Wedcuffed

Chapter 52

Sarah's POV

The morning light filters through the curtains, casting a soft, pale glow over the bedroom. I sit on the edge of the bed, feeling the weight of the previous night's events pressing down on me. My eyes are puffy from crying, my mind a whirlwind of regret and determination. I can't believe how quickly things spiralled out of control. But I know one thing for sure—I have to fix this. I can't lose Alessandro. Not after everything we've been through.

I glance over at the empty side of the bed where Alessandro should be. The absence of his warmth and presence is a painful reminder of the distance that has grown between us. It's like an invisible wall separates us, and I'm desperate to break it down.

Taking a deep breath, I decide that today will be different. Today, I'm going to show Alessandro how much he means to me. I'll make him see that what happened with Adrian was a mistake—a moment of weakness that I deeply regret. I know it won't be easy, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes.

I get up and head to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face to wake myself up fully. As I stare at my reflection in the mirror, I give myself a mental pep talk. "You can do this, Sarah. You have to."

Downstairs, I find Alessandro in the kitchen, already dressed and sipping his morning coffee. He looks up when I enter, his expression unreadable. The air between us is thick with tension, but I refuse to let it deter me.

"Good morning," I say softly, trying to gauge his mood.

"Morning," he replies, his tone polite but distant. He doesn't look at me directly, and it stings more than I want to admit.

I force a smile and move toward him. "I was thinking... maybe we could spend the day together. Just the two of us. We could go for a walk, or have lunch at that little café you like. It might be nice to get out of the house for a while."

Alessandro hesitates, his eyes flickering with indecision. I can see the walls he's built up, the defence mechanisms he's put in place to protect himself from more hurt. But I'm not giving up. I reach out and gently place my hand on his arm, hoping to bridge the gap between us.

"Please, Alessandro. I want to make things right. I know I messed up, but I need you to know how much I care about you and want us to work."

He finally looks at me, and for a moment, I see a glimmer of the man I fell in love with. There's a softness in his eyes, a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, we can get through this.

"Not today," he says quietly, setting down his coffee.

His words cut through the fragile hope I'd been clinging to like a knife. "Not today." They echo in my mind, reverberating with the cold reality that maybe I'm not going to fix this as quickly as I hoped. I nod, swallowing back the lump in my throat, forcing myself to accept that this won't be easy.

"Okay," I whisper, stepping back. I can't push him. I've already done enough damage. "But whenever you're ready... I'm here."

He nods but says nothing more, turning his attention back to his coffee. The silence stretches between us, thick and uncomfortable. I feel like a ghost in my own home, haunting the edges of his life but unable to reach him. The walls he's put up seem insurmountable, and I can't help but wonder if they'll ever come down.

I retreat to the living room, feeling the weight of my failure. How did it all come to this? I remember the days when we couldn't get enough of each other when a simple touch or glance was enough to set my heart racing. Now, it's like there's an invisible barrier between us, and I don't know how to break through.