Chapter 22 - THE SHADOW IN THE PARK
That evening, I decided to walk home through the oak-lined park near our estate instead of taking the corporate car. The autumn leaves crunched softly beneath my designer heels, the crisp air carrying the familiar, comforting scent of damp earth and woodsmoke.
As I approached the wrought-iron gates of our neighborhood, a figure stepped out from the shadows of a grand elm tree.
It was Luca.
He looked ten years older than his actual age. His coat was threadbare, his shoulders were permanently rounded, and his eyes carried the hollow, desperate gaze of a man running on empty. He didn't approach aggressively; he simply stood there, blocking the paved walkway with his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
“Jessi,” he croaked, his voice raw and broken. “Can we… can we just talk for one minute? Please?”
I stopped five feet away, maintaining a calm, unshakeable distance. I didn't feel anger, nor did I feel pity. I felt only the quiet detachment one might feel toward a stranger asking for directions.
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“You’re violating the perimeter restriction, Luca,” I said evenly, my voice devoid of emotion. “The last thing you need right now is another court summons.”
Luca let out a harsh, pathetic laugh that ended in a cough. “A summons? What else can they take from me, Jessi? I have nothing left. Chloe took whatever cash I had left before she disappeared to Europe, the bank repossessed the car, and I spend my nights counting boxes in a freezing warehouse.”
