Page 51 of The Art of Ruin

Gentle, almost.

Which somehow makes lying harder. “Fine. It’s a spam call.”

Too quick.

I hear it myself.

His expression doesn’t change, but something in his posture stills slightly, like he’s filing the answer away for later. “You should block the number.”

“Yes, I will when I get home.”

Adriano watches me as if looking for the lie.

Thankfully, Letty interrupts before the silence stretches too long. “Come with us,” she demands.

“To where?”

“The bookstore. They sell books and hot chocolate. It’s my favorite.”

“That sounds dangerous,” I tell Adriano. “She’ll financially ruin you.”

“Oh, she tries daily.”

“That’s because I’m cute,” Letty explains. “Uncle Matteo told me.”

I press a hand dramatically to my chest. “Your uncle Matteo is right again. This is getting concerning.”

Letty beams and grabs my hand before either of us can object properly.

Looks like I’m going to the bookstore with them, and I’m not mad about it.

The bookstore is small and warm and smells like paper and coffee, with uneven wooden shelves packed too tightly together. Letty disappears almost immediately toward the children’s section while Adriano follows at a slower pace behind her.

I linger near the front for a moment, pretending to examine a display table while checking my phone again.

Six messages now.

My chest feels tight.

You owe me a conversation.

I said I was sorry.

You can’t throw away three years over one mistake.

That makes me even angrier, because how could I have spent so much time with a man who views his child as a mistake? It’s revolting.

The last message arrives while I’m staring at the others.

I still love you.

Something hot and furious twists through me so suddenly it almost makes my vision blur.

Love.

As if love and betrayal can somehow cancel each other out.

“Casey?”