Wish you were mine

27. Shimmer of Deception

PENELOPE

I stepped out of the car, my breath catching in my throat as I took in the magnificent structure looming in front of me. It was even more breathtaking in person than I had imagined. The centuries-old building stood tall, timeless, a living memory of Milan’s rich history. For a brief moment, I forgot why I was here—forgot about Sean, about everything. There was only this place. I felt a sense of admiration growing in me as my eyes traced the intricate details of the facade, the aged stone whispering stories of all it had witnessed.

Sean walked ahead, his usual commanding presence leading the way as I trailed behind, still in awe of the hotel's grandeur. Despite everything between us, I couldn't deny that he was right. The building was in remarkably good shape—solid, almost regal in its worn beauty. It didn’t need to be rebuilt, just reborn. A renovation would do it justice. I ran my fingers lightly along the wall as we passed through the entrance, feeling the coolness of the stone beneath my fingertips. These walls had seen so much, held so many secrets. The thought made me shiver.

I watched Sean from a distance as he spoke with the engineer. They were discussing technical things—something about breaking down walls to expand the space, but most of it was beyond me. It was in these moments I was reminded of the gap in our worlds, not just emotionally but practically. I wasn’t an architect; I dealt with beauty, with design, with ideas. So I told Sean I’d be outside, needing to inspect the garden and ensure my designs would hold up to the Milanese weather. He barely glanced at me, engrossed in his conversation, but I didn’t mind. We had learned how to exist near each other without really being present.

The garden was old, neglected, yet I could see the potential hiding beneath the overgrowth. Workers were scattered around, and one of them handed me a construction helmet as I stepped onto the grounds. I smiled, shaking my head. “I’ll only be a moment,” I said, politely declining the offer. I wasn’t staying long enough to need it, surely.

As I wandered deeper into the garden, the air was still, almost too still. The fountain in the center had dried up long ago, its beauty hidden beneath layers of neglect. Dead flowers lay strewn about, but I could imagine it differently—colorful blooms, water cascading from the fountain, life breathed back into this forgotten space. It would be perfect.

Just as I was about to mentally sketch out the changes, I noticed Sean walking out of the building, his phone pressed to his ear. He spotted me and gestured with his fingers, signaling he’d be just five more minutes. I nodded back, a small smile tugging at my lips despite myself. But something in the air shifted, and within seconds, that casual moment of calm shattered.

"Penelope!" Sean’s voice cut through the quiet like a knife, sharp, frantic, and panicked in a way I’d never heard before. "Get away!"

I froze. His tone sent a surge of cold fear rushing through my veins. For a split second, I didn’t understand. Everything seemed fine. But then I saw it—the large piece of the wall above, crumbling loose and tumbling down toward me. My heart stopped. Everything around me blurred as terror took hold. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think. My body felt paralyzed, rooted to the spot.

In those agonizing moments, all I could do was raise my hands to shield myself, as if that would stop the inevitable. I braced for impact, my pulse roaring in my ears, but before the bricks could reach me, I felt a force slam into my side, knocking me to the ground. Strong arms wrapped around me, and I hit the earth hard, Sean’s weight pressing into me.

Time slowed. Sean groaned in pain above me, his body shielding mine. It took me a second to register what had just happened. He had saved me. He had thrown himself between me and the falling debris, protecting me. I blinked, disoriented, before I saw the blood—his blood—seeping through his suit jacket, staining the soft grey a deep crimson.