Chapter 38

Lorenzo remained in his hotel room, staring out the window at the rooftops of Paris stretching under the gray sky. He had been in the city for days but still couldn't summon the courage to take the next step. Seeing Margaret, who was Amelia, filled him with conflicting emotions: guilt, hope, and a paralyzing fear. How could he face someone he had failed in so many ways?

Meanwhile, Margaret was in her workshop, working on a new design. The lines on the paper took shape almost automatically, but her mind was elsewhere. Lorenzo's unexpected visit lingered in her thoughts. She had felt him closer, but she couldn't forget his words. What was behind them? A genuine attempt to reconnect or just a way to fill the void his absence had left?

Adrien arrived at her workshop that afternoon, as he often did to make sure she was okay. Holding a cup of coffee, he approached her desk.

-You've been here all day, haven't you? -he asked, his warm smile tinged with concern.

Margaret nodded, not looking up from the design. -I couldn't stay still. I needed to keep my mind busy.

He smiled and took her hand. -I just want you to be happy, even if it's not with me.

The moment was interrupted by the sound of Margaret's phone. It was a message from Lorenzo:

"We need to talk. Tonight at my hotel. There are things I can't keep to myself anymore."

Margaret felt her heart race. Adrien noticed the change in her expression and stepped back.

-It's Lorenzo, isn't it? -he asked, a mix of resignation and understanding in his tone.

Margaret nodded slowly, unsure of what to say.

-Then go. But remember, Margaret, don't let anyone else control your life. Not even him.

She looked at him gratefully before gathering her things and asking him to pick up Mateo. As she left the workshop, Adrien's words echoed in her mind. Lorenzo had something to say, but was she ready to hear it? More importantly, was she ready to confront her own feelings?

Margaret arrived at the hotel just as the sun began to set behind the buildings of Paris. She had rehearsed countless speeches in her mind during the journey, but none seemed sufficient. As she entered the lobby, her heart pounded. This wasn't just a conversation; it was a confrontation with everything she had tried to bury over the years.

Lorenzo was waiting for her on the private terrace of his room, the breathtaking view of the illuminated Eiffel Tower in the background. He stood with his hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the horizon, as if searching for the courage to say what needed to be said.

When Margaret appeared at the door, Lorenzo turned toward her. Their eyes met, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

-Thank you for coming -he said, breaking the silence.

-What's so urgent that it couldn't wait? -she asked, crossing her arms in an attempt to maintain some distance.

Lorenzo sighed and gestured toward a chair by the table. -Please, have a seat.

Margaret eyed him cautiously before sitting down. He did the same but didn't seem at ease.

-I don't know where to start -he admitted, running a hand through his hair.

Margaret stared at him, her heart pounding. -Then just talk.

Lorenzo took a deep breath before beginning. -Since I returned to Paris and started working with you, I've felt something I didn't expect.

Margaret interrupted him, her voice filled with disbelief. -Something you didn't expect? Like what?

Lorenzo held her gaze, his dark eyes full of emotion. -I've started falling in love with you, Margaret.

The silence that followed was almost deafening. Margaret felt the air leave her lungs.

-With me? -she repeated, her voice barely a whisper.

Lorenzo nodded. -Yes. But I don't want you to think I'm trying to replace Amelia.

The mention of her other self fell between them like a stone. Margaret swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears threatening to escape.

-And what about Amelia? -she finally asked, her voice laced with a mix of pain and curiosity. -Have you really forgotten her?

Lorenzo lowered his gaze, as if the question had struck him in the chest. -I could never forget her, even if I tried. But I also know I can't live clinging to the past. I failed her by trusting my family, and though I love her, I'm also falling for you. I don't want you to think I'm some kind of womanizer, but I'm so confused.

Margaret felt her heart shatter into pieces. She didn't know whether to cry over Lorenzo's words or what they meant for her.

-Lorenzo, this is complicated -she finally said, her voice trembling. -I don't know if I'm ready for this.

He leaned closer to her, his eyes filled with desperation and hope. -Just tell me you'll think about it. I'm not asking for an answer now. But please, don't close the door yet.

Margaret looked at him, feeling a mixture of love, confusion, and pain. She nodded slowly, knowing she couldn't give him an answer that night.

As Lorenzo walked her to the door, he took her hand for a moment, stopping her.

Margaret left the hotel with her heart in turmoil. The cool Parisian breeze brushed her face but couldn't extinguish the fire burning inside her. She walked aimlessly, trying to organize her thoughts, though each one clashed with the next.

Lorenzo was opening a door she wasn't sure she should cross. It was like a dark abyss, alluring and dangerous all at once. She remembered the tears she had shed for him, the lonely nights as their marriage crumbled before her eyes. Now he was back, not as the man she had loved, but as someone else... someone who claimed to be changing.

The city, with its characteristic bustle, seemed oblivious to her pain. Margaret turned a corner and stopped in front of a small café, its warm lights flickering in the night. She leaned against a lamppost, watching couples laugh and share glances full of promises. How could Lorenzo speak of love now, after everything that had happened?

Yet what tormented her most was a question that kept repeating in her mind: What if this time, he's truly willing to fight for her?

She bit her lip, feeling a mix of anger and hope. What if Lorenzo had changed? What if he really was trying to be better? But could she risk it again? Let him back into her life only for everything to fall apart once more?

Margaret closed her eyes, trying to hold back her tears. Her heart was divided. On one side, the love she had once felt for Lorenzo was still there, like a wound that had never fully healed. On the other, there was fear-a deep fear of reliving the pain and betrayal.

Margaret began walking again, this time with firmer steps. She couldn't let Lorenzo's words cloud her judgment. She needed time, clarity, and above all, answers. Because if there was one thing she had learned in recent years, it was that promises could be empty, but actions were what truly spoke.