotions. I had once dreamed of cooking and living with him, but now those fantasies felt like nothing but smoke.

I had planned to stay invisible before leaving, to avoid disrupting them. Just then, a classmate delivered my visa documents, and Enzo happened to see them.

When he noticed the papers coming from a male classmate, he frowned and questioned, "What's your relationship with him? Why's he giving you things?"

"He's just a classmate and friend," I explained.

A bitter laugh escaped Enzo. "A classmate and friend? You'd better watch yourself, Bianca."

Before I could respond, he pulled me into his arms. Possessiveness radiated from him, the dangerous air of a mafia boss commanding the room. Then, he kissed me.

Just when I felt like I couldn't breathe, he bit my lip lightly and pulled away. "From the moment we're together, you shouldn't be making any more unnecessary friends."

I was taken aback. It felt like an invisible hand was gripping my chest, squeezing all the air out of me. Was this how it was? Was I a person with no freedom to have friends?

"I'm a person, too, Enzo. I have my own life and friends," I said, defending myself, albeit through a trembling voice.

He shot me an icy look. "Don't forget your place. Everything you have comes from me."

I forced back my tears, refusing to let them fall. I might've been just his amante, a possession, but things were about to change. I would shed these labels as soon as I walked away from him.

I was screaming deep inside, but on the surface, I stubbornly held back my already-flowing tears. Seeing my tear-filled expression, he softened his tone a little.

"I know you're upset about Isabella moving in, but she'll be gone tomorrow. And that set of jewelry you liked? I bought it. Tonight, you can wear it to my birthday party."

After saying that, he kissed my forehead as he always did, then turned and went back to the study to work.

Enzo's birthday party carried on as planned that night. I told them I wasn't feeling well and would arrive later. Before they departed, I watched them getting into the car hand in hand.

Listening to the car drive away, I dragged my long-packed suitcase and took one last look at the home that had once been mine. At last, I headed straight for the airport.

Before the plane took off, sunlight streamed through the window. My fingers trembled slightly as I took out my phone. I took a deep breath and sent him one final message. "This is the end of us, Enzo."

The moment I pressed send, it felt like my heart shattered along with it. I turned off my phone, cutting myself off completely from his world of lies and pain. I closed my eyes and let the tears fall without restraint this time.

At last, I shed the identity of being his lover and became myself again.