Chapter 173
Elodie’s POV~
My hand tightened around the phone. “I understand. I’ll come right away p>
I hung up and looked at Harry. “I’m sorry. Something came up. We’ll have to do dinner another time p>
Harry’s expression shifted, reading something in my face. “Is it Liora p>
I nodded. “Yeah p>
“Is she okay p>
Dante hadn’t given me details. I had no idea how bad it actually was. “I think she’s stable now p>
“Good.” Harry looked relieved. He didn’t push for more information.
I said a quick goodbye to Johnny and left.
The drive to the villa felt longer than it actually was. My mind kept circling back to Liora’s missed calls. She’d called twice. Twice. And I’d ignored both of them.
When I finally got to her room, Dante was sitting at the desk, his laptop open, working like nothing was wrong.
He looked up when I walked in. “You’re back p>
I didn’t answer. Just set my bag down and went straight to the bed.
Liora was asleep. The IV drip was still attached to her arm, the clear liquid slowly making its way down the tube. Her little face looked so small against the pillow, her eyebrows pulled together even in sleep.
I didn’t wake her. I just stood there for a second, watching her breathe.
Then I turned to Dante. “How is she p>
“She was in pain when I got home. It’s better now p>
“Okay p>
I moved to the couch and pulled a book out of my bag, trying to settle in and wait for her to wake up. But I couldn’t focus on the words. They just blurred together.
“Have you eaten p>
I glanced up. Dante was watching me.
“No p>
He opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but then Liora stirred.
Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first. Then she saw me.
“Mom?” Her voice came out soft, surprised. “You’re back p>
“Yeah.” I closed the book I’d barely opened and went to sit on the edge of her bed.
Before I could say anything, she pushed herself up and threw her arms around my neck.
“Mom, you’re finally here p>
Her little body was warm against mine. I froze for just a second before wrapping my arms around her carefully, making sure not to pull on the IV.
God, I’d missed this.
Liora had been on the drip for over half an hour now, and she was clearly feeling better. Her stomach growled loudly in the quiet room.
“Mom, I’m hungry p>
Dante spoke up from the desk. “I can have someone bring food up p>
Liora peeked out from where she was buried against my shoulder. “No. I want Mommy to make something p>
I smiled, brushing her hair back. “It’s too late for that tonight, sweetheart. But I’ll cook for you next time, okay p>
She pouted. Okay.” Then she perked up again. “But will you eat with me p>
“Of course p>
That made her smile. A real one. The kind I hadn’t seen in weeks.
The IV was almost done, so Dante came over and carefully removed the needle. Liora immediately held her arms up to me.
“Mom, carry me downstairs p>
I picked her up, settling her on my hip like I used to when she was smaller.
Except she wasn’t as small anymore. She was heavier. Taller, even. Had she really grown this much in just twenty days?
Twenty days. That’s all it had been since I’d last held her like this.
It felt like forever.
“Mom p>
I blinked. Liora was looking at me, her little hand reaching up to touch my cheek.
I didn’t say anything. Just carried her downstairs.
Behind me, I heard Dante close his laptop and follow. When we reached the bottom of the stairs, he reached over and pinched Liora’s cheek gently.
She was in too good a mood to care. She just giggled.
At the table, Liora sat right next to me, chattering away between bites about all the things she wanted me to cook for breakfast tomorrow. Pancakes. Eggs. That French toast I used to make.
I watched her animated face and felt something twist in my chest.
“Mom has to leave soon,” I said carefully. “So those dishes will have to wait until next time, okay p>
Dante glanced at me from across the table but didn’t say anything.
Liora’s face fell immediately. “Mom, you’re always working. You finally came back and now you’re leaving already? I don’t want you to go p>
Her bottom lip stuck out, trembling just a little.
Goodness.
I looked at her and realized how stupid this once-a-month thing was. Showing up for a few hours and then disappearing again. What kind of mother did that make me?
“Okay,” I said quietly. “I’ll stay tonight p>
Her whole face lit up. “Really p>
“Really p>
She beamed at me, then pushed further. “And tomorrow, you have to take me to school p>
I was mid-bite but nodded. “Okay p>
After dinner, Liora dragged me upstairs, talking nonstop. She told me about her classmates, about something funny her teacher said, about a new hobby she’d picked up. I sat on the edge of her bed and just listened, soaking it all in.
At some point, I noticed Dante leaning against the doorframe, watching us.
I had no idea how long he’d been standing there.
After I gave Liora a bath and dried her hair, I told her I’d be right back. I needed to wash up too.
Since none of my things were in her room anymore, I headed to the master bedroom.
The door was open. The lights were off. Dante wasn’t there.
I flipped the switch. And froze.
For a second, I thought I’d walked into the wrong room.
I’d lived here for seven years. I knew every corner of this space. The way the light hit the curtains in the morning. The little scratch on the bedside table from when I’d knocked over a glass. The exact shade of cream on the walls.
But now?
Everything was different.
Well, not everything. The floor was the same. But that was it.
The chandelier was new. The curtains were a different color, darker, heavier. The bed was completely different, bigger maybe, with a new headboard. The bedside tables didn’t match the old ones. Even the little round table by the window had been swapped out.
The couch. The coffee table. The carpet. The water dispenser in the corner. Everything.
And my dressing table? It was gone.
All the skincare bottles, the perfumes, the little trinkets I’d collected over the years… they had vanished.
It was like I’d been erased.
I stood there in the doorway, staring at a room that used to be mine but wasn’t anymore.
It made sense, I guess. We were getting divorced. Almost done with the paperwork. And Dante had been in such a rush to finalize it after Sienna got hurt saving him. He wanted to make her legitimate. Give her the title. The ring. The life.
But still… We weren’t officially divorced yet. The certificate hadn’t gone through.
And he’d already wiped me out of this room like I’d never existed at all.