He Protected My Baby’s Killer So I Left Him Chapter 17
I looked at him calmly.
“It wasn’t about remembering.”
“I called all four of you, over and over.”
“Not one of you was willing to stop for a second to ask if something was wrong.”
Nico lowered his eyes, the rims red.
Finally, only Matteo was left.
He took the engagement ring out of his pocket.
The same one I’d told the nurse to throw away before I left the hospital.
I had no idea when he’d retrieved it.
The band had been polished and glinted painfully in the sun.
“There’s nothing of Isabella’s left in the apartment.”
“I had the fingerprint lock changed back for Toast.”
“Everything you liked, I put it all back.”
His voice was hoarse.
“Soleil… can we start over?”
I looked at him and suddenly remembered a day ten years ago.
Matteo had waited for me outside my lecture hall for two hours in the rain.
All because I’d casually mentioned I’d forgotten my umbrella.
From that day on, I truly believed that no matter what happened, he would always come for me.
But on the day I needed him most, he chose someone else, again and again.
“Matteo.”
“The day I lost my baby, you asked me to sign Isabella’s settlement.”
“The night I had a fever, you stayed with her.”
“After she moved into our home, you threw away our baby’s things.”
“And while I was hemorrhaging, all four of you were with her over a cut that wasn’t even an inch long.”
I looked at the ring in his hand.
“You want to start over now because you’ve finally decided to choose me.”
“But I don’t want you anymore.”
The light in Matteo’s eyes slowly died.
He reached out, as if to take my hand, but his own stopped in midair.
“Then what were those ten years?”
“They were me, choosing the wrong person.”
I picked up Toast’s carrier and turned toward the parking lot.
No one followed me.
This time, they had finally learned to respect my choice.
But it was far too late.