Fast forward. Here we are — Natalie, Adrino, and I — on a cruise celebrating his engagement with her. We're in America now, and by the time this is over, I guarantee I'll be leaving. Thank goodness. I packed everything.
We're docked in Florida. Larisa didn't bother to come, and neither did Fred. But Ms. Diavolo is here. I can feel her eyes on me, full of questions I don't want to answer.
Finally, I meet Mr. Christopher Diavolo himself.
He's exactly as I imagined — dangerously commanding, gorgeously handsome, older than Adrino by years, but now I see where Adrino got that face.
I sense someone staring at me, but when I turn, there's no one.
Feeling suffocated, I step out from the dance floor on the cruise's terrace for fresh air. Even though we're at sea, I still feel trapped.
Then, the person I've been dying to talk to finally approaches.
"Adrino!"
"Umm, Meena. I'm sorry. Everything happened so fast. I wish I could explain, but I can't. I know today your contract expires. So, I came to tell you —Sei libero(you're free)."
He hands me a credit card.
"The password is your birthday. There's two million dollars inside — enough to rebuild your life."
Tears well up, threatening to spill.
I've been holding it in for so long, but now it all comes flooding out.
"Promise me one thing," I plead.
"Promise me you'll never leave Adrino."
My lips curve into a sad smile as tears fall — the first I've cried since Mama died.
"I can't promise, princess."
He turns and walks away. That moment broke everything inside me. The pain soared, but when I blinked, Natalie was standing right in front of me.
"Hmm, hey Natalie."
"Meena, you should know something — I'm better than you. At everything. You may have lost, but I won."
"I'm sorry your fiancé left like that, but power comes before feelings. I have contacts, respect, and I'm amazing."
"Good for you, Natalie. But here's one thing I do know — you may have Adrino on your arm, but he's alosingtime. He can never love someone as spoiled and self-centered as you."
"How dare you!" she snarled.
The next thing I knew, I was falling — gravity lost its grip as I plunged into the ocean.
What am I now? Dying?
The last thing I saw was the grin in Natalie's eyes as she watched, laughing.
"I won," she whispered.
Blackout.