A Decision Made

Exactly one hour after George left, I saw Julie post an update on her social media.

The caption read: [How sweet! A cake that people normally would have to wait in a long line for was sitting right in front of me the moment I opened my eyes.]

I stared at the photo of the cake, then looked at mine. Sure enough, it was the exact same kind.

I wiped away my tears and looked around the room. This space held far too many memories of him and me. It was finally time for a clean slate. With that, I called the servants and ordered them to redecorate the entire room with brand-new furniture and decor.

I also left strict instructions that George was no longer allowed to set foot inside this house whenever he pleased. Anyone who let him in would be fired on the spot. While the Alfonso family might not be as powerful as the Costa family, outsiders didn't get to come and go as they pleased under our roof.

The servants worked tirelessly all day. By the time I stepped back into the room, not a single trace of the past remained.

Meanwhile, George didn’t text or call, so I figured things were going incredibly well between him and Julie. Besides, he was never the type to swallow his pride and coax me. In fact, he had never backed down once in his life. Every single time we disagreed, I was always the one who swallowed my pride to make amends. Unfortunately for him, I was exhausted now, and I was done swallowing my pride.

I gave my father a call, letting him know that I wouldn't be joining the family business after all and that I was moving to Londres instead. My father fell silent for a very long time, and I knew exactly what was running through his mind. He was thinking about the partnerships between the Alfonso and Costa families, the unspoken agreements regarding their respective business territories, and the strategic marriage alliance he had meticulously planned for us.

Yet, in the end, he asked one question. “Have you made up your mind?”

“I have,” I replied.

After another brief silence, he sighed. “Very well. Londres is Matthew's territory, so he’ll look after you. Just focus on your life and don't worry about the business affairs here in Solaria anymore. The Alfonso family hasn't sunk so low that we need to rely on trading my daughter's marriage just to keep our footing.”

The moment I hung up the phone, I booked the earliest available flight.

As I grabbed my luggage and headed out the front door, I happened to run straight into George’s mother, Fiona Costa, who was arriving for a visit.

Seeing me, she greeted me warmly, as usual. “Annie! Why aren't you out having dinner with George? He mentioned a little while ago that he wanted to take you out to clear your head. He said you've been feeling cooped up here in Solaria. Have you two finalized your vacation plans yet?”

I frowned, finding her words bizarre. Back in the winter, I told George that I wanted to go somewhere warm for a few days. However, he had turned me down, claiming he was far too busy with end-of-the-year business and couldn't spare the time. And now, going on a trip together was completely out of the question.

Checking my watch, I realized I was running dangerously late, so I offered her a couple of vague excuses and rushed out the door. What I never could have anticipated, however, was running straight into George at the airport.