𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬: 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞.
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I opened the door to Lorenzo's office, which was a masculine, spacious, and luxurious room with a dark, old-money theme...
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It's been a month since that awful night. The night Draco invaded our home, and Enzo did whatever he did to make sure it wouldn't happen again. I still get chills thinking about it. To cope, I've been taking online classes. It's a way to keep myself busy, to distract from the anxiety that seems to haunt me.
But at night, when Enzo isn't home, the nightmares come. They're relentless, dragging me back to that terrifying moment. Enzo hasn't said a word about what happened. Not once. He's been distant, and I have no idea why. I try not to let doubtful thoughts creep in, but it's hard.
Tonight, at dinner, the conversation was so dull it was almost painful. I picked at my food, my mind racing. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. "Enzo, is everything okay?" I asked, my voice wavering.
He looked at me, smiling in that infuriatingly calm way of his. "You're thinking too much, Claudia. Everything's fine."
Fine. Sure. Whatever you say, Enzo.
After dinner, we went to bed. He rubbed my belly, and for a moment, I felt a flicker of happiness. It's been a while since he's done that, and it was nice to feel connected, even if just for a moment.
A week later, my friends Ella and Solange, and my older sister Vivianne came over. We chatted and gossiped about boyfriends and husbands. When they asked about Enzo, I lied and said, "Everything's good."
Vivianne, who's nine years older and way wiser, saw right through me. "Claudia, tell us the truth," she insisted.
I sighed, feeling the weight of my worries. "He's been distant lately. It's like he's here, but not really here, you know?"
Ella and Solange exchanged looks. "Maybe he's cheating," Ella suggested.
"Or he's hiding a deep secret," Solange added dramatically. Thanks for the paranoia, girls.
Vivianne gave me some solid advice about being a first-time mom and wife. "It's a tough adjustment, but communication is key," she said.
After they left, I went upstairs to our bedroom. I removed my makeup and did my skincare routine in my elegant closet. Just as I was finishing up, around 11:30 pm, Enzo walked in.
He said something, but I wasn't really paying attention. I was tired of his cryptic behavior. "Claudia, are you listening to me?" he asked.
"Do I have to?" I shot back, not even bothering to hide my irritation.
"Claudia," he said, his tone serious.
"What?" I retorted, turning to face him.
"Why are you acting like this?"
I threw my hands up in frustration. "First of all, you were the one that started ignoring me out of nowhere and distancing yourself from me. So don't come over here acting innocent."
We argued back and forth, voices rising. Finally, Enzo grabbed me and, before I knew it, laid me down on the couch in my closet.
"Claudia, listen to me," he said, his face close to mine. "I've been dealing with a lot. I didn't mean to push you away."
I looked into his eyes, seeing a mix of frustration and something else—maybe regret. "You could have told me," I whispered, my anger softening just a bit.
"I know," he said, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "I'm sorry. I'll do better."
I sighed, feeling the tension slowly drain away. "Just don't shut me out again, Enzo. We're in this together."
He nodded, pulling me into a tight embrace. "I promise."
