Ties of Blood (Book One)

Chapter 30 ~ Gianna

Gianna Rostova

When I arrived at Camilla's house, the weight of everything that had happened felt heavier than the suitcase I was lugging behind me. My heart was still pounding, my mind a blur of confusion and pain, but I pushed it all down.

I pressed the doorbell, forcing a smile onto my face as I waited. Seconds later, the door swung open, revealing Camilla's bright, familiar face. Her smile was like a balm to my frayed nerves, but it did nothing to stop the ache that had settled deep in my chest.

"Gia!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. "You didn't tell me you were coming by! What's the occasion?"

I hugged her back, trying to ignore how the warmth of her embrace made the emptiness inside me feel even more pronounced. "I just... I needed to get away for a bit. Thought I'd crash here for the night, if that's okay?"

"Of course it's okay!" she said, pulling back to look at me. Her eyes flickered over my face, narrowing slightly. "You look exhausted. Rough trip back from Italy?"

"Yeah, something like that," I mumbled, brushing past her to step into the house. The familiar scent of lavender and vanilla filled the air, a comforting reminder of all the nights I'd spent here before. I dragged my suitcase inside, making a beeline for the living room where I dropped it by the couch.

Camilla followed me, still watching me closely. "You know you're always welcome here, but are you sure you're okay? You seem... off."

I forced a laugh, running a hand through my hair as I sank into the couch. "I'm fine, just tired. Long day."

It wasn't a lie—just not the whole truth. But I couldn't tell her. Not yet. Not when the words still felt too raw, too fresh in my throat. If I said them out loud, if I admitted what had happened, it would make everything real in a way I wasn't ready to face.

Camilla tilted her head, her expression softening. "Oh, okay,"

She smiled, letting it go. "Alright. Well, let's get you something to eat. I have leftover lasagna in the fridge, and I'm not taking no for an answer."

I managed a genuine smile at that. Camilla's lasagna was legendary, and I knew she was just trying to make me feel better in her own way. "Lasagna sounds perfect."

After dinner, we settled on the couch with a bottle of wine, and I found myself sinking deeper into the cushions, the exhaustion catching up to me. I wanted to stay in this moment—this temporary bubble where nothing was wrong, where Matteo's betrayal didn't exist, where I could just be with my best friend.

But eventually, the weight of it all became too much. Camilla slept on the couch with me, and I stayed behind, staring at the empty glass in my hand. I should have felt relief. I had left him. I had walked away. But all I felt was hollow, like some part of me had been left behind with him.

I curled up on the couch, wrapping the blanket around me as I tried to close my eyes, but sleep wouldn't come. Every time I thought I was on the edge of it, Matteo's voice would echo in my head—his cold, dismissive words cutting through the silence.

"She's good in bed, and it's a small price to pay."

I squeezed my eyes shut tighter, willing the memory away. But it clung to me, like a shadow I couldn't shake. I felt stupid, naïve for ever believing he could have loved me. Everything we had meant nothing to him, and now I felt like nothing.

I swallowed back the sob that threatened to rise in my throat, not wanting to wake Camilla. I couldn't let her see me like this. Not yet.

So I stayed there, staring at the ceiling as the hours dragged on, hoping that eventually, the hurt would start to fade.

But deep down, I knew it would be a long time before it did.