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For a second, I’m too stunned to speak. Did… did he just complain that I hung up on him?
“Excuse me? Rude? That’s what you’re concerned about right now?” My voice rises, hysteria creeping in. “What are you doing with Luca’s phone? Where is Luca?”
“You need not worry about that piece of shit anymore,” Roman replies, his tone casual, almost indifferent.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I demand, my grip tightening on the phone. “Where is he? What are you even doing with his phone?”
Just then, a pained groan filters through the speaker from the background. A weak, familiar voice chokes out my name. “Aurora…”
“Luca!” I cry out, my voice cracking. “Luca, are you okay?”
Another muffled groan reaches me.
“Roman… what have you done to him? Why do you have his phone? What is going on?!”
A low, annoyed growl rumbles through the speaker. The sound sends an inexplicable shiver racing down my spine, settling heavy in the pit of my stomach.
“Why are you even bothering with this lowlife?” Roman says, cold and dismissive.
“Luca!” I call again, ignoring him completely. “Luca, talk to me!”
Roman exhales as though I’m testing his patience.
“Since you’re so worried about him,” he says coolly, “perhaps you should know this idiot you care so much about has been cheating on you.”
The words leave me instantly. “That’s not true.”
“It is.”
“No.”
“He has been sleeping around behind your back.”
“Stop it.”
“If you don’t believe me,” Roman continues, sounding almost bored, “I could hand him the phone. He can explain exactly how many women he’s been with. Right Luca?”
“No — Luca would never—” My words tumble out in a rush. “Hand him the phone! Let me talk to him!”
There’s a muffled sound, then Luca’s weak, pained voice comes through. “Aurora… I’m sorry…”
Tears sting my eyes. “Luca? What’s happening? Talk to me!”
Roman’s voice returns, icy. “Like I said, you no longer need to think about Luca. As a matter of fact, for your own best interest and his, I’d advise you to wipe him completely from your memory.”
The way he says it, so cold and absolute, sends ice through my veins. “You can’t just—”
“He’s taking a little trip out of the city,” Roman continues, as if I hadn’t spoken. “And he’s never coming back. Isn’t that right?”
Another mumbled groan from Luca in the background.
Fear claws up my throat. “What are you doing to him? Please—”
“Hope you’re ready for tonight,” Roman says, completely ignoring my plea. “Because you’re getting engaged… to me.”
“What?” The word bursts out of me. “No. You’re talking to Aurora. Not Audrey!”
“I know exactly who I’m talking to,” he replies, calm as ever. “And I will be marrying you. So tonight, at the engagement party, you will be the one standing beside me. I've decided I no longer want Audrey. I want you.”
