Discarded Love, The Reaper's Regret

pte

Vitiel

ass cage in the sky, overlooking a city that lo

the marble counter.

ndling the situat

d deleted his number. I didn't block him-that would draw attention-I j

and shoes that cost more than a mid-sized sedan. I walked past them to the small sa

Elena. The rest

ation. I cancelled the recurring orders for his favorite Barolo. I unlinked my email from the estate's s

gram icon on my personal phone.

ened

as at the top.

in the corner of the frame, a hand resting on the railing. I knew that hand. I kn

, the caption

rinking champagne on a boat while his

my bi

taff had left for the night; I had dismissed them early. I opened the fridge. There was nothing prepared.

I boiled the water. The steam hit my face, hot

nt door

asn't suppose

button undone, his sleeves rolled up to reveal the forearms I used to cling to. But as h

over the stove. He held a small w

ing?" he ask

id, my voice flat as

e box on the island. "I pick

o writing. It looked like something an assistant woul

he said. The words

r reminded him, and he felt a twinge of obligation strong e

you,"

g pasta, bubbling violently. "

fine,

a hand through his hair, exhaling s

he photo

nd fell to his si

t. Sofia'

ed to get her away from the city for a few hours u

involves c

pent the last four hours cleaning up a mess so the Family doesn't look weak. I cam

my existence was a burde

I reached out and turned off the s

ugh the tension. He looked at the screen and s

. "It's the Consigliere. It's

" I

le

nte. It

e the woman who had loved him since she was sixteen, the woman who had w

ded. "I'll make

d and wa

s waxy white frosting. I reached into the drawer and pulled out a single match. I

to the center of the

watching the flame burn down towards th

ed into the air, grey and