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She frowns at me and crosses her arms. “Why else would you have quit such a good job?” she asks, a hint of anger flashing through her eyes. “I should’ve known when that man gave you a house to live in, like you’re some kind of mistress. Nothing good could’ve come from associating with that family. I never should’ve let you take that job in the first place. Tell me, Val. Did you think he’d fall in love with you eventually? Tell me you weren’t that foolish. Men like him will always want women fromtheir own social circles. The difference between you two is too great. Tell me that you didn’t risk your job and his respect for some cheap fling that he won’t even remember.”
I flinch and lower my gaze. “I quit because I felt like there was no further career progression at Windsor Finance, and I wanted a new challenge.” It isn’t entirely true, but that did factor into my decision. I’d gotten comfortable working with Luca, and because of it, I’d compromised my own growth just so I could stay by his side. Thatcheap fling, as my mother would call it, was the best thing that could have happened to me in that regard. It helped me see that I’m nothing but an asset to him, a resource. It’s been years, and he still doesn’t trust me fully, nor does he respect me the way I thought he did. I’m someone he feels he can order around carelessly, someone he wouldn’t even bother introducing to his fiancée.
“I hope that’s true, Val. Don’t make the same mistake I made. Perhaps it’s good that you quit your job, after all. He’ll have a wife soon, and she won’t like how close you two are.” She runs a hand through her hair and looks away. “I don’t want you to be taken for granted, and eventually abandoned, just like I was. You cannot grow old with him, Val. When you age, and you aren’t as good at your job as you used to be, he’ll replace you. It’s best to walk away before that happens. It’ll be good for you to gain more work experience before it’s too late. There would never be a future for you with him, not long-term. You wouldn’t survive in his world like that, and he’d look down on you. You could never be his equal.”
Tears burn in my eyes as I stare at the wall. “Do you think I don’t know that?” I ask, my voice breaking. I came home because I needed some consolation, but instead, all that awaited me was bitterness and scorn.
“Rosa,” Abuela warns, but I shake my head and rise to my feet.
“Forget it,” I mutter. “I’m going home.”
“Valentina!” Abuela calls. “Thisis your home.”
I glance back at Abuela when I reach the doorway. “I wish it was,” I tell her, before walking out.
Heartache chases me all the way home, and by the time I walk into my apartment, I’m trembling, unshed tears filling my eyes.
“Val?”
I walk into my living room to find Sierra and Raven sitting on the floor in front of the TV, a bottle of wine and a tub of ice cream laid out in front of them. The mere sight of them has me losing it, and I burst into tears, sobs tearing through my throat as I sink down to my knees, my hands covering my face.
The tears fall harder when I feel their arms wrap around me, as though they’re trying with all their might to keep me together when all I want to do is self-destruct.
“H-how did y-you know?” I stammer. “How did you know I… I… n-needed you?”
Sierra presses a kiss on top of my head, and Raven hugs me tighter, my face pressed against her neck. “Of course we knew,” Raven murmurs.
They both sit on the floor with me like that, no questions asked, no sermons given. They merely give me the unconditional support I need while accepting that I can’t articulate my pain. I pray that I don’t lose them in the aftermath of everything that is to come.
Chapter Fifteen
Luca
I stare out the large windows in my office, my mind drifting back to the day Valentina was hired. She was so young, and she had little to no work experience. She didn’t even have a degree — she was a college dropout.
I couldn’t understand why my grandmother would hire someone like her, and even less so, why she’d place her besideme. I chalked it up to nepotism and set out to get her fired, but nothing I did ever fazed her.
Each task I gave her that should’ve been too hard for her to do was executed perfectly. She learned faster and worked harder than anyone else in the firm — including me. It only took her a year to become indispensable to me.
I’ve come to rely on her in a way I would never rely on anyone else, and I’ve compensated her for it handsomely. Whatever she needed, I’ve provided. She once complained it took her too long to travel to the office from home, so I bought her an apartment near here. When she arrived at work one day, besmirched by the rain, I bought her a car.
I’ve done everything within my power to keep her happy, to show her how much I value her work. So why did she quit? That question has kept me up all night, and I came up blank.
I tap my finger on my desk as I stare at my pocket watch.
Three.
Two.
One.
The door to my office opens, and Valentina walks in. Her routines are like clockwork. She never deviates. So why now? Why so suddenly?
The mere sight of her has me straightening in my seat. My eyes trail over her body, taking in the red dress she’s wearing. It’s perfectly appropriate for the office, yet the way it wraps around her curves is sinful. Valentina is clearly dressed for battle today. She only ever wears red on special occasions, or when she has a difficult workday ahead of her. The fact that she was wearing a red skirt when she handed in her notice should’ve been a dead giveaway.
She smiles politely and places today’s schedule in front of me, one of her pink sticky notes on top, to highlight the most important aspects. It’s odd how much joy they bring me when they used to irritate me endlessly. “We have two investor meetings today,” she tells me, but I hold my hand up, cutting her off.
“Look at this first.” I push a document toward her, and she picks it up with a frown on her face.
