We Begin At The End

17

Chapter 17 Amber walked with Nico for a while, his small hand gripping hers until he grew tired. She lifted him into her arms and continued, the weight of her thoughts heavier than her son. When she spotted the small park around the corner—a familiar sight from countless walks—she decided to stop. It was peaceful, filled with the laughter of children playing on slides, swings, and merry-go-rounds. Nico's face lit up with excitement, and he wriggled out of her arms, eager to join the fun. Amber sat on an empty bench, her mind racing as she watched her son, his joyful giggles cutting through her storm of emotions. She felt trapped, ambushed by fate and circumstance. *Luca had sent his mother and sister here.* He knew how she felt about them—how they despised her and Nico. *How could he?* It was a betrayal she couldn't wrap her mind around. Her chest tightened as she watched Nico play. Every smile on his face, every laugh, felt like a knife twisting deeper. *Was she wrong to bring him here?* Maybe she should leave. Maybe she should pack their bags and disappear, taking Nico far away from this toxic family. But as tempting as that thought was, she couldn't. Not yet. Luca wasn't just a bad husband—he was still Nico's father. She couldn't cut him out without trying, without talking to him first. *For Nico's sake, she had to try.* But if Luca refused to protect their son from his venomous family, Amber didn't know what she'd do next. It was nearly 7 p.m. when Amber and Nico returned to Luca's house. After a day at the zoo, lunch at a kid-friendly restaurant, and Nico's favorite ice cream, the day had felt almost normal—if only for a few fleeting moments. As they reached the front door, Nico noticed Luca's car parked outside. Amber pressed the doorbell, waiting, Nico's excitement bubbling over. "Daddy's home is so big, isn't it, Mommy?" Nico asked, his eyes wide."Yes, sweetheart, it's big," Amber replied, her voice gentle, though her heart was heavy with unease. "But it's not just Daddy's home. It's your home too, Nico." She forced a smile, hoping to reassure him. This transition was bound to be difficult, but she wanted him to start seeing this place as his own, even though it felt foreign to her as well. But her words had the opposite effect. Nico's face darkened in an instant, his joy evaporating like steam off hot pavement. "NO! NO! NO!" His small fists clenched as he stomped his foot hard against the ground. "This is not my home! I want to go back to my *real* home!" His voice grew louder, each word laced with more anger and frustration. His chest heaved as he threw himself onto the ground, his little fists pounding against the hard surface. Tears streamed down his cheeks, mixing with the cries that seemed to come from a place deeper than just missing home—it was the confusion, the upheaval of everything familiar. "Nico, please, baby! Get up from the floor!" Amber's heart clenched painfully as she knelt beside him, feeling helpless in the face of his emotions. She reached out, her hand trembling as she tried to comfort him, but he was inconsolable. His small body writhed with the force of his emotions, his sobs echoing off the stone walls of the grand house that felt too cold, too distant for a moment like this. She swallowed hard, her throat tightening with the frustration of not being able to make this easier for him. "Please, Nico, we'll talk about it inside, okay? You just need to get up." But he wasn't listening. His face was red, his little hands pounding the ground harder. "I want to go home!" he wailed again, his voice breaking as the sobs overtook him. Amber, desperate and exhausted, glanced around, hoping no one else would see this—hoping Luca wouldn't see this. Just as her hope was fading, the door swung open with a slow creak, revealing Luca standing in the doorway. He looked down at the scene unfolding in front of him—Amber on her knees beside their son, and Nico, a crying, thrashing mess at his feet. Luca's expression morphed into a mixture of confusion and irritation, his brows furrowing. "What's wrong with him?" he asked, incredulity heavy in his voice as he stared down at Nico, almost as if he couldn't believe that such chaos could come from a child so small. Amber felt her pulse quicken. She swallowed hard, standing up but keeping her hands hovering near Nico in case he reached out. Her own exhaustion was catching up with her, but she wasn't about to let it show. Not now. Not in front of Luca and his unreadable gaze. "He's just—" she began, her voice shaking slightly, but she forced herself to stay steady. "He's missing home. This is all new to him, and I think he's overwhelmed. It's been... a lot for him." She tried to keep her explanation calm, reasonable, even though her insides were a tangled mess of frustration, hurt, and anger. Luca just stared at her for a moment, then at Nico, still thrashing on the floor. There was a flicker of something in his eyes, but whether it was sympathy or just plain annoyance, Amber couldn't tell. Finally, he stepped forward and without another word, bent down and scooped Nico into his arms. The boy continued to cry, his tiny fists beating weakly against Luca's chest, but the sobs were starting to subside. Luca held him with ease, his large frame making Nico seem even smaller. Amber stood frozen for a moment, watching as her son slowly calmed in his father's arms. "I want to go home, Daddy," Nico whispered between hiccuping breaths, his voice so small, so broken, that Amber felt another stab of guilt twist in her chest. Luca sighed, running a hand through Nico's hair. "Shh, it's okay, buddy. We're going inside now." Amber followed them inside, her heart heavy. The look on Luca's face was unreadable, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was losing her son to a world that would never fully accept her. Amber's gaze flicking to the figure behind Luca—Carlotta. Amber's stomach twisted at the sight of her, standing there right behind Luca.. Amber followed them inside, but her heart stopped when she saw Guilia and Chiara still sitting in the living room. *They were still here.* "For God's sake, Luca," Guilia snapped, her voice dripping with contempt. "I've said it a thousand times—you should've sued for custody. That boy's been spoiled rotten by his mother, acting like a wild animal with these tantrums." Amber felt as if she'd been punched. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched her son, his tear-streaked face now buried in Luca's chest. Criticizing her was one thing, but Nico? He was still just a child. "Ma! That's enough!" Luca barked, his voice sharp. "Not another word about Nico." Guilia fell silent, but her icy glare lingered. Luca turned to Amber, his eyes softening with regret. "Amber, can I speak with you in private?" he asked. She nodded, surprised when neither Guilia nor Chiara objected. Even Carlotta didn't seem fazed by Luca's request. Amber followed him into the next room, her pulse quickening. What now? "So, why was Nico crying like that?" Luca asked, his tone calm but probing. He was watching her closely, and Amber couldn't help but feel defensive. "He's homesick," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "Probably missing his friends, his playschool..." Luca didn't respond right away, but she could see the tension in his face, the frustration barely concealed. Finally, he spoke, his voice low. "There's something else I need to talk to you about." Amber raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. "My mother invited Mr. and Mrs. Forentino for dinner tonight. They, and Carlotta's siblings, are coming over." The weight of his words hung in the air. Amber said nothing, but the tightness in her chest grew as he hesitated. "I would like Nico to join us for dinner," Luca finished, his eyes pleading for understanding. *But not her. Never her.* Amber felt the sting of rejection, sharp and biting. He wanted Nico at the dinner, to show off his son, but she—the mother of his child—was to remain hidden, unseen, as if she were a shameful secret. "It's okay," Amber replied, her voice flat, emotionless. "I'll be out of the house tonight. Don't worry. Your in-laws won't have to be embarrassed by the sight of your ex-wife." Luca's face paled. "Amber, please—" he began, but she cut him off, her voice trembling with barely restrained fury. "Don't. I get it, Luca. Carlotta's feelings are important, your mother's feelings are important, hell, even the Forentinos' feelings are important. But mine? They've never mattered to you. Not once." "That's not true," Luca protested, his face reddening. "You must understand—this was a last-minute thing. I didn't know my mother invited them, and if I cancel now, it'll—" "Ruin your perfect evening with your fiancée and her family? Spare me the excuses, Luca." Amber's voice shook with barely contained anger. "I'll leave. Just tell me—do I need to sneak out the back door, or will the front do?" Luca's face flushed with guilt, his eyes pleading. "Amber, I'm sorry. You have to understand—this isn't how I wanted things to go. If I had known—" "It doesn't matter, Luca," she said, her voice hollow. "It never has." Without another word, Amber turned and walked away, leaving Luca standing in the empty room, his apologies ringing hollow in the silence.