Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Dante’s deep voice fills every part of me. “What do you think, Tatiana?”
I’m thinking how relieved I am, how stupid I’ve been to be jealous, to not have trusted my husband. I’m thinking how grateful I am, and how lucky. I’m thinking how guilty I feel for ever doubting him when I should’ve simply looked into my heart for the truth. I’m also thinking how scared yet excited I am, and how strangely nostalgic this feels but also right.
I put my free hand on his thigh. “Thank you.”
His muscles bunch beneath my palm, his gaze devouring me. “Happy birthday again, darling.”
We talk about the global vision and service offerings I have in mind. I’m surprised how clear everything is in my head. I already know the mission statement and what I want to achieve. All I have to do is put everything on paper.
Building a business from scratch, an enterprise that will be mine, is exhilarating. The challenge not only gives me the sense of purpose and independence I wanted but also freedom and joy. Lexi, who has extensive experience in getting startups on their feet, pledges her services until the new business is running smoothly.
When we wrap up the meeting, Lexi comes around the table to shake hands on the deal. “I’m looking forward to working with you, Mrs. Morici. I have to say, when Dante told me about the project, I got really excited about it. I was worried you’d have your own contacts and might’ve preferred to work with someone else. I’m glad it’s me. I believe the business has great potential, and I’m honored to be part of the creation.”
“Please, call me Tatiana. I’m looking forward to working with you too.” I can’t help but notice her stylish black dress and killer heels. She looks as if she’s just stepped out of a fashion magazine. “Nice shoes, by the way.”
“Thanks.” She flashes a row of pearly, straight teeth. “They’re Dior.” Winking, she whispers, “I got them on sale.”
Oh, I like her. I get the feeling we’ll make a good team.
Dante has a bottle of champagne waiting on ice. He must’ve been sure that Lexi and I would get on.
He was right.
He knows me better than anyone.
As I clink my glass to his, my heart overflows with gratitude. Can life get any better than this? Despite the memory loss and the demons my mind can’t face, I’m deliriously happy. I have Dante and Noah—my precious, beautiful family—and soon, I’ll be my own boss. Reality is even better than when I was a lovesick girl who dreamed about becoming Dante’s wife. I’m unarguably the luckiest woman alive.
Chapter
Thirty-Eight
Dante
* * *
A lot has happened during the last two days. Not only did I give Tatiana back her shares, but I also gave her the rest—the ones that belonged to her brother and that I’ve acquired through clever strategizing over the years. It wasn’t my plan, but it felt right. It felt good for a change.
Technically, she doesn’t need the money. The day I kick the bucket, Tatiana and Noah will be well provided for. They’ll have more than enough to live safely and comfortably. She never has to work again. Still, I wanted to give her a chance to make it on her own, and I don’t doubt for a second she will.
My decision to fast forward the setup of her own business has more to do with my guilt than anything else. Tatiana is young. She has time. But I wanted to make up for the hardships she suffered. Because as long as I live, I’ll know she suffered them for me. If she gave up her dream to study, it was due to my actions. If she had to run for her life with no one to protect her, it was my fault. She worked her hands to the bone to take care of our son and keep him safe. She did a damn good job of it too, and I can never be more grateful.
The dark cloud of her past still hangs over our heads, but as the days go by, I’m less and less eager for her to remember. I want to put another baby inside her. I want to see this one growing in her belly, and I want to raise it with her. I want to see my baby’s first smile and its first step. I want to own more than a handful of polaroid pictures.
Maybe this is how Lee’s legacy was meant to end—in undying mystery with the necklace forever hidden and the secret living in an inaccessible part of Tatiana’s brain. Will I ever stop searching for it?
Probably not.
But I also know I can’t live like I did before, without Tatiana and Noah, or only with her hate. I don’t want to hurt her when I fuck her because she wants to forget. I don’t want to be the instrument she uses to purge her guilt with violence.