Before dawn | Dark romance

Chapter 49 - The promise of a future

May 22, 2024

Wednesday

Dear diary,

Let me tell you about my day.

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It's been a week since the horrible attack, and each day feels like a battle against both physical pain and the overwhelming sense of anxiety that grips me whenever I think about what happened. The first time I looked at myself in the mirror, I broke down crying. With my swollen face and blue, purple and yellow bruises all over my face, I don't know how Luca is not repulsive by the sight of me. He has been the quite opposite of it. He has been so caring and protective, and tells me everyday how gorgeous I am. His penthouse has become my sanctuary, a refuge from the memories that haunt me.

The days blur together in a haze of doctor visits and quiet moments spent staring out at the city skyline. Luca has been by my side constantly, as he refuse to leave my side. Much to the displeasure of his father, as I overheard Luca on the phone to other day, when he thought I was asleep, but he has been determined to take care of me, ensuring I lack nothing.

Physically, I'm healing, the bruises are still there but not as bad as they were. If I put some foundation over it, I think I can manage to cover them, but the emotional scars are deeper. The nightmares come in waves, replaying the terror of that night over and over again. I wake up drenched in sweat, my heart racing, always waking up by Luca, who is already cuddling me in his arms.

He tries to shield me from the worst of it, but I see the strain in his eyes, the guilt that weighs heavily on him. There are moments when he looks at me with such sorrow that I want to reach out and comfort him, to tell him that none of this is his fault. Yet, there's a part of me that wonders what he's keeping from me.

Today, Luca is on a call in the study. Yesterday after much of whining from my side, he finally gave in and resumed some of his work tasks again. I know he is extremely busy and a lot of people rely on him with heir jobs, and for him to take 5 days off completely, just like that, without a warning, created for sure some chaos.

Right now, I'm sitting on the loungers outside on the balcony of Luca's penthouse, the outside door to his office slightly ajar. His voice is low and urgent as he negotiates something that sounds important. The cool breeze offers a momentary reprieve from the stifling atmosphere inside, where I feel trapped in a bubble.

For the past week, I've been ordered to stay in bed due to swelling on my head from the attack. It hasn't been all bad, though. Luca's bed is incredibly comfortable, and for the first three days, he stayed by my side constantly. Seeing him bare-chested for 72 hours straight is definitely not something I'm complaining about.

Now that I'm feeling a bit better, I'm allowed to move around the house. This afternoon, the doctor is supposed to come to the penthouse to check on my progress.

My ears perk up as I catch snippets of Luca's conversation. Normally, his phone calls consist of him yelling at people, but now he sounds controlled, though engaged in a heated discussion with someone he clearly respects.

In the first days of me staying here, Luca was on edge about me being in his personal space constantly, or not used to. He'd switch to Italian if he needed to discuss something confidential, but as the days have passed, he's grown more accustomed to my presence. Sometimes he forgets to switch languages and discusses things I'm not supposed to overhear.

He's talking about not leaving me behind and his responsibilities, but expressing disregard for them. I glance over my shoulder through the window from the balcony into his office. Luca sits behind his desk, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling bookcases, looking intimidating and powerful. His phone is pressed to his ear, dressed in a crisp white button-down shirt and light blue jeans that accentuate his broad, muscled frame.