Page 138 of My Treasured Obsession

“What part of you thinks you deserve to be heard after everything that transpired between us,stronzo?” I snarled, finally managing to tug my arm free. But now it hurt from the force of his hold. “We said all that needed to be said three years ago. Now fucking get lost!”

“I’m sorry!” he barked, losing all composure.

I reared back.

Never did I expect this bullheaded individual to give an apology.

“I’m sorry, all right?” he spat, face reddening. He shoved a frustrated hand into his hair. “I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry, Gabriela. For everything.”

Apparently, Franco took my shocked silence as a green light to continue talking. “I never wanted to hurt you, but I did. You’ll never know how sorry I truly am. I regret the things I did and the callous words I spoke,” he heaved, and much to my disbelief, I saw the so-called regret in his eyes. “Back then, I was troubled and highly insecure. My parents’ divorce impacted my mental health more than I’d like to admit, and having a girlfriend who was…infinitely smarter and charming than me messed with my ego.”

All I could do was stare at him, speechless.

“Instead of cherishing and loving you the way I should have, I treated you like garbage. You were right to call me out on it. What I did to you has haunted me for three years. I hate that I ruined us. And you’ll never know how many times I wished I could just pick up the phone, call you, and confess these things.”

Tears stung my eyes unexpectedly, some of it stemming from anger, but most of it because I loathed the fact that I actually felt bad for him. “So why didn’t you?”

Franco’s eyes shut and he dragged out a long breath. “The day we had our fight, your dad came over to my place an hour later and told me to leave the city. He said this was the onlymercy he granted me. That I was lucky he wasn’t doing more damage for having broken his daughter’s heart.”

All this time, I assumed that I did a decent job of muffling my sobbing cries after I returned home from our fight. I didn’t think my parents suspected that I was lying when I told them that Franco and I broke up amicably. They believed me so easily, their calm demeanours barely giving them away.

But hearing Franco’s confession, it was clear that Papà had heard me at the very least. Knowing that I wouldn’t tell them the truth, he must have gone over to the Morellis to confront my ex-boyfriend. And like the loving father that he was, he took matters into his own hands and delivered justice, sending Franco far, far, far away from Montardor, where I would never have to set eyes on him and relieve that pain.

“Why are you back?” I said drolly, though I didn’t feel any ounce of amusement. “Why now?”

His posture sagged like a deflated balloon. “I never got along with my dad, you know this, and living with him in New York was hell. But a few months ago, I found out my mom was sick. She’s terminal, Gabby. She doesn’t have much time left. I got in contact with your dad and begged him to let me return for her sake.”

Oh.

That hurt to hear. For all of Franco’s faults, Mrs. Morelli had treated me like the daughter she never had. She was an angel and I never understood how she gave birth to a devil of a son. “I’m sorry to hear about your mom, Franco.”

He kept staring at me with this expression I couldn’t decipher. “Your dad had conditions. Mainly that I was supposed to stay away and never talk to you. I tried at first, when I saw you in that class. I tried again, when I saw you at MacGregor. But seeing you tonight, I…I knew I had to apologize.”

On one hand, I wanted to forgive Franco, but I wouldn’t sincerely mean it. And on the other hand, I wanted to scoff at him, turn around, and never look back.

The past couldn’t be erased and every wound he mauled upon my being like the lash from a whip? I had to do the work—Ihad to be the one to heal myself.

His apology did nothing for me. It would never justify the way he treated me. Only give an explanation for his behaviour. While I understood the latter, I didn’t condone his actions.

“Perdonami, Gabriela.” Franco took a sizable step in my direction. “That’s all I want. Your forgiveness.”

“You can’t have it,” I stated firmly. “Thank you for the explanation, but there’s no redemption for you in my book, Franco. You’ll always be a villain to me.”

Franco’s eyes darkened, not liking that response. For him to have expected me to bend over backwards and accept his apology said volumes about his piss-poor character development over the last three years. He may be sorry, but he still hadn’t changed much. He was still the guy who hurt me.

“Maybe I can change your mind.” He forgot the concept of a personal bubble and entered mine. I slid against the wall, further from him, but he managed to clasp my face and raise it to his, ironically using his strength to overpower me. Just like old times. “God, you look so pretty tonight, Gabby. I couldn’t keep my eyes off you. The truth is I never got over you—”

“Franco, let go of me!”

He kissed me.

On the mouth.

My frozen state only lasted two beats before I thawed and registered the range of audacity this idiot possessed.

A sharp cry escaped me and I shoved at his chest with pounding fists.

He wouldn’t budge, gripping my face harder.