Chapter 35 WE MEAN NOTHING TO EACH OTHER
••Luciana••
“From now on, you send all daily reports to me,” I said firmly. “If anything goes wrong, you let me know ASAP.”
“Yes, madame,” the manager replied from the other end of the line.
I ended the call and leaned back against the chair, staring at nothing for a moment. The past few days had been nothing but work— Sapphire Lounge, staff reports, corrections, and decisions. I barely stepped out of my room. And honestly, I preferred it that way.
Thankfully, we had separate rooms here in Sicily. Unlike Russia, where sleeping beside Roman was unavoidable, this place gave me space, distance, and silence.
I had been ignoring him since that night. If I was only a name to him, a benefit, or a convenient alliance for his family, then it was better to be on my own. The marriage had always been contractual. I reminded myself of that whenever my chest tightened for no reason.
We meant nothing to each other. At least, that was what I told myself.
A familiar voice sounded in from the living room.
Could that be Mildred?
Not long after, there was a knock on my door.
“Who’s it?” I asked.
“Mildred,” she answered cheerfully.
“Oh, Mildred. Come in.”
She pushed the door open and walked in like she owned the place, flashing her white teeth in a wide smile. She dropped onto the couch in the corner of the room, crossing her legs comfortably.
“Hi, Luciana,” she said.
“I see you missed your brother,” I teased lightly.
“Oh please,” she scoffed. “I finally got bored of all the video games at home.” Then she paused.
“Since Andrian…” she started.
My fingers twitched on the armrest.
Then corrected herself quickly. “Since then, Father restricted me from going out with my friends. I could only cajole Roman into taking me out. And since he wasn’t around, I was stuck in that hell hole of a house.”
She smirked. “I decided to come for my freedom.”
“Mmm…” I nodded, letting her talk.
“I was hoping I could have some fun with you,” she continued. “Because there’s no fun with Roman.”
That earned a small smile from me. Barely there, but real. “Okay,” I said. “I was planning to go to my favorite ice cream spot today. Just to get some air, before we leave for Russia."
“Great!” she said immediately. “I’ll tag along.”
“Alright. Let me get dressed.”
I headed into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Warm water hit my skin, washing away some of the heaviness I’d been carrying around. For a few minutes, it was just me and the sound of water.
I heard the door jam shut while I was bathing. Mildred must have gone outside to wait.
\----
When we arrived there, the memories hit me. This place used to be our favorite spot. Matteo, Antonio, and me. With loud laughter, shared spoons, stolen bites, and arguments over flavors.
“What a nice place!” Mildred said, looking around.
“Of course,” I replied. If I said something was good, it meant it was exquisite. I have high taste.
We went to the counter, placed our orders, and took an empty table by the glass. Sunlight poured in through the door, warm and soft, casting everything in gold.
I watched the street outside while slowly eating my ice cream. Mildred, on the other hand, was completely focused on hers. She savored every bite like it was a reward.
Then she giggled.
I glanced at her. She was scrolling through her phone, smiling in a way that didn’t match her usual dramatic expressions. Notifications kept lighting up her screen.
“I’m curious,” I said casually. “Who’s making our princess blush?”
She looked up, clearly just realizing I was sitting across from her. “No one,” she said quickly, locking her phone.
I raised a brow.
“Okay,” I replied, minding my business and focusing back on my ice cream.
Barely a few seconds passed before she sighed.
“Well… it’s my friend.”
I glanced at her once, then nodded.
“A male,” she added. “We’ve been friends for a while. Now he’s making advances. I like him too.”
“Okay. Not bad,” I said honestly.
“But…” she trailed off.
“But what?” I asked, already sensing the weight behind it.
“My best friend likes him too,” Mildred said quietly. “Even though he hasn’t shown any interest in her. I don’t know how she’ll feel if I end up with him instead.”
I tilted my head, studying her. “Ouch. What a good friend our Mildred is,” I teased lightly.
She shot me a side-eye. “Don’t start.”
I smiled, then leaned back in my chair. “Listen,” I said gently. “You didn’t steal him. He chose who he likes. You’re not responsible for feelings he doesn’t return.”
She stayed quiet, so I continued. “Just don’t lose yourself trying to protect someone else’s heartbreak. You deserve honesty too.”
She exhaled slowly, stirring her ice cream. “You sound like you’ve been thinking a lot about things like this.”
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
Then, without thinking too much, the words slipped out. “I just hope he’s a good guy. Not someone who sees you as a benefit or convenience. Or someone who doesn’t regard you at all.”
Mildred’s spoon froze mid-air. She slowly turned to me, her eyes sharp. “Is that about you and Roman?”
I didn’t answer. I scooped my ice cream instead, suddenly very interested in it.
The silence stretched, thick but brief.
I cleared my throat. “Did you enjoy the ice cream?” I asked, changing the subject.
She studied me for a second longer, then smiled faintly. “Yeah,” she said. “It’s really good.”
I nodded, letting the moment pass, but something told me she wouldn’t forget what I didn’t say.