Emily's POV
The mall smelled of polished floors and expensive perfumes, the hum of chatter and music mixing with the click of heels against marble. Mira bounced ahead of me, her energy infectious as she dragged me from one boutique to the next. I couldn't help but smile, the tension in my chest easing slightly with each step. For the first time in days, I felt like I could breathe.
"Look at this," Mira said, holding up a silk dress that shimmered under the bright lights. "This would look amazing on you. Try it!"
I laughed softly, shaking my head. "You're trying to make me spend a fortune on myself."
She winked. "Exactly. You deserve it, Piccola donna."
I blushed, shaking my head, but I let her lead me toward the changing rooms anyway. The sunlight streaming through the glass ceiling made the entire space feel alive, and for a moment, I allowed myself to forget Matteo, Sophia, and even Stacy.
As I held the dress up to my chest in the mirror, Mira leaned against the doorframe, her expression softening. "Emily," she said softly, "can I ask you something?"
I glanced at her. "Sure."
She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Did anything… Strange happen yesterday?"
I frowned. "Strange how?"
She exhaled. "I tried to come to Italy yesterday. I had a flight booked from the UK."
That surprised me. "You did?"
"Yes," she nodded. "I wanted to be here. For Matteo." She paused, then added gently. "Too make sure he was alright"
My steps slowed. "Why yesterday?"
Her eyes flicked away for a second, then back to me. "It was an important day for him. I couldn't make it because my flight was delayed. Airport issues. Everything went wrong."
I swallowed, my chest tightening. Yesterday. Matteo drinking. The weight in his eyes. The way his hands had trembled.
"He didn't say anything," I admitted quietly. "He just… wasn't himself."
Mira nodded, as if that was exactly what she expected. "That's why I'm asking. I needed to know if you noticed anything. If he was okay."
I hesitated. "I found him drinking. He said it was an anniversary." I shook my head. "He didn't explain more than that."
Her lips pressed together, and for a moment, I thought she might say something else. Something bigger. Something heavier.
But she didn't.
Instead, she reached out and squeezed my hand. "Then you did enough. Just being there matters more than you know."
A chill crept up my spine. "Mira… what kind of anniversary?"
She met my eyes, her expression gentle but guarded. "Not mine to tell, Emily. That's something only Matteo should share when he's ready."
I nodded slowly, even though unease curled in my stomach.
Whatever yesterday meant to Matteo, it had shattered something inside him.
And I had been standing right there when it cracked.
How could I tell her that I had taken advantage of his vulnerability, that he had kissed me while drunk, that he had devoured my lips? That moment felt so intimate, so raw, and I wasn't even sure I deserved it.
"Anyways, let's go to the lingerie store to get you something sexy for Andrew," Mira said, wiggling her eyebrows.
I laughed, seeing as she had interpreted my relationship with Andrew as a couple's thing. It was a common conclusion people always arrived at when they saw Andrew and I together.
"Things aren't really like that between…" I started.
"Hush now. You don't need to be shy. I know when couples are in the middle of an argument and there's nothing better than makeup sex," she said, grinning from ear to ear as she dragged me from the Louis Vuitton boutique into Victoria's Secret.
"Alrightttt. Black is totally your colour. Let's get you into something black and sexy," she said. There was no use in arguing with Mira she always won, and she never got tired.
The sales attendant approached us, handing us some light refreshments as we perused the shelves of lingerie all around us. As Mira shopped for something sexy for me to wear to see Andrew, all I could think about was wearing something sexy for Matteo. Would he look at me the same way he had when he walked in on me just in a towel?
"What do you think?" Mira asked, holding two hangers of lingerie in her hands. "This lace one or the silk?"
"The lace, please," I responded. It was the more modest of the two, though modest was relative.
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After several hours of shopping, I was ready to collapse. Mira, however, showed no sign of stopping. "Let's take a quick detour," she said suddenly. "There's a little cafe a few streets over. You need a proper break."
We stepped onto a cobblestone side street, the sun warming our faces, the scent of espresso and pastries thick in the air. Mira guided me to a small outdoor table, where potted flowers spilled over the edges of windowsills. For a moment, the city noise faded.
"This is perfect" I said taking a deep breath. "I needed this"
Mira smiled, her gaze softening. "I know. And you need it more than you think." She leaned closer, her voice dropping slightly. "Earlier today, Emily… did anything weird happen between you and Matteo? His interaction with you something seemed off."
I froze, my fingers tightening around my coffee cup. "Weird how?" I asked cautiously.
"His mood," she said, leaning back slightly. "When he talked to you in the kitchen… it felt like he was trying to stop himself from saying or doing something. I've known him a long time, Emily, and I've never seen him that tense."
Oh God. She had noticed. I could feel the weight of her gaze, curious but gentle, expecting answers I wasn't ready to give. How could I tell her without mentioning the kiss? My chest tightened.
"Anyways… it's fine," she said quickly, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm sure I'm just reading too much into things."
A wave of relief washed over me, and I let out a shaky sigh. "Yeah… you're probably right," I murmured.
Mira grinned. "Good. Are you ready to go?"
I glanced at my watch. "I guess… Sophia should be coming home soon," I said, standing as she rose beside me.
We walked out of the cafe together, the sun dipping slightly lower in the sky, painting the streets golden. The warmth on my face should have been comforting, but a tight knot lingered in my chest, the unease from yesterday still gnawing at me. My bag swung lightly on my shoulder, though the weight inside felt heavier than usual.
Mira fell into step beside me, her energy steady, grounding me as always. "So… you survived the cafe," she said lightly, but her eyes darted to the crowds around us, scanning with a subtle intensity I hadn't noticed before. "Good. Because now we have to walk a little to get back on the main street."
I nodded, keeping my voice even. "I'm fine. Honestly, I feel… lighter after sitting there." I tried to laugh, but it came out a little brittle, my nerves still raw.
"Hmm," Mira hummed, her gaze sweeping across the windows and people outside. "You seem… distracted. Something on your mind, Piccola donna?"
I forced a small smile, shaking my head. "Nothing… really. Just thinking."
Her eyebrow quirked. "Thinking? That's code for something."
I exhaled, letting my eyes wander down the cobblestone street. Each step echoed slightly, the click of our heels blending with distant chatter and the faint rumble of a scooter. I couldn't shake the memory of Matteo's look yesterday, the way he had cradled me, the weight in his green eyes. I felt guilty for thinking about it now when I should be enjoying the sun, enjoying Mira's presence.
"You okay?" Mira asked again, her hand brushing mine briefly as she adjusted the strap of her bag. Her touch grounded me, reminding me that I wasn't entirely alone in this chaos.
"Yeah," I murmured. "Just… thinking about yesterday. Matteo… it was a lot."
Mira nodded slowly, not pressing further. She understood boundaries. She had always understood. But then her gaze flicked up, sharp and assessing, as she glanced across the street, her expression changing subtly.
I followed her gaze, and that's when my heart skipped. A figure moved just past the shadow of a boutique entrance. Confident, deliberate. Eyes like knives, scanning the crowd. My stomach dropped.
"Oh no," Mira breathed, more to herself than me. Her body stiffened slightly. "That's… not good."
I squinted, trying to focus. My chest tightened as my stomach churned. The woman stepping forward wasn't just anyone. She had a presence, a carefully controlled menace, an aura I recognized all too well. My pulse kicked up. My lips parted, but no words came.
"That's… Stacy," Mira whispered, a sharp edge cutting through her usually soft tone. "She shouldn't be here."
I froze mid-step. "Here? Now?"
"Yes," Mira said, eyes never leaving Stacy. Her hand reached out again, briefly touching mine, grounding me. "She's been following you. Or maybe… she just knows how to find you."
I swallowed, my throat dry, and tried to steady my breathing. Every step Stacy took toward us felt precise, deliberate. There was no hesitation. Every movement radiated control, menace, and the quiet thrill of danger. My legs felt like lead, though I forced myself to keep moving forward.
"Why… why is she here?" I whispered, more to myself than Mira. My chest ached. The shopping spree that had felt like a safe bubble only moments ago now seemed fragile, thin, and transparent.
Mira's face hardened, her usual brightness gone, replaced with a calm alertness that spoke volumes. "I don't know," she said. Her voice was low, controlled. "But whatever it is, Emily… we have to be careful. Never underestimate her. She's smart, calculated, and… she doesn't just come around for nothing."
I nodded, heart hammering. Each step toward Stacy felt measured, dangerous. Her eyes flicked toward us, and that glint—the same predatory sparkle I had seen before made my skin crawl.
Mira tightened her grip on my arm briefly. "Stay close to me," she whispered. Her gaze didn't waver from Stacy for a second, and I felt her protective presence like a shield.
I glanced at Mira, my mind racing. How had Stacy tracked me here? Was this random? Or had she been waiting for this moment? My pulse thudded in my ears, and I felt the world narrow to just the three of us on that cobblestone street, the distance between predator and prey closing with each step.
And then Stacy's lips curved into that faint, malicious smile, the one that promised trouble. My stomach dropped.
I wanted to run. I wanted to disappear. But I was trapped in the golden light of the street, with Mira beside me, and Stacy moving closer with deliberate intent.
My mind raced for options, for plans, for escape. But one thought drowned out everything else: this was far from over.