Noticing the tense line of her mouth, Luca asked in surprise, “Have you dined here before?” It was unlike his wife to exhibit any sign of dissatisfaction, and he wondered if she had any unpleasant experience with the restaurant he had chosen.
She wished she could lie, but at that moment, just the thought of lying required too much energy. Right now, it was already taking everything to just be able to stay on her feet and not to give in to her fears.
Slowly, she shook her head.
Luca hesitated. “We can always change—-”
Vivian managed a smile. “No, it’s okay, I was just thinking of something else, from my Italian lessons. This place is gorgeous.” And it was, really. Her only problem about it was the fact that it seemed too private, like someone had hired the entire place to himself.
And of course, the only people who would go to such lengths either had secrets to hide…or were about to do something that they intended to keep a secret.
Like dumping a wife.
The thought came out of nowhere, and she stumbled. Vivian would have fallen flat on her face if Luca hadn’t caught her by the elbow. “Are you alright?”
“I’m okay,” she reassured him brightly. “You know how clumsy I am.” Upon reaching the table set up for them, Luca pulled out a chair for her and she took her seat, her heart plunging when instead of taking the seat next to her, like he usually did, Luca opted to sit across her this time.
The waiter handed them their menus, and neither of them spent much time poring over their choices. Surely he knew by now, she thought numbly. She usually took ages to order, but then that was because those times, she had known she would enjoy those meals.
This meal, however – it felt more like the Last Supper, only it was lunchtime.
“You look beautiful,” she heard Luca say.
Vivian’s fingers clenched against her lap, and she said tremulously, “Thank you.” She had done her best to make herself beautiful today, spending almost half an hour just to style her hair on her own, choosing a new dress to wear, and even putting on makeup. At that time, she had thought she was going out on a date.
Worse comes to worst, she thought, at least she was going to go out with a bang.
Luca began to talk again, making polite conversation, and slowly driving her crazy with every minute. By the time their appetizers were served, she could no longer take it, and she waited just long enough for the waiter to disappear back into the kitchen before whispering, “Just say it.”
Luca tensed, and when he saw his wife’s glassy eyes, he tensed even more, realizing too late that all the pretenses had been for nothing.
“Just say what you brought me here to say.” The way her lips trembled at the effort not to cry made his fingers clench around the stem of his wineglass. “Please.”
Drawing a sharp breath, he said flatly, “Since it appears you have already guessed the gist of it, then there is no reason—-”
“Say it!”
It was not quite a shout, not quite a cry, but her voice was much louder than it usually was. Much shriller.
Much sadder.
It had both of them stiffening, Vivian because she was shocked and aghast at how she had failed to control herself and Luca because he was beginning to realize how much he would have to hurt her still.
“Don’t make this harder for you,” he bit out finally.
She shook her head. “You mean, don’t make it harder for yourself, right?”
“Vivi—-”
“Don’t c-call me that!” Her voice caught. “You can’t call me that until I hear what excuses you’ve come up—-”
“There is no excuse,” he said tonelessly.
Her laugh had the tinge of hysterics, and she looked at him like he was insane. “Do you really think I’ll buy whatever you have to say as the truth?” Hands clasping and unclasping on her lap, she asked shakily, “Why did you bring me here?”
Luca gazed straight into her eyes, and she found herself praying. Please God. Please change his mind—-
“I came here to let you know I will be divorcing you.”
Ah.
Despair extinguished the last embers of her hope, and even though she had expected the worst – and no words could hurt more than what he had said – knowing what was to come didn’t make any difference in the way her heart broke.
Lowering her head so he wouldn’t see how close she was to breaking down, she forced herself to ask, “Why?”
“Because I found someone else more appropriate.”
She had thought the pain she had felt earlier was already the worst, but it was nothing compared to the way Luca’s words devastated her now.
It hurt.
God, it hurt so, so much.
She had not known that she could hurt this much.