Page 149 of King Of Order

It had always been my sanctuary, where I used to pour my spirit into every canvas and exhibit.

Now, it only sucked the joy from me. The excitement I once enjoyed at seeing the elegant sign over the entrance was now dulled.

I walked through the front door, the soft echo of my footsteps bouncing off the polished floor.

The scent of oil paints and textiles hung in the air, so comforting, but it didn’t soothe me as it had before.

I wandered slowly past the displays, pausing by pieces I used to be proud of but no longer stirred my emotions.

I couldn’t ignore the shift inside me.

What had once been my lifeline, my way of surviving in a cruel and isolating world, was now a relic of a different time.

An alternative version of me. The one who needed this gallery, who clung to her art to make sense of her existence.

She was long gone.

A new life beckoned—a life with Rio. Also, starting afresh in a place with no haunting memories and ghosts of trauma past.

I looked forward to a life filled with warmth and love, something I’d never imagined for myself until now. For all its beauty and meaning, the gallery now appeared obscure, a chapter of my life I was desperate to close.

I wanted to move on.

The decision hit me in a wave of clarity. I didn’t have to stay tethered to this space. I had the power to walk away. The choice was mine.

Standing in the middle of the multiple showcases, I thought about Sydney.

Rio and I planned to travel in two weeks so I could get a feel for the city and shop around for our new home.

It was time to transition to a fresh life.

‘I think I’ll return in a week to pack it all up,’ I said—half to myself, part to Mauri, who stood at my side with his usual quiet presence. ‘I’ll shut it down for good after that. Perhaps find a seller for the commercial space.’

Mauri, ever thoughtful, nodded. ‘It’s a major decision. Are you sure?’

I paused, scanning the spaces one last time. ‘Yes. I am.’

The words came with ease. ‘This place was everything to me for so long, but I’m ready for something new. For a life that isn’t about surviving and dodging toxicity. I think I warrant the opposite of that now.’

Mauri turned to me, his dark eyes softened by a rare gentleness. ‘You are worthy, Chiara. I’ve seen the way Rio looks at you. You’re the world to him. You’ve been through so much, more than anyone should bear. But you’re here now. You deserve a good life—a real life filled with happiness.’

His words - sans judgment and doubt - hit me in a way I hadn’t anticipated.

My throat tightened with emotion at his genuine belief that I was worth better.

I swallowed hard and gave a slight nod. ‘You’re a good man, Mauri.Grazie. That means more than you know.’

His eloquent words also revealed a profoundly poetic soul under his implacable Moorish visage.

We stood quietly for a moment, the decision settling in my bones. I was ready to walk away from this chapter of my life.

With one last glance, I approached the office to gather my legal contracts and mortgage papers.

As I boxed it all up, I welcomed the unlikely peace that washed over me.

I wasn’t losing anything by letting it go—I was gaining a future. One I felt willing to embrace for the first time in a long time.

Just as I was ready to light out, a slew of Claudio’s texts came through my phone—passive-aggressive, veiled threats.

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