Chapter 5 5

The weight of her decision to step away from Luca pressed on Olivia with every passing minute. She sat at her kitchen table, staring at the coffee in front of her. The dark liquid seemed like a reflection of the turmoil swirling inside her, a murky mess of emotions that she couldn't quite untangle. Each time she closed her eyes, the memory of Luca's face-the look of desperation and hurt in his eyes-haunted her. It had taken everything in her to turn her back on him, but it was the only choice left.

Her phone buzzed again, dragging her from her thoughts. The screen lit up with a message from Ryan.

*"I've got more information. We need to meet."*

The urgency in his message didn't sit well with her, but she knew that avoiding the truth wouldn't make it go away. If anything, it would only make the situation worse. She grabbed her coat and left her apartment, her mind heavy with the knowledge that she had yet to confront the full extent of the mess she had gotten herself into.

---

Ryan's office was quiet when Olivia arrived. He was already there, pacing, a file in hand. He looked up when she entered, his expression serious, but his eyes softened when they landed on her.

"Olivia," he said, his voice tight, "you're not going to like what I have to say."

She took a seat across from him, feeling the weight of his words before he even spoke. "What is it, Ryan?" she asked, her voice steady, despite the knot of dread tightening in her stomach.

Ryan sat down, opening the file. He pushed a photograph toward her, a grainy image of a man standing outside an upscale restaurant. He was wearing a suit, his face partially obscured by shadows, but Olivia could still make out the strong jawline and dark hair. Her heart skipped a beat. She knew exactly who it was.

"That's Luca," she said, her voice quiet but firm.

Ryan nodded, his gaze fixed on her. "That's Luca. But it's not just that. He's been meeting with known associates of the city's most dangerous drug lord. We've traced these meetings for the past few weeks. There's no doubt about it, Olivia. He's more involved in this than you realize."

Olivia's pulse quickened. "No. That can't be right. I know Luca. He's not like that."

"Olivia..." Ryan's tone softened, but the seriousness of his words remained. "I know this is hard. But we've got evidence. People who have seen him with these men. People who have connected him to the drug network. We have to face the truth here."

Her mind reeled as the weight of Ryan's words settled in. She had wanted to deny it, to believe that Luca was somehow innocent, but the evidence was overwhelming. She had seen the way he looked at her last night-desperate and pleading, but also resigned. He knew he had been caught.

"I don't know what to do, Ryan," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I don't know if I can handle this. I don't know if I can face him again."

Ryan leaned forward, his expression gentle but firm. "You don't have to do this alone, Olivia. You have to keep your distance from him. You're too close, and you're in danger now."

She nodded, though a part of her resisted. The love she had for Luca still burned brightly in her chest, even though she knew she could never go back. She could feel the weight of their shared moments, the love they had built over time, and it tore at her. It felt like a betrayal to her own heart to even consider leaving him behind for good.

"I've got a team working on this," Ryan continued. "We're going to take him down. We'll make sure he doesn't drag anyone else down with him."

"I know," Olivia said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I never thought it would come to this. He's not just some criminal. He's someone I loved. And now I don't know what to do."

Ryan reached across the table, placing a reassuring hand on hers. "You're doing the right thing, Olivia. This isn't about love anymore. This is about justice. And protecting yourself."

---

Olivia spent the next few days in a haze, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Every time she saw Luca's face in her mind, it was impossible to reconcile the man she had loved with the man he had truly been. The life he had hidden from her seemed so far removed from everything they had shared.

Still, there was a part of her that couldn't let go completely. There was still a piece of her heart that wanted to believe in the man who had stolen her heart so effortlessly, the man who had whispered sweet words in her ear, who had shown her a future she had never thought possible.

But now, that future felt like a lie. And there was no going back.

She had tried to focus on her work, to put her career first, but every day was a struggle. She couldn't stop thinking about Luca, couldn't stop wondering if he was really the villain everyone was making him out to be. She wanted answers, wanted to know why he had done this, why he had involved her in a world of lies and danger. But the more she thought about it, the more questions she had, and the fewer answers she could find.

Then, one evening, when she was returning to her apartment, something changed.

Her phone buzzed as she unlocked the door. She glanced at the screen, her heart stopping in her chest when she saw the name.

*Luca.*

The message was simple, but it was enough to send a chill down her spine.

*"We need to talk. Tonight."*

Olivia stared at the screen, her mind racing. She had thought she was done with him. She had thought she could walk away. But now, the reality of his message felt like a pull she couldn't resist. She wasn't sure what Luca wanted or why he was reaching out to her now, but she knew she couldn't ignore him.

She stood up, taking a deep breath, and decided to meet him one last time. She needed to hear the truth, needed to know what had happened to the man she had loved, the man she had believed in.

---

Luca's penthouse was dimly lit when Olivia arrived. The door opened before she could even knock, and there he was-standing in the threshold, his expression unreadable. The warmth that had once been there, the familiarity of their relationship, seemed distant now.

He didn't speak at first, just watched her as she stepped inside. She could feel the tension in the air, thick and heavy. The silence stretched between them, and for a moment, neither of them knew what to say.

Finally, Luca spoke. "I didn't want this. I didn't want to drag you into this world, Olivia. You have to understand that."

She crossed her arms, staring at him. "I don't know what to understand anymore, Luca. What do you want from me?"

"I want you to know the truth," he said quietly. "I want you to know why I did it. Why I had to do it."

"Why?" she asked, her voice shaking. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you trust me enough to let me in?"

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident on his face. "Because I was trying to protect you. I thought I could keep you safe if I kept you in the dark. But I was wrong. I never wanted you to get hurt, Olivia. I swear."

The words hit her like a physical blow. She could hear the sincerity in his voice, the desperation. But it wasn't enough. Not anymore.

"I don't know if I can believe you," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I can't undo everything that's happened. I can't pretend I didn't see the truth."

Luca stepped closer, his eyes filled with anguish. "Olivia, I'm sorry. I never meant for you to be caught up in this. But I can't change what I've done. I can't undo the past. All I can do is beg you to understand."

The tears welled up in Olivia's eyes. "I wish I could understand," she said, her voice breaking. "I wish I could believe you. But I don't know who you are anymore. And I don't know if I can keep protecting you. I can't protect myself."

Luca reached out, his hand brushing her cheek. "I'll do anything to make it right, Olivia. Please don't walk away from me."

Her heart cracked. But deep down, she knew the truth. She couldn't go back to him. Not after everything that had happened. The truth had changed everything.

"I'm sorry, Luca," she whispered, stepping away from him. "But I can't do this anymore."

---

The door clicked shut behind her, and Olivia stood in the hallway, her heart heavy with the weight of the decision she had made. For the first time in weeks, she felt something close to peace. She had done what she had to do. But the pain of it still lingered, the echo of a love that could never be.