Chapter 74: When Love Falls Apart.

Aurora’s POV
The silence between us stretched, suffocating and heavy, as I stood there staring at his back.
The man I loved, the man who had promised me the world, had become a stranger in an instant.
I stepped forward, my voice shaking but determined.
“Leonardo, look at me.”
He didn’t move, his gaze fixed on something outside the window, far away from me and everything we once shared.
“Look at me!” I said louder, my voice cracking under the weight of my emotions.
Leonardo finally turned, his face colder than the harshest winter. His jaw was set, and his eyes bore into mine with an indifference that shattered me.
“What do you want me to say, Aurora?”
His voice was sharp, cutting through me like a blade.
“That I regret my decision?
That I’m torn up inside?
Well, I’m not. I’ve made my choice.”
“You’re lying!”
I cried, my tears now freely streaming down my face.
“This isn’t you, Leonardo. You don’t mean it. I know you don’t.”
He laughed bitterly, a sound devoid of any warmth.
“You think you know me?
You think your love could change what’s expected of me?”
My hands clenched into fists at my sides. “I thought we were more than just expectations!
You told me you’d fight for us! You told me—”
“I told you what you wanted to hear,” he interrupted, his words like venom.
“Because it was easier than facing the truth.”
I stumbled back as if he’d struck me. My heart was breaking piece by piece, and he didn’t even care.
“So, what then? All of it everything we shared, it meant nothing to you?”
 My voice wavered, desperate for something, anything that could explain this betrayal.
Leonardo stepped closer, standing over me, his face hard and unyielding. “It was a mistake. You were a mistake, Aurora.”
The world stopped. His words echoed in my ears, their cruel finality knocking the air from my lungs.
“A mistake?” I whispered, my voice low.
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “Whatever we had, it’s over. It should have never started in the first place.”
I shook my head, refusing to believe it. “You don’t mean that. You can’t.”
Leonardo exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.
“Why can’t you just let it go?
Why are you making this harder than it needs to be? I have responsibilities, Aurora. To my family, to the pack. Marrying Lena is what’s right for everyone.”
“And what about what’s right for you?”
I demanded, my voice rising. “For us? You don’t love her, Leonardo. You love me!”
He hesitated for a brief moment, the flicker of something guilt, maybe, crossing his face before it was replaced by a cold mask.
“Love doesn’t matter, Aurora,” he said. “Not in my world. It never did.”
I stared at him, my heart breaking all over again. “You’re lying,” I said, my voice cracking.
“You’re lying to yourself.”
“You’re wrong,” he said simply, his tone devoid of emotion. “I’ve accepted the truth. And you should too.”
I felt my knees weaken, my body shaking under the weight of his words. He wasn’t just ending us, he was erasing us, as if we had never existed.
“You said you loved me,” I whispered, my voice low. “You said we were meant to be.”
“And I was wrong,” he said coldly.
“It’s time for you to move on, Aurora. Just like I have.”
The room felt like it was spinning. My breaths came in short, shallow gasps as I tried to comprehend what was happening.
“Get out,” Leonardo said, his tone as sharp as a knife.
I froze, my mind struggling to process his words.
“I said, get out,” he repeated, his voice harder this time.
“There’s nothing more to say.”
I stumbled backward, my vision blurred by tears. Every step away from him felt like a knife twisting deeper into my chest.
Before I reached the door, I turned one last time, my voice trembling.
“You’ll regret this, Leonardo. One day, you’ll realize what you’ve lost.”
He didn’t reply. He didn’t even look at me.
I walked out of the room, my heart shattered into pieces. Each step felt heavier than the last, and by the time I reached the hallway, I could barely breathe.
As I leaned against the wall, the tears came in full force, silent and unrelenting. The man I had loved with everything I had was gone, replaced by someone I didn’t recognize.
For the first time, I realized the truth.
Leonardo wasn’t mine to fight for anymore. He had made his choice. And now, I had to find a way to live with it.
I dropped to the floor, my legs too weak to hold me up. The pain in my chest was unbearable, and I couldn’t stop the loud sobs that poured out of me.
I pressed my hand against my chest, as if trying to stop the ache, but it didn’t help.
“It hurts…” I cried, my voice shaking. “It hurts so much…”
Tears ran down my face as I hugged my knees, feeling like my heart was breaking into pieces.
Alessandro stood behind me, not saying a word. I could feel his eyes on me as I cried, but he didn’t move.
He stood there, arms crossed, watching me fall apart. His silence felt heavy, but I couldn’t focus on it. All I could feel was the pain tearing me apart.
Then, I wiped my tears and slowly got up. I couldn’t let this end like this. I needed to hear it again, to know for sure.
“I have to go back,” I said, my voice shaking but firm.
“Where are you going?” Alessandro asked, frowning at me.
“I need to go back and hear him again,” I said, trying to steady my voice. “I don’t think he really means those words…”
Alessandro sighed loudly, running a hand through his hair. “Aurora, nothing you say will change his mind. He’s made his choice. You need to accept it.”
I shook my head, refusing to believe it. “No,” I said, my voice trembling but steady.
“It can’t end like this. Not our love, not us…” My voice cracked, but I didn’t stop.
Alessandro sighed, his tone calm but firm. “Aurora, you need to accept that Leonardo isn’t going to change his mind.
And honestly, I think you shouldn’t stay here right now. You need time and space to heal, to deal with all this.
Why don’t I drive you somewhere? Where do you want to go?”
At first, I didn’t respond. My mind was somewhere else, tangled in thoughts and emotions, but his voice pulled me back.
“Aurora?” he repeated gently.
I blinked and looked up at him, trying to process what he’d said. “Um… my friend’s place. Her name is Annie,” I finally murmured.
He nodded. “Alright, that’s a good idea. Let me take you to Annie’s place for a while.”
I nodded slowly, still feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me.
Alessandro turned and started walking toward the stairs, gesturing for me to follow.
“Come on,” he said, his tone softer now. “Let’s get you out of here.”
I trailed behind him, my steps heavy and my thoughts racing. Leaving the pack house felt like running away, but deep down, I knew Alessandro was right.
I needed space to think, to breathe, and to figure out how to move forward.
When we reached his car, he opened the door for me without saying a word. I slid into the passenger seat, staring out the window as he started the engine.
The drive was quiet, with neither of us saying a word. I stared out the window, trying to hold back the storm of emotions inside me. Suddenly, Alessandro reached over and turned on the music.
The soft tune of I Cry by Westlife started playing.
You said goodbye, I fell apart
I fell from all we had
To I never knew
I needed you so bad...
Each word felt like a knife to my heart, cutting deeper and deeper. The song said everything I couldn’t put into words.
You need to let things go
I know, you told me so
I've been through hell
To break the spell
Why did I ever let you slip away?
Can't stand another day without you...
I glanced at Alessandro. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw tense. He wasn’t saying anything, but I could tell he felt the weight of the moment too.
I cry silently
I cry inside of me
I cry hopelessly
'Cause I know I'll never breathe your love again...
Tears started rolling down my cheeks before I could stop them. I pressed my hand to my chest, trying to hold back the pain that was ripping me apart.
Alessandro noticed and spoke softly. “Aurora…”
I shook my head, unable to answer. The song kept playing, and every word seemed to echo my feelings.
I cry, 'cause you're not here with me
'Cause I'm lonely as can be
I cry hopelessly
'Cause I know I'll never breathe your love again...
When the song ended, Alessandro sighed and glanced at me briefly before focusing back on the road.
“It’s okay to cry,” he said quietly.
“Sometimes, that’s all you can do.”
I wiped my tears with shaky hands and nodded, still too overwhelmed to speak. The music had said what I couldn’t, and it left a heavy silence between us.
The rest of the drive stayed quiet, the song’s words replaying in my mind over and over.