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Yeah, I forgot. This wouldn’t have been much of an obstacle for him.
I go to my messages and sure enough, there’s one from Rhia from only this morning. I scroll up and up and up until I reach what I’ve sent to her three days ago.
Jeez, someone has been busy on my behalf.
With so much back and forth, Rhia has to have realized it’s not me. She knows me better than anyone… she’s just playing along and will have reported my abduction to someone. She’s probably plotting my rescue as we speak.
Hope blooms, but it’s short-lived as I begin to read.
The blood drains from my face.
It’s exactly as he said.
Whoever wrote this has done a fantastic job copying my style. If I didn’t know better, I’d conclude it was me, too.
Shit, shit, shit.
My messages make me sound in love and a little reckless, and of course Rhia is loving it. Just like she has done all along, she’s encouraging me to explore this relationship with Tiero. ”You don’t want to have regrets”…If only she knew.
“We’re not really going to Africa, are we?” I ask with concern. I don’t want to go anywhere other than home.
“No. Not in the next few weeks,” he answers. “It’s about making it believable that you have no cell reception.”
I don’t know what to say. I’m dumbfounded.
He’s trying to separate me from my friends. But that will never work. He doesn’t understand how close Rhia and I are. She won’t buy this for long.
I swipe out of the conversation with Rhia and am about to put my phone on the table when I see a string of messages with my boss.
What the hell?
I open them and turn white all over again.
How many more blows can my poor heart take today?
“I resigned from my job, effective immediately because I’ve met someone in Italy and will pursue a relationship with him?”I ask in disbelief, actually wanting to shout, but my voice comes out like a squeak.
“Yes, romantic, isn’t it?”
But it doesn’t stop there. As I scroll through my phone, there are more text exchanges with other friends, announcing that I won’t be back for a while.
I stand up, throwing my phone on the table in disgust. Tiero picks it up and puts it back in his pocket.
I pace the balcony, holding my stomach. “God, I feel sick!” And I really do. I want to throw up—ideally in his face.
“You’re a fucking arsehole!” This time I do shout, finally finding my voice.
I don’t have a job anymore. I love my job… like really love it.
In a few moves, Gualtiero has destroyed my livelihood, my stability.
I’m in shock… total, utter shock.
My body is trembling all over, and my chest is too tight to breathe. I think I’m on the verge of a panic attack again.
“What about my apartment and all my things?”
“I paid the rent on your apartment until the end of the year. Once things are more settled between us, we can return to Dublin and pack up the things you’d like to keep. Or you can just get all new things.Something to consider down the track.”
