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“You made us feel ashamed for loving each other! And for what?”
“We tried to protect you,” Mom whispers, her eyes brimming with tears.
I let out a caustic laugh. Protect us? The irony. All they did was inflict pain.
I stand abruptly, chair scraping loudly. “We respected your wishes, but you didn’t trust us enough to tell us the truth. You manipulated us!”
“Luca!” Mom’s voice breaks.
Too late.
Clarity cuts through hurt and anger as I storm to the car, not looking back. I don’t need them in my life anymore.
I only need Audrey.
My phone buzzes with her message. Heart leaping, I pull over to read it.
Chapter11
Audrey
The sweet scent of baked apples envelopes me as I enter the house.
“You took your time!” Ivy chirps.
I bite into an apple, savoring the crisp burst. “I was busy doing something.”
Her grin must make her cheeks ache. “Somethingor someone? Spill it—does it have anything to do with Luca?”
“Who else?” I reply, letting the dreamy sensation swirling inside me show on my face.
“It’s about time!”
“Why do you say that?”
“The two of you working together? Like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.”
A sigh escapes my lips, some of the knot in my chest loosening. “We're together, but keeping it a secret for now.”
Ivy gives me a knowing look. “I get it. But if you two have sparks, you owe it to yourselves to see where they lead.”
My brows furrow. “I don't want to cause problems.”
“Auds, for the record, I admire you.”
Surprised by her sudden confession, I ask why.
“Because you put others first at the expense of your happiness.”
I pause. I've always avoided making waves, but that's changing. Despite what my parents might think or want from me, Luca is my priority now. Living without him is impossible.
Tears prick my eyes. “That's one way to look at it. Another is that I've been a coward.”
“You're the responsible older sister, but you need to figure out what's holding you back.”
“A sense of duty? Fear of breaking Mom and Dad's hearts?”
Ivy leans against the counter. “Courage isn't about being fearless. It's about what you do despite fear. What will you do?”
