Chapter 16 Valentina

• Valentina
• My hands tremble as I read over the article The Herald published about Luca and Natalia, announcing their engagement. They were captured having dinner together, and the way he looks at her fills me with equal parts longing and heartache. I know I’m not in love with Luca, but there’s something between us that wasn’t there before. I suppose what hurts the most is the thought of everything that could have been, and everything that was. The history between us will start to fade day by day, until it becomes a distant memory, just like my mother said it would.
• I inhale shakily as I stare at the list of candidates I compiled. One of them will end up taking over my job, becoming Luca’s closest aide. If I do this well, he won’t even miss me. The right person will make it so that he barely notices my absence.