Chapter 226

• Gianna’s POV
• The quiet hum of my condo was both a blessing and a curse. I’d taken a few days off from work, claiming I needed to recharge, but the truth was I needed to breathe. I needed to be away from Matteo, and away from the chaos of my emotions and anything that reminded me at all of how hus sister had strongly disapproved of me just a few days ago.
• I haven’t told anyone the full story yet. My business partners assumed I was just overwhelmed, and my friends, even while supportive, hadn’t pressed for details. Still, their company had been a welcome distraction. The dinners, late-night phone calls, and Netflix marathons with them had helped, but the emptiness of Matteo’s absence wouldn’t stop hanging over my head like a dark cloud.