Chapter 48 XLVIII.
The ballroom was filled with elegantly dressed guests, each one appearing more excited than the last for the announcement that was soon to be made. The crowd was a mix of high-profile clients, shareholders, and employees of Ricci Enterprises. Tonight was the night Mr. Ricci would finally announce his retirement and officially declare Alessandro as the new president.
I was happy for him, yet my heart ached with a dull, persistent throb. I knew this might be the last time I would ever see Alessandro, the last time I’d truly get to spend time with him. He had been talking all evening about taking me on a proper date tomorrow, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the truth: I would be gone long before then. We would never see each other again, and I suppose this was the price I had to pay for my mistakes.
"A penny for your thoughts?" Alessandro’s voice whispered against my ear, drawing me out of my dark reflections.
I whipped my head around to look at him, and my heart skipped a beat. Alessandro looked stunning in a deep red suit, embellished with subtle, sparkling stones that caught the light whenever he moved. He looked radiant, like a star brought down to earth. He wore a warm smile, his green eyes bright with an excitement I hadn't seen in a long time. He looked truly happy, and seeing him like that made me happy, too—even as it killed me to know I’d never see that smile again.
I returned his gaze with a soft smile of my own. "Hey, Sandro." My eyes swept over him, and I felt my blood heat up. The need to be close to him was almost overwhelming. "You look incredible."
He grabbed my waist gently and pulled me flush against him, placing a soft, lingering kiss on my cheek. "You look even lovelier, Rowan. It’s taking every ounce of my self-control not to rip these clothes off you right here and have my way with you."
I pushed back against his chest slightly, glancing around nervously. "Careful, Sandro. Someone might see us."
"I don't really care, Rowan," he murmured, his voice thick. "You’re mine now."
He leaned in to kiss me properly, but I pulled back again. "Behave, Sandro. I know things are over with Alessandra, but we still shouldn't be disrespectful toward her feelings while we're in public."
He let out a tired sigh. "But she isn't even here, Rowan. She probably refused to attend because she didn't want to see either of our faces."
His words brought back the heavy shroud of guilt I had been trying to ignore. In that moment, I realized Mr. Ricci was right. If I had truly called things off with Sandra, the only way to fix the damage was to disappear. I had to leave Sandro.
I gulped and reached up, brushing his cheek in a gentle caress. "It doesn't matter if she’s here or not. I recently broke her heart, so let's just focus on the event for now. Tell you what—let’s make a deal. Focus on the tonight, and after it’s over, when everyone is gone, we can go back to my place. Then, you can have your way with me."
I felt his body shiver with anticipation, and a devious smirk spread across his lips. "You really mean it?"
I nodded, and he chuckled. "Damn, Rowan. You have no idea what you just signed up for. I’m going to have you exactly the way I please. You said it yourself."
His words sent a thrill through me that made it hard to wait. Tonight would be the last time he ever saw me, my final gift to him before I vanished from his life forever.
A moment later, Mr. Ricci stood proudly on the stage to give his speech. A thunderous, earth-shattering applause erupted as he approached the microphone. It was obvious he had earned a great deal of respect during his tenure at the company. He was a brilliant businessman, and in many ways, he had molded me into the man I was today. I had never realized that his influence would lead to a sacrifice this great on my part.
"Now, upon my retirement, I would like to introduce the new president of Ricci Enterprises," Mr. Ricci announced. His eyes drifted toward the front row, where Alessandro sat beside me.
Alessandro reached out and placed his hand on mine, squeezing my leg as if to reassure himself. Mr. Ricci let out a small, barely visible smile. "Please welcome to the stage my grandson and your new president, Alessandro Ricci."
The room exploded into applause. Alessandro stood up smartly and, with a confident stride, strolled toward the stage. I joined the others in clapping, feeling a mix of pride and profound sadness as I witnessed his big day. He wasn't the type of man who wanted this life, but he was doing it for me—and yet, I was going to reward him by walking away forever.
I knew he didn't deserve it, but I had made up my mind. In this situation, I didn't feel like I had a choice. I hated to think of him finding someone else, but I hoped he eventually would—someone who could love him without the fear of secrets or obstacles. It killed me to think of it, but right now, I wasn't the one who could make him truly happy.
Alessandro gave a short, eloquent speech about his commitment to keeping the company running. All I could do was watch him with a heavy heart, trying to memorize every detail of his face before I went away.
After the speech ended and another round of applause followed, Alessandro made his way back down to the seats. Though he had fought against taking over his grandfather’s company for years, there was no doubt he had the potential to be a reliable and capable leader. He took his seat beside me and whispered into my ear, "That was a big speech."
I smiled weakly at him. "It was perfect. You're going to be a great president, Sandro. You know that, right?"
He smiled fully and took my hand in his, interlacing our fingers. "As long as you’re right there beside me."
My heart ached, and I struggled to maintain my composure. He leaned in to whisper again, his voice dropping to a seductive register. "I can’t wait for us to get to your place so you can keep your end of the deal."
My skin heated at his words, and I struggled to stay calm. This was likely the last time we would ever make love. I had to make the most of every second.