Chapter 81

• "The day after our encounter, she looked for me and I... rejected her... in front of everyone, especially in front of Niccolo. I felt a huge pleasure seeing his face, remorseful, darkened, defeated, vanquished, however, I later regretted the harm I had caused her, she didn't deserve it, yet I did nothing to make it right, I despised her, I asked her not to look for me again, that there was nothing between us, that she should leave me alone. Niccolo was obviously witnessing all of this and that's what made me sound so harsh, ruthless, and cruel. After that, we never heard from her again, she disappeared completely, and transferred to another university. As for Parisi, after we had one last confrontation that day, he stopped bothering me, although he spent a lot of time depressed, whenever we met and he saw me, he did so with resentment, I could read it in his gaze. Over time, around two years later and as I matured more, I approached a girl whom I knew was Bianca's best friend, I asked for her information to locate her and apologize, because I didn't feel good about myself, all that time, remorse wouldn't leave me alone, I couldn't sleep peacefully, because for a stupid, senseless revenge, I had hurt an innocent person. When I got her whereabouts, I traveled to New York, she had moved to that city to study at Columbia University. I searched for her, asked for forgiveness, in the first few days she refused to see me, to listen to me, despite that, I insisted... I insisted many times, until finally, she accepted my apologies, by then she already had a boyfriend, which made me very happ, because I saw her well and even though I knew I didn't deserve her forgiveness, since I was a jerk, a fool, and immature, you don't know the peace I felt when she forgave me. After that, we remained on good terms, during her vacations she returned to Cambridge, where her family resided, and occasionally, we would meet for a drink, just as friends, nothing more ever happened between us. When I returned to London, after graduating, we communicated for a short time and soon lost contact, definitively. Well, that's the reason for my rivalry with Niccolo " he added in a low voice.
• He silently sat next to Alessandra and gazed at her, she was distraught, evidently, she hadn't taken it well, and that caused him fear. He didn't want to lose her because of a past mistake, especially when that Dominic no longer existed, when there wasn't a single trace of him. Now he was a new person, a man in love who was willing to do whatever it took to keep his love for that woman alive. "Aren't you going to say anything?" he inquired fearfully.
• "I have nothing to say to you, it's your past and I already told you that I can't judge you for that," she replied, crestfallen, trying to hide her disappointment.