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Claudia sat in the passenger seat, fingers tapping nervously against her thigh as she glanced at Gio, who was gripping the steering wheel with a tension that could snap.
They were parked outside Gio's modeling studio, the vibrant city buzzing around them, but it felt like an eerie silence had settled in the car.
"Claudia, you need to tell me what's going on with Shay," Gio said, her voice steady but laced with an edge.
"I told you, it's nothing!" Claudia shot back, trying to maintain her composure. "Shay is my past, and I don't want her dragging us down."
"Nothing? Claudia, Shay isn't just some normal ex. She's a threat. You can't keep this to yourself!" Gio's voice rose, frustration boiling over.
Claudia clenched her jaw. "And what do you want me to do, Gio? Make it anyone else's problem? No one can stop her at this point. She's untouchable."
"Everybody wants to help you, Claudia!" Gio snapped, her eyes flashing with anger. "What if she decides she wants something more? What if she does and nobody's there to stop her again?"
The words hung in the air, suffocating. Claudia felt her heart race, but she bit her tongue. The silence that followed was heavy, suffused with unspoken emotions. Gio's anger was growing, and Claudia could feel it wrapping around them like a thick fog.
She could sense Gio's disappointment, the way it twisted her features, and knew the fight was over-for now. They drove home in silence, each lost in their thoughts, the tension simmering like a boiling pot.
When they arrived, Gio opened the door for Claudia, but there was no warmth in the gesture. It felt more like a duty than a welcome. Claudia trailed behind, dreading the conversation that was still hanging in the air.
"Where's vani?" Gio asked, breaking the silence as they stepped inside. "With Nicki for the day," Claudia replied, her voice softening at the mention of her daughter. Gio merely hummed, her focus elsewhere, and disappeared into another room, leaving Claudia feeling even more isolated.
She trudged upstairs, the weight of the earlier argument pressing on her chest, and climbed into bed, hoping to escape the turmoil in her mind. As sleep overtook her, the world faded away, but soon it morphed into a nightmare.
Claudia found herself standing in their living room, but something felt off. As she turned, her eyes widened in horror, Gio's things were packed up, boxes stacked and ready to go.
"What are you doing?" Claudia cried out, rushing forward. "baby!"
"I can't do this anymore, Claudia," Gio said, her voice flat, dead of emotion. "Shay is causing too many problems. I can't keep wondering if you're safe."
"Please, don't leave!" Claudia sobbed, desperation clawing at her throat. "I'll handle it. I promise! I can't lose you! You're everything to me!" Gio turned away, and Claudia felt a sharp pang of panic.
Just then, laughter echoed from the shadows, sending chills down her spine. Claudia looked behind her, and there stood Shay, a sinister smile on her face, reveling in Claudia's heartbreak.
"Look at you, begging," Shay taunted, her voice dripping with mockery. "No! This isn't happening!" Claudia shouted, but her voice was lost, drowned out by Shay's laughter.
In that moment, Claudia felt as if the ground beneath her was crumbling. Suddenly, she jerked awake, gasping for breath, heart racing.
"I can't let that happen," she whispered, the weight of the dream still clinging to her.
With a determination ignited in her chest, Claudia knew she had to confront the shadow of her past-before it swallowed her future with Gio whole.
