My Last Shot After Seven Canceled Weddings Chapter 09
Cecilia’s POV
Six months later, by Lake Bellavere in Meravino, my fiance, Gabriele Venturi, walked up from behind me.
“There’s news about Marcus,” he said casually while placing his phone on the table in front of me. “Care to hear it?”
Without even looking up, I said, “Go ahead.”
“He got to the bottom of everything. Bianca was never sick. She forged every single diagnostic report with the help of a cousin. The one working at that community clinic, remember?
“That file you gave him had everything, including internal clinic logs, cross-checked timestamps from the social security system, and even a recorded confession from the cousin.
“All those threats of taking her own life, depression episodes, and emotional meltdowns Bianca pulled over the years were complete theater. Her sole goal was to make sure he’d never marry you.”
I turned a page of the book in my hand, the paper rustling beneath my fingertips. “And then?”
“Marcus kicked Bianca out. Her family cut ties with her too, and the cousin had her medical license revoked. Bianca is currently renting a place on her own in some small town down south. And Benton Corp went bankrupt,” Gabriele replied.
“And?”
“And Marcus left for Itharion.”
Iclosed the book and slipped the bookmark between the pages. “What’s he going there for?”
Gabriele gave a soft laugh. “Word is he wants to see the place where you grew up.”
“Let him. Let’s not talk about him anymore.”
Gabriele leaned down and pressed a tender kiss onto the crown of my head.
“Alright, no more talk about him.”
My mind suddenly drifted back to the day I left home five years ago.
Standing on the porch, Papa had asked, “Are you sure you want to gamble five years of your life on a man?”
I had said, “I’m sure.”
Five years later, I lost that bet, but I won myself back.
Every act of letting go in this world was just clearing my hands to catch something better.
I finished my tea, stood up, and walked indoors. Gabriele was reading.
I gently wrapped my arms around him from behind.
His hand paused mid-page before he turned his head to look at me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I said. “I just feel like I no longer need to wait.”
He looked down with a subtle smile and patted my arms wrapped around his waist.
“Then don’t wait for me to finish this page either.”
Turied my face into the crook of his shoulder and closed my eyes.
A breeze drifted in from over the lake as the sunlight bathed us both.
This time, I didn’t have to wait for anyone.
