Thirty Years, One Mistake Chapter 09

Thirty Years, One Mistake Chapter 09

Luca really knelt. 

Right outside my house. 

He was wearing an expensive suit, but his knee hit 

the cold ground hard. 

His back was straight as a rod, like a statue of 

atonement. 

Rain soaked his hair and shoulders, but he didn’t 

seem to notice. He just stared at my window. 

My mother came back from shopping. She was so 

angry she threw her bag on the ground. 

“Luca, what are you doing? Who are you 

threatening?” 

“Get up right now. Don’t make a fool of yourself 

here.” 

Luca looked up. Rainwater streamed down his 

pale cheeks – impossible to tell rain from tears. 

“Mom, please. Let me see Linda.” 

My mother snorted. 

“See her? What’s there to see?” 

“Haven’t you hurt Linda enough? Do you know she 

had that surgery alone? That child – if that child 

were still here…” 

Her voice caught. She turned away and wiped her 

eyes hard. 

“Go away. Don’t come back.” 

Luca’s lips trembled. His voice was barely audible. 

“Just once. I’ll leave right after.” 

“I’ll sign… I’ll sign the divorce papers.” 

The last words came out like they cost him 

everything. 

I stood behind the curtain on the second floor, 

watching. 

I closed my eyes, took a breath, and went 

downstairs. 

When Luca saw me, his eyes lit up. He tried to 

stand, but his legs were numb. He stumbled. 

“Linda!” 

I stood a few steps away, holding an umbrella, my 

face calm as if I were looking at a stranger. 

“Go ahead.” 

Luca opened his mouth. His voice cracked. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Linda, I’m so sorry.” 

“I know it’s too late. I’m the idiot. I didn’t know 

what I had. I ruined everything.” 

He lowered his head, fists clenched. 

“I agree to the divorce.” 

“Whatever you want for assets, I don’t care. I just 

want you – just…” 

His voice broke. 

“As long as you’re okay.” 

Rain dripped from his nose. He looked up at me, 

eyes red. 

“I’ve already dealt with Erin.” 

“She’ll never appear in front of you again. Not in 

this circle.” 

“I had all her social media accounts banned. Cut 

off her resources. She’ll be nothing.” 

His voice was calm but ruthless. Like the woman 

he’d once been intimate with was just trash to 

discard. 

I listened, but I felt no satisfaction – only a deep, 

cold sadness. 

This was Luca. When he loved, he gave everything. 

When he stopped, he destroyed without mercy. 

I asked softly, “Are you done?” 

Luca looked at me. The last glimmer of hope in his 

eyes slowly faded. 

“We…” 

“There’s no ‘we.” 

I interrupted. I took the crumpled divorce. 

agreement from my bag and handed it to him. 

“Sign.” 

“Then we’re even.” 

Luca took the pen with trembling fingers. The tip 

hovered over the signature line for a long time. 

His hand shook so badly the ink blurred into a 

small blot on the paper. 

Like a stain between us that could never be 

erased. 

Finally, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and 

signed his name. 

The moment the pen left the paper, all the strength 

seemed to drain from him. He slumped to the 

ground. 

I bent down, took the agreement from his hand, and put it away carefully. 

“Luca.” 

I held my umbrella and looked at him one last 

time. 

“Don’t ever see me again.” 

I turned and walked home. I didn’t look back. 

I closed the door. 

Shutting out his muffled sobs.