Page 154 of Wicked Rivals

Still, it got the point across.

Val took my phone with apprehension when I offered it, then she thumbed the screen, not stopping to read anything before closely examining the photos.

Three photos.

An image of me from some business meeting or something I didn’t remember.

The picture of Val came from Enzo. The second he’d shown it to me, I made my own copy. It made my heart ache, and it seemed perfect for the announcement. A candid shot of her in the kitchen at Con Amore, wearing her baking apron and an authentic smile. Pure happiness.

I could almost smell the cookies she’d been making.

Enzo had given me the third picture as well. One she always kept close, he’d said.

The one she thought he didn’t know about.

It showed the two of us soon after we first met, young and completely enamored with each other. This one gave legitimacy to our relationship, creating added protection for her and for our son.

I thought she might be thrilled with the photos.

She was not. She wouldn’t even look at me.

“Talk to me, Val. You’re clearly very upset. What is it? Why isn’t this okay?”

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, turning her back to me, then stood after a minute of silence.

“Because it’s not, Stefano. The fairy tale’s over, and it’s time for us to leave. Enzo and I need to get to the train station before it’s too late. We’re starting over somewhere new like I’ve planned all along.”

My chest constricted as she rambled on about a new life. She wanted to leave me again. Without an explanation or as much as a bullshit excuse.

She thought she could just take my son and disappear.

She should have known better.

No way would I let that happen, not now that I had her back. Certainly not now that I knew about my son. I’d only just started to get to know him.

For the first time after so many years, I had a good reason to get up every morning, and it had nothing to do with revenge.

It was her.

It had always been her.

And now my son.

I grabbed her arm before she could get away.

“You’re not going anywhere. You know my reach by now… you’ll never get away from me again, so just tell me what you need, Valerie, and I’ll take care of it.”

“Stop calling me that,” she snapped.

Then she ripped her arm out of my grasp, snatched up her robe, and ran into the hallway.

I grabbed my robe and raced after her, shouting, demanding that she stop running the fuck away from me.

Enzo’s bedroom door banged open.

He’d heard us.

Val ran into his room.

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