When I stepped back into the apartment that afternoon, silence swallowed the place like a tomb. The rooms felt empty, untouched, as if Marcello had never even been here. No laughter, no footsteps—just the hollow echo of absence.

“As I expected,” I muttered under my breath, sinking into the worn leather couch with a tired exhale.

He was probably still at the hospital, hovering over Serafina—whether it was genuine concern or just another way she had found to tether him to her side, keeping him away from me, keeping him away from the life we were supposed to share.

I let out a long, weary sigh, too drained to muster the anger that had once roared through me. I reached for the book I’d been reading earlier, hoping to lose myself for a while, but then something on the coffee table caught my attention.

Marcello’s phone.

It lay there carelessly, abandoned in his rush to tend to Serafina. I let out a humorless scoff. He never left the apartment without it. Never. That he had forgotten it now said everything I needed to know: she mattered more than anything else—more than duty, more than loyalty, more than even his own business affairs.

I leaned back, trying to focus on my book, but the persistent vibration of the phone against the table made it impossible to ignore. Frustrated, I reached over, fingers hovering over the screen. Notifications stacked one after another, relentless.

I hadn’t meant to snoop. I only wanted peace. Silence. But then I saw the sender.

It was his family’s private group chat—the very same circle he had traveled to Monaco with.

My chest constricted. Without thinking further, I unlocked the phone. The password was still the same—the anniversary of our engagement.

“We have nothing to hide from each other,” Marcello had said once, grinning lazily when I hesitated to touch his phone. Back then, I had trusted him without question. That trust died the day I discovered the truth. I was done living under the carefully constructed lies of a man who couldn’t even defend the bond we shared.

I scrolled through the messages, each word hitting me harder than the last, until one exchange made my stomach drop:

[That Monaco trip was insane. Can’t believe Marcello almost skipped it because of that clingy girlfriend.]

[LMAO, imagine him using the ‘client meeting’ excuse just to sneak away with us.]

[Marcello, you’re a legend. Should hand her a trophy—‘Most Gullible Girlfriend of the Year.’]

My breath caught. Even Serafina, supposedly injured and at the hospital, was chiming in.

[Nah, call it ‘Most Pathetic Girlfriend.’]

[I think Serafina deserves an award. Truth or Dare was her idea, right?]

[Well, he’s my childhood sweetheart. What’s a little fun between us?]

[Careful, babe. Isabelle might flip out if she finds out.]

[Nah, even if she does, she’ll cry a little, sulk for a few days, and then forgive Marcello. He’s trained her well.]

[Damn… that’s kind of sad, actually.]

Even through the quiet of my apartment, their laughter echoed.

It wasn’t just their mocking words that cut me—it was their absolute certainty that I would remain, that I would forgive him as I always had. That I would let myself be sidelined, relegated to the background while Serafina paraded herself in his life.

And the photos—they were even worse.

Every snapshot confirmed it. Serafina pressed close to Marcello, laughing beside him, resting her head on his shoulder as if the empire he shared with me had already been hers to command. In one particularly cruel image, she had drawn on his sleeping face while his friends snapped pictures, commenting on how ‘cute’ they looked together—like they were the heirs of some perfectly scripted love story. And me? The woman who had been promised loyalty, partnership, a place at his side? I was invisible, a joke they all shared without shame. Marcello said nothing. Not a single word.

A few moments later, my own phone buzzed. A new message.

[Hi, are you still taking freelance photography jobs? I’d like to hire you for an event.]

I blinked. Photography had been my escape, my passion, the skill I honed in college while earning my Fine Arts degree. Over the last few months, I had paused freelance work to focus on finishing school—but curiosity drew me to check. More inquiries were waiting, requests for shoots piling up.

Something stirred in me. A quiet, steely resolve anchored itself in my chest. If Marcello could pour himself into distractions, favors, and everyone else, then I would pour myself into mine. Into work. Into my future. Into building a life that didn’t depend on him.

---

A week passed in a blur. During that time, I barely noticed Marcello. Not because I was avoiding him, but because I was too immersed in my work to even think of him. My days and nights were packed with events, photo sessions, and client meetings. My camera became my shield, my escape from everything I no longer wanted to face. I stopped wondering if he had eaten, slept, or spent the day with Serafina. None of it mattered.

Then one evening, after a particularly long shoot, I returned home to find him waiting.

Marcello sat just outside the apartment door, arms crossed, his expression unreadable yet sharp, as if he had been standing there for hours. The moment I stepped inside, his gaze locked onto mine.

“So, finally done avoiding me?” he asked, voice edged with mockery.

I didn’t even look at him, slipping off my shoes as I walked past. “I’m not avoiding you,” I said simply.

“Then explain why you leave early in the morning and only return when I’m asleep,” he pressed, frustration creeping in.

“Because I’ve been busy,” I answered flatly, moving toward my room.

Before I could reach the door, his hand shot out and gripped my wrist.

“Fine. If you’re still upset because I couldn’t take you to the embassy last week, just say it,” he snapped. “Serafina was in the hospital, her parents were away… What was I supposed to do? Ignore her?”

I turned to face him, my expression calm and distant. “Different priorities, Marcello. Mine was my passport. If I’d waited for you, it would have expired, wouldn’t it?”

His grip tightened. “You always have time to argue, but don’t you see I’ve been exhausted too? Working, taking care of Serafina at the same time.”

Then his tone sharpened further. “The least you could do is welcome me home, cook breakfast, or have something ready before I leave. Is that really so hard?”

I froze. The truth landed like a sledgehammer. He hadn’t asked me to move in because he loved me or wanted a shared life—he wanted a servant, someone to wait while he spent his days with Serafina.

For the first time, I raised my voice. “I told you, I’m busy too!”

Marcello let out a frustrated exhale and released my wrist. “Fine. Forget it. Tomorrow… get ready. We’re going to Serafina’s birthday party.”

I laughed bitterly. “She just got out of the hospital and she’s already throwing a party? That’s… impressive.”

“It’s a celebration for her recovery,” he corrected, as if that justified everything. Then he frowned. “Isabelle, you really despise Serafina, don’t you? You always act like this when it’s about her.”

“I don’t despise her. I just don’t like her. There’s a difference,” I shot back, turning away. “Go alone. I have plans tomorrow.”

I slammed the door to my room behind me, leaving him standing there.

The irony struck hard the next morning. My first client of the day? Serafina herself. She had booked me through her butler, which meant I had unknowingly agreed to photograph her birthday celebration.

And there I was—camera in hand—forced to watch her cling to Marcello, feeding him cake, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, all while laughing sweetly in front of the entire family and their circle of allies. Around them, whispers traveled.

“Isn’t that Marcello’s girlfriend?”

“Wow… look at her. So professional, watching her man be kissed by another and still snapping pictures like nothing’s wrong.”

I tightened my grip on the camera. Let them watch. Let them think I was powerless. I had work. I had control. And one day soon, they would see—nothing about me was disposable.

Marcello barely spared me a glance the entire evening, his indifference slicing through the room sharper than the cut of a Don’s finest blade. The tension in his posture was unmistakable—he was still irritated that I had prioritized work over attending Serafina’s grand birthday gala, an event he seemed to worship like a ritual of family honor.

The absurdity of it nearly made me laugh. How could he harbor resentment toward me when he had spent months, subtly and deliberately, proving that I was not meant to belong at his side?

Naturally, Serafina stepped in with her practiced grace, acting the concerned mediator.

“Marcello, Isabelle has a professional obligation tonight. She shouldn’t be blamed for keeping to her duties,” Serafina said, her tone soft and measured, each word dripping with that meticulously rehearsed charm, the kind trained to disarm anyone in the room. She turned toward me with that flawless, almost theatrical smile. “It actually works in your favor that she’s the photographer for the event. Why don’t you two pose together for a picture, just like the rest of our distinguished guests?”

I tightened my grip on the camera.

It was a calculated performance. Every word, every gesture was designed to place me in a spotlight of humiliation, to remind everyone that I was, as usual, the outsider in this carefully choreographed display of wealth, power, and inherited privilege.

I glanced down at myself: a simple blouse, faded jeans, my attire a stark contrast to the silk gowns and tailored suits that defined the hall. And there she was—Serafina—in a designer dress that glittered under the chandeliers, commanding attention effortlessly. Marcello, in his tailored suit marking him as heir to the Moretti empire, looked perfectly at home beside her, as though he had never belonged to anyone else.

Before I could respond, Serafina had already snatched my camera from my hands, her laugh light but insistent.

“Come on, just one photo,” she said, brushing off my protest with the ease of a seasoned socialite.

I stepped beside Marcello, every movement stiff, as she lifted the camera. Whispers immediately began to ripple through the crowd, subtle murmurs that carried the sting of gossip:

“Marcello must be ashamed to stand with her.”

“Clearly, he prefers Serafina.”

“Did you see their Monaco trip pictures? He kissed her like she already owns him.”

“If I had someone as cunning and charming as Serafina, I’d choose her too.”

Soft laughter followed. Each word punctured my skin, a thousand invisible daggers. Marcello remained silent, his expression unreadable. Not a single defense, not a single acknowledgment of my presence.

I reclaimed my camera from Serafina, my face neutral, calm, the professionalism masking the fury inside.

“This is your celebration, Serafina,” I said evenly, raising the camera to my eye. “You deserve the spotlight. Just let me know if there’s anything else you want captured.”

Serafina tilted her head, as if trying to read beneath my mask, but before she could respond, the grand doors swung open.

Marcello’s parents had arrived.

The moment they stepped in, their presence filled the room with unspoken authority, commanding respect as they moved toward Serafina’s family with smooth, practiced gestures of greeting and alliance. The subtle political undertone was not lost on anyone—the joining of two powerful families in public display, framed by Serafina’s orchestrated charm.

Serafina’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction. She turned to me, her smile sharp, controlled. “Now, take a picture of Marcello and me with our families, alright?”

Marcello didn’t hesitate. He slipped an arm around her waist with an ease that was infuriating, as though he had been waiting his entire life for this photo opportunity. Parents positioned themselves on either side, forming a tableau of perfection.

Through my camera’s lens, I saw everything with brutal clarity: Serafina leaning into him, Marcello accepting it without hesitation, the proud smiles of their parents—a family already envisioning the union as inevitable, as though my existence was irrelevant.

It struck me, hard and unyielding: this had always been the pattern. I had always been the outsider, merely tolerated, never truly claimed.

When the photo session ended, Serafina approached me again, phone in hand, smugness barely concealed beneath her veneer of politeness.

“I’ve already transferred a partial payment for your work,” she said lightly. “The rest will be sent once I review the final images.” Her tone held a subtle edge.

She added casually, almost as an afterthought, “Originally, I only booked you until the main celebration ended, but with Marcello’s parents here, there’s a secondary gathering. You’ll stay a bit longer, won’t you?”

Her eyes danced with amusement, a silent acknowledgment of the control she wielded. I simply nodded, retreating into the safety of my professionalism, camera in hand.

But as I followed Serafina to capture candid moments, fragments of a conversation reached me. My heart constricted with each word.

They were discussing Marcello and Serafina’s engagement—right there, openly, as if it were already finalized. My hands shook slightly around the camera, but I forced myself to keep shooting, to maintain the illusion of professionalism, even as everything within me fractured.

Cheers erupted around me. Glasses clinked, voices shouted encouragements. One of Marcello and Serafina’s friends from Monaco—the same group that had mocked me mercilessly—called out, urging them on:

“Kiss! Kiss!”

Serafina blushed, lowering her gaze, letting out a soft laugh. “Everyone, don’t tease us. Our parents are watching.”

Marcello only tightened his arm around her, leaning close. “Why not, my love?” he murmured.

The crowd’s excitement intensified, a roar of approval. Their parents laughed, pleased by the image of perfection. And then it happened. Serafina leaned in, and Marcello kissed her—long, deliberate, and intimate. The kind of kiss reserved for power, possession, and public display.

The guests cheered. Glasses raised.

I walked toward the pyramid of wine glasses on the table. Instead of lifting the top glass like the others, I grabbed one from the middle. The entire tower collapsed instantly, crystal shattering across the floor as gasps echoed in the hall.

I did not flinch.

Raising the glass calmly, I allowed a faint, knowing smile to curve my lips. “Congratulations,” I said coolly, voice steady. “Two shameless heirs—truly a perfect match.”

I drained the glass, set it down, and turned on my heel. Without a backward glance, I walked out of their charade of celebration, leaving chaos in my wake.

---

Back at the apartment, Marcello was waiting. The moment I stepped inside, he erupted.

“What the hell was that, Isabelle?” he roared, anger radiating from him like the weight of a family empire. “Do you have any idea how you humiliated me in front of everyone tonight?”

I let out a humorless laugh. “Really? And you kissing your so-called childhood sweetheart in front of me—wasn’t that humiliating at all?”

Marcello ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “It was an act, Isabelle. Our families are intertwined. Our alliances are bound through business. We had to maintain appearances.”

I scoffed, arms crossed, tilting my head. “An act?”

I met his gaze, voice sharp and cold. “Then explain this, Marcello. Explain to me why you lied about Monaco.”

His jaw clenched. The room seemed to grow colder as silence fell between us, heavy and absolute.

“You really want to bring this up again?” Marcello snapped, the sharp edge in his voice slicing through the room like a blade. His frustration wasn’t just irritation—it carried the weight of a Don displeased with a lieutenant questioning his orders. “Fine. If this is eating at you that much, I’ll have Serafina remove the post. Happy now?”

I let out a quiet, bitter laugh that barely rose above a whisper, tasting of iron and disillusionment. He still didn’t get it.

“It’s not about the post, Marcello,” I said, my voice calm on the surface, but my heart burned with betrayal beneath it. “It’s about the lie. It’s about why you deceived me. It’s not the meeting with Serafina, not the kiss… not even whatever private indulgence you think excuses yourself with.”

Marcello smirked, like a Don who’d just solved a puzzle. “Ah, I see now,” he said, his tone mockingly smooth. “You’re jealous. That’s all this is. Jealousy over Serafina. That explains why you’ve been giving me the cold shoulder this past week. Typical.”

He leaned against the polished mahogany desk of his penthouse office, arms crossed, posture casual, but every syllable was sharpened with condescension.

I had always told myself to stay patient, to be understanding—the loyal partner who didn’t cause ripples in calm waters. But since he had broken his promise on my graduation night, a fissure had formed inside me, growing steadily until it finally yawned open.

“And what if I am jealous?” I shot back, my voice cutting, laced with fury and heartbreak. “Will you finally do something about it? Will you finally stay away from her?”

Marcello’s eyes flickered, a flash of impatience masked by his usual charm. “No, right? You’re still accusing me, still questioning me. But you know the truth, Isabelle. I never went to Monaco for a client. That was just an excuse. A cover. For Serafina.”

The words fell like bullets. I felt the tears slide down my cheeks despite myself. I didn’t try to stop them—they were the release of months of bottled resentment, a bitter acknowledgment of everything I’d suppressed.

“So… I think it’s best if we end this,” I whispered, my voice trembling but resolute. “The family doesn’t even know the full story between us, and soon enough, you’ll be officially bound to her anyway.”

Marcello’s expression shifted instantly—the first crack of panic I had ever seen in him. His amber eyes darkened with desperation as he stepped toward me. “No, Isabelle. Don’t say that,” he pleaded, hands gripping my shoulders with a strength that belied the vulnerability in his voice. “I can’t function without you. Don’t leave me.”

He swallowed hard, voice trembling as he continued, “I know it’s complicated now, but Serafina—everything with her—is for appearances. For the families. The one I want… the only one I care for… it’s you. Only you.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered again, softer now, almost fragile. “I’m sorry for missing your graduation. I’m sorry for the embassy. I’m sorry for all the times I let you down. From now on… you’re my priority. My first thought every morning. I swear it.”

I sneered silently. Another empty promise. I caught myself, wondering why I still felt anger. In less than three weeks, I’d be gone—far from his family’s empire, far from him. Why waste energy on someone who had spent years proving he didn’t deserve me?

So, as I always had, I forgave him. But this time, it was a performance, a mask I wore for my own protection.

Marcello exhaled in relief, pulling me into a warm, deceptive embrace as if nothing had changed. “Then tonight… we’ll be together?” he asked, hope glinting in his golden eyes.

I pulled away sharply. “No.”

Without another word, I turned and retreated to my room, closing the door with finality. His low chuckle trailed beneath the wood, casual and careless.

“Take your time, my girl,” he called softly, the words hollow, confident in his control.

---

The next morning, I prepared breakfast and packed a lunch for him, playing the obedient role he always demanded. Marcello’s lips curved into a grin when he saw it, sharp and predatory.

“Thanks. Looks like if this is how it’s going to be, everything runs smoothly between us,” he said, smug but satisfied, as if I had no choice but to comply.

I mirrored his smile—perfectly practiced, hollow.

For five days, I continued the act. All the while, I quietly packed my belongings, my heart already halfway across the ocean. I even attended a friend’s wedding alone. In the bridal room, I shared my plan with her. She cried, clutching my hand tightly.

“Don’t cry today—your happiness matters,” I whispered, forcing my own tears back.

She nodded. “Promise me we’ll meet one last time before you leave for Melbourne.”

“Of course,” I said, straightening my shoulders.

Watching my friend walk down the aisle, a sharp pang of jealousy cut through me. Marcello could have been beside me if he had honored his promises, if he had respected me as his equal. But he hadn’t. I shook my head and immersed myself in the celebration, swallowing my resentment.

---

Later that night, as I prepared to leave the party, my phone buzzed. Serafina.

“Isabelle,” her voice was silky, sharp as a dagger. “Marcello’s completely drunk at our friend’s gathering. You’re going to pick him up, aren’t you?”

I went—not out of concern, but because this was the last time I would perform the role of compliant partner.

Outside the private box, I overheard their conversation clearly.

“So… what happens to Isabelle once you marry Serafina, Marcello?” one of his associates asked, voice casual, laced with cruel amusement.

Marcello laughed, lazy, the sound carrying the entitled confidence of a man who believed he owned everything. “Isabelle? She’s just here to follow orders. To be on standby when I need her. Isn’t it amusing? A loyal little shadow waiting at home.”