Page 13 of No Greater Oblivion

“How would I know if you’ve never told me? Sometimes it feels like you’re keeping it a secret.”

I shake my head. “That’s not⁠—”

“We don’t have to move in together. Maybe it was too soon for me to ask but I do want you all to myself.” his eyes narrow slightly. “You need to figure out what you want because I’m not going to share you with anyone else. Not anymore. If you want a commitment, I’ll give it to you but only under those conditions.”

“Rian—”

“Choose, Dahlia. Him or me.”

4

BLOOD AND SAND

Dahlia

The Present

Iscribble my signature across the dotted line, eyebrow raised as I hand the papers back to Gino. “So quickly?”

He nods and puts out another set of papers for me to sign, each one tabbed with post its in different colors. “After your call on Thursday, I started putting the paperwork together. It wasn’t too difficult. Luckily, the sale with Delano Montgomery Group hadn’t been finalized yet so it was easy to pull out of the deal. As soon as you’re done signing the original and the copies, I’ll make sure these get mailed first thing tomorrow morning. It’ll be express so they should get there no later than next Wednesday.”

My hand stills halfway through signing. The address of the Barcelona house stares back at me in bold black ink and my chest feels hollow.

My home…

I loved my house. It was the first thing that ever truly belonged to me, the first thing someone had ever gifted out of love instead of pity. Those first few months of renovation were exhausting but full of so much hope. Every jar of paint and bathroom tile was another stone set in the foundation of my future. Now that future has been reduced to a signature on paper. I can’t help but feel as though I’m signing away all my hopes and dreams but remind myself of how I got here. That future belonged to Alejandro and now I have to give it back.

Rian’s ultimatum was the push I needed to finally sever ties with my previous life but doing so comes with financial consequences. None of the money I have access to actually belongs to me and while the spending was fun, it was excessive and unnecessary. Last night, I kissed each of my credit cards goodbye before cutting them up and flushing the tiny pieces down the toilet. Lyss and I held a candlelight vigil while Doña Ana prayed for the sewage pipes.

What I need to focus on now is establishing financial independence for myself. Losing the Barcelona house hurts more than I care to admit but it’s the only property whose sale proceeds I’m entitled to. I can still smell the varnish on my hands from all the refinishing I did in the gallery. Can still feel the bruises on my knees from all the hours I spent scrubbing and regrouting the tiles in the downstairs vestibule. I earned every cent of the 30 million euros it’s being sold for and if I had any interest in prolonging this, I’d make him pay more for it. As it is, I’m ready for this to be over. Alejandro’s been begging me to sell the house to him since the developers got involved. Seems like he finally got his wish…

“Dahlia?”

I lift my head. “Hm?”

“Are you sure about the townhouse?” he asks. “I’m sure we can work something out⁠—”

I shake my head. “I can’t. The townhouse is worth $15 million. More now after all the renovations I’ve done. I wouldn’t accept it as a gift and financially, the upkeep and property taxes would start to bleed me dry in five years.”

Alejandro will keep the proceeds from the sales of my other properties, including the house on 92nd Street. It kills me to know I’ll have to leave but hopefully this next move will be the last for a while.

“All I ask is that he gives me until the end of the year. I won’t have time to move before graduation and I’m interning at Park and Cusick this summer.”

“Of course. Was there anything else?”

I open my mouth to respond when there’s a knock on the door. Li enters the room almost immediately.

“Rian told me you were up here.”

I manage a tight smile. “We’re almost done.”

He gives a pleasant smile in return, unwilling to let his distaste for me show. “Can I offer either of you a drink?”

Li approaches the bar cart by the fireplace. As one of The Empress’s finest patrons, my lawyer Gino has access to its numerous private meeting rooms. Since we both planned on being here this evening, we decided to take care of the paperwork now before he goes on vacation next week for his anniversary.

He drops his voice to a volume only I can hear. “Mr. Narvaez’s lawyers were sent a formal notice as well. Not sure if they saw it; I sent it pretty late in the afternoon and it’s already the middle of the night over there.”

Alejandro was told hours ago that I’m cutting financial ties with him and not a text or phone call since? Either he’s dead, furious, or doesn’t care. I should be happy about the first two. Instead, I find myself dreading the third.