Page 46 of Forsaken Promises

And if Luca wants a war… then that’s exactly what he’ll get.

21

SOFIA

As I spend the day with my family, surrounded by the warmth and love that I’ve been desperately missing, I can feel the weight of the past few weeks start to lift from my shoulders.

It’s like coming up for air after being underwater for too long, like taking a deep breath after being suffocated by the stifling atmosphere of the Sicura household.

I laugh with my sisters, trading jokes and stories like we always have. For a moment, it’s almost like nothing has changed, like I’m still the same carefree girl I was before my world was turned upside down by marriage and duty.

But then Mia turns to me, her eyes wide and curious, and asks the question I’ve been dreading all day.

“So, Sofia, how’s married life treating you? Is Dominico everything you ever dreamed of?” Her voice is teasing, but I can hear the genuine interest behind her words.

I force a smile, my heart clenching in my chest as I try to come up with a response that won't betray the truth of my situation. “Oh, you know how it is,” I say, my voice carefully casual. “It’s an adjustment, but we’re figuring it out.”

Chiara leans in, her brow furrowed with concern. “Is everything okay, Sof? You seem a little… off.”

I wave away her worry, my laugh sounding hollow even to my own ears. “I'm fine, Chi. Just tired from all the wedding craziness. You know how it is.”

I can see Bianca watching me from the corner of my eye, her gaze sharp and assessing. I know she can see right through my flimsy excuses and can sense the unease and unhappiness that I’m trying so hard to hide.

But I can’t bring myself to confide in her, can’t bear the thought of admitting just how much of a disaster my marriage has been so far. I don't want my sisters to know how lonely I feel in that big, cold house, how much I miss them and my old life.

I can’t scare them off marriage. Papa’s health is perilous at best, and my sisters need to marry. Even though the Sicura name is powerful enough to scare off most people, there are others who may find it to be a challenge.

So I change the subject, steering the conversation toward safer topics like Mia’s latest celebrity crush and Chiara's newest Valentino dress. I smile and nod in all the right places, making all the appropriate noises of interest and encouragement.

But inside, I feel like I’m drowning, like I’m losing myself piece by piece, day by day, in a life that feels more like a prison than a partnership.

I catch Bianca’s eye across the room, and for a moment, I see a flicker of understanding in her gaze. Like she knows exactly what I’m going through, like she can see the pain and the fear that I’m trying so hard to hide.

But then she looks away, and the moment is gone. I’m left feeling more alone than ever, even surrounded by the people I love most in the world.

As the day wears on and the laughter and chatter start to fade, I find myself dreading the moment when I’ll have to leave. When I’ll have to go back to the Sicura house and face the cold, empty reality of my new life.

But before I leave, I decide to head back upstairs to my old room, wanting a moment to myself, to give me the strength to call the Sicura driver to bring me back to my new home.

As I make my way up the familiar stairs and down the hallway to my childhood bedroom, I feel a lump forming in my throat. It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve been here, so long since I’ve allowed myself the simple comfort of surrounding myself with the things that have always brought me joy.

I push open the door, and for a moment, I’m transported back in time. Back to the days when my biggest worries were passing my exams and deciding what to wear to the next school dance.

Back to the days when I still believed in happily ever after, in the power of love to conquer all.

I take a deep breath, inhaling the scents of lavender and vanilla that have always clung to these walls. It’s a scent that means home to me, that brings back memories of late-night giggles with my sisters and heart-to-heart talks with my mother.

But now, as I stand here in the middle of this room that was once my sanctuary, I feel a wave of sadness wash over me. Because I know that those days are gone, that the girl who once dreamed of fairy tale endings and Prince Charming is nothing more than a distant memory.

I sink down onto the edge of my bed, my fingers trailing over the soft cotton of my old comforter. I remember the nights I spent here, curled up with a book and a mug of hot chocolate, lost in worlds of adventure and romance.

I remember the way I used to stare out the window, watching the stars and dreaming of the life that awaited me beyond these walls. The life that I was so sure would be filled with love and laughter, with joy and fulfillment.

I also remember when I would allow Dom to climb up the balcony and we would spend the night together. I remember how excited I would be to hear a pebble hit the French doors, knowing Dom would be waiting for me to invite him in.

But now, as I sit here in the silence of this room, I can’t help but feel a sense of loss, a sense of grief for the girl I used to be, for the dreams that have been shattered by the harsh realities of adulthood.

I think of my father, lying in his bed just down the hall. I think of the way he looked at me on my wedding day, the pride and love shining in his eyes as he walked me down the aisle.

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