Page 20 of Toxic

She's getting married.

It's official. She's never going to be mine.

I pull the velvet pouch out of my pocket and stare at the gem for hours, trying to settle my quivering insides, not even tasting the alcohol. My phone pulls me out of my trance. I glance at the screen, and all the rage and other feelings I don't know how to deal with consume me.

"What?" I snap.

"Is that any way to talk to me?" Giorgia asks then giggles.

And I'm suddenly over it. I'm over pretending that someday this will go anywhere. I'm through with stupid events I hate and being Giorgia's arm candy. I'm no longer going to stay with her because she's the type of woman I'm expected to settle down and marry.

"We're over," I state.

The line turns silent. I run my thumb over the sapphire. She finally clears her throat. "Is this a joke?"

"No. Don't call me again." I hang up and stay a few more hours in my office until Arianna comes flying into the room.

"Guess what?" she sings.

I force myself to put on a smile. "What's that?"

She puts a pink bag on my desk and pulls a ton of envelopes out, beaming. "I got fifty-two valentines!"

I get up and sit next to her, picking up some of them and reading all the corny messages.

Bridget's gone. She's never coming back.

"When are you leaving tonight? Do you want to go in the kitchen and try the cookies Mamma just made?" Arianna asks.

I take a deep breath then reach for the velvet box. "I thought I'd give you your Valentine's gift."

Arianna's eyes widen. She tilts her head and bites her lip. "Is that for me?"

"Yeah. Here." I place the box in front of her.

She gingerly opens it and gasps.

"Do you like it?"

She jumps up and puts her arms around me, and it takes everything I have to keep my shit together. "I love it!"

I sniff hard then clasp the necklace around her thin neck. It hangs lower than it should, so I tell her, "I'll get the chain adjusted."

"No, I love it like this!"

I smile, feeling a tiny bit better, then state, "I'm glad you have on such a pretty dress."

"Why?"

"I thought you'd want to be my Valentine and go to dinner tonight?"

Her eyes light up. "Really? What about the ball with Giorgia?"

"I'll tell you a secret if you want?"

She nods and her face turns serious.

I admit, "I don't think Giorgia is the one."

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