The dinner was the most uncomfortable hour of Eimi's life. She sat at the long marble table, picking at her food. Across from her, Marco was sitting very close to Elena.
Elena was laughing at everything Marco said. She kept touching his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder. Eimi felt a hot, burning feeling in her chest. It was jealousy, and it was getting harder to hide. Her face was red, and her hands were shaking as she held her fork.
Marco noticed everything. He saw the way Eimi was biting her lip. He saw how she glared at Elena every time the woman touched him. Deep down, a part of him was enjoying this. If she is this jealous, he thought, it means she really loves me. It means that man in the cafe was nothing to her.
But Marco was playing a dangerous game.
The Following Shadow
After dinner, Marco led Elena toward the garden balcony. "Come, Elena," he said loudly so Eimi could hear. "The moon is beautiful tonight. We should enjoy the view together."
Eimi couldn't stay in her seat. She stood up and followed them quietly, hiding behind the heavy velvet curtains near the glass doors. She watched them through the glass.
Outside, the air was cool and the lake was shimmering. Marco was leaning against the stone railing. Elena was standing right in front of him, looking up into his eyes.
"You're so much more charming than the rumors say, Marco," Elena whispered. She reached out and straightened his tie.
Eimi's blood boiled. She wanted to run out there and push the woman away. She wanted to scream that Marco was hers, even if it was just a contract. She stayed hidden, her eyes fixed on them.
The Mistake
Marco saw Eimi's shadow behind the curtain. He decided to make her even more jealous. He leaned down toward Elena, pretending to whisper something romantic in her ear.
"You're a very beautiful woman, Elena," Marco said. He didn't mean it, but he knew Eimi was listening.
Elena took it as a sign. She thought Marco was actually interested in her. Before Marco could react, Elena stood on her tiptoes and pressed a long, soft kiss onto his cheek, right near his lips.
Inside the room, Eimi felt like someone had stabbed her. Seeing another woman's lips on Marco's skin was too much. The "hot tension" from the night before now felt like a cruel lie.
She didn't wait to see what happened next. She turned around and ran.
The Escape
Eimi ran up the stairs as fast as she could. Her vision was blurry with tears. She reached the master suite, slammed the heavy oak door, and turned the lock.
Click.
She leaned her back against the door and slid down to the floor, sobbing into her hands. "How could he?" she whispered. "After everything... after the rescue... he's just like the others. I'm just a game to him."
Outside on the balcony, Marco immediately pushed Elena away. His face was full of disgust.
"That's enough, Elena," Marco said, his voice cold and sharp. "The car is waiting for you at the gate. My assistant will pay you for your time."
Elena looked confused and hurt. "But Marco, I thought—"
"You thought wrong," Marco snapped. "Go. Now."
The Locked Door
As soon as Elena left, Marco ran up the stairs. He felt a terrible knot in his stomach. He had wanted to make Eimi jealous, but when he saw her face before she ran away, he realized he had made a huge mistake. He had hurt the only person he actually cared about.
He reached the bedroom door and tried the handle. It wouldn't move.
"Eimi!" he shouted, banging on the wood. "Eimi, open the door! It wasn't what it looked like!"
There was no answer, only the sound of quiet crying from the other side.
"Eimi, please," Marco's voice lost all its pride. He sounded desperate. "I was angry because of that man in the cafe. I was jealous! I brought Elena here to hurt you because I thought you didn't care about me. But I don't want her. I only want you."
Inside, Eimi hugged her knees tighter. "Go away, Marco," she sobbed. "Go back to your model. Go back to your 'business.' I'm done being your puppet."
Marco leaned his forehead against the door. He was the most powerful man in Italy, but he couldn't open a simple wooden door to get to the woman he loved.
"I'm not leaving, Eimi," Marco whispered, his voice cracking. "I'll stay out here all night if I have to. I won't let another night go by with you thinking I don't love you."
He sat down on the cold floor, leaning his back against the door, just like Eimi was doing on the other side. They were separated by only a few inches of wood, but for the first time, the silence between them was the loudest thing in the world.