Chapter 21
“Who exactly do you think you are to interfere in our affairs?” Callum demanded, attempting to push past Fabío only to find himself firmly blocked.
The taller man’s physical presence was like hitting an unexpected wall.
Fabio’s response came with casual confidence, his hand clapping Callum’s shoulder with just enough force to be vaguely threatening.
“I’m Cassie’s suitor,” he stated, h
is Italian accent thickening deliberately. “Perhaps it’s time for you to return to America. She belongs with me now.”
The unexpected declaration hit Callum like a physical blow.
He straightened, reassessing the man before him with mounting dread.
Fabio was undeniably impressive–designer clothes that fit his athletic frame perfectly, the kind of effortless Mediterranean good looks that aged like fine wine, and worst of all, the easy confidence of a man who’d never been rejected. Not the caliber of rival Callum had anticipated confronting on this desperate mission.
“Cassie would never be interested in someone like you,” Callum stated, his conviction wavering even as he spoke.
His mind raced to recalibrate–she could only be attracted to someone like himself, couldn’t she?
“No?” Fabio’s eyebrows rose with theatrical disbelief. “You believe she would prefer,” he paused, eyes deliberately scanning Callum from receding hairline to slightly straining suit buttons, “a middle–aged businessman to me? Fascinating perspective.”
“Middle–aged?” Callum sputtered, genuinely offended.
Though he was indeed ten years Cassie’s senior, he’d always considered this an advantage–a mark of sophistication.
“This is mature masculine presence. Something a… a child like you couldn’t possibly understand.”
“Cassie has always preferred men with experience,” he added, his voice rising defensively.
Fabio smiled–the pitying smile one might offer a delusional stranger–and signaled to two vineyard security staff who had been monitoring the situation.
With practiced efficiency, they flanked Callum, firmly guiding the protesting American toward the main gates.
“Return again, and security will be considerably less gentle,” Fabio called after him, his tone light but unmistakably threatening.
“This estate is my home–and now it’s becoming Cassie’s too.”
The ornate iron gates closed, leaving Callum pounding ineffectively against them, his demands for entry ignored by
This Time I Chose To Reclaim My Own Life
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Chapter 21
everyone inside.
After a frustrated kick that accomplished nothing except scuffing his imported leather shoe, he retreated to his rental car, hands trembling slightly as he gripped the steering wheel.
Meanwhile, Fabio arrived at the restaurant in his vintage Alfa Romeo Spider, the convertible’s engine announcing his arrival before he appeared. He scanned the terrace until he spotted Cassie and Martina at a corner table.
The moment he appeared, Cassie’s eyes found his, unmistakable concern in her expression.
“Relax,” Martina reassured her, sipping her Aperol spritz. “My brother has been handling men like your ex since boarding school.”
Fabio slid into the chair beside Cassie, close enough that their elbows brushed. “Removing obstacles for the woman I admire is the minimum requirement for courtship, no?” he said, his gaze never leaving her face, as if memorizing
each feature.
The proximity of his handsome face combined with such unfiltered romantic language sent color rushing to Cassie’s
cheeks.
Her heart accelerated traitorously as she lowered her eyes, suddenly fascinated by the pattern on her napkin.
Fabio seemed enchanted by her reaction, continuing to study her with the open appreciation he’d shown since their first meeting–so different from Callum’s calculated affection.
“Good grief, Fabio,” Martina laughed, breaking the charged silence. “You haven’t taken your eyes off her since you arrived. You didn’t even acknowledge your own sister’s existence!”
Cassie’s embarrassment intensified as she focused intently on her pasta, taking unnecessarily large bites to avoid
speaking.
Fabio shot his sister a warning glance that clearly communicated “stop helping,” which Martina blithely ignored, grinning around her spoonful of risotto.
After dinner, Martina announced with transparent insincerity that she had “an absolutely unmissable party” to attend, leaving Fabio to drive Cassie home.
In the car, he surprised her by singing along to the radio–his voice unexpectedly rich and pleasant, with none of the self–consciousness she might have expected.
The uninhibited joy in his expression as he hit a particularly difficult note prompted Cassie to hum along despite
herself.
He curated a playlist of songs as they drove, each melody more beautiful than the last.
Between tracks, they discussed everything from vineyard business to childhood memories, their conversation flowing with an ease Cassie had forgotten could exist between two people.
Fabio responded to everything she said with genuine engagement, offering perspectives that made her see familiar topics in new light.
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Chapter 21
When she mentioned the estate’s need for a brand ambassador, he immediately suggested she was the perfect candidate, his eyes reflecting absolute conviction in her abilities.
When she talked about wanting houseplants but fearing she’d kill them, he assured her that “any flower would naturally thrive under your care, eventually becoming as beautiful as the woman tending it.”
Each compliment was delivered with such transparent sincerity–his eyes reflecting genuine appreciation rather than tactical flattery–that Cassie repeatedly found herself drawn into his gaze before blushing and looking away.
Unlike the measured praise she’d grown accustomed to with Callum, Fabio’s admiration felt spontaneous and real.
They parked a short distance from her apartment, deciding to walk the remaining blocks beneath the warm glow of Rome’s evening streetlights.
Their shoulders occasionally brushed as they continued their animated conversation, frequently pausing to face each other during particularly interesting points.
Under the amber light, Cassie’s face had softened into a natural smile that reached her eyes–a expression of unguarded happiness that had been absent for months.
Her gaze repeatedly drifted to Fabio’s face as if drawn by some irresistible force.
From the shadows across the street, Callum watched this intimate tableau unfold, his knuckles white with tension, a bitter taste filling his mouth as jealousy twisted through him like a knife.
This radiant woman–laughing freely, eyes sparkling with interest–was unrecognizable from the withdrawn, dutiful wife he’d taken for granted.
The painful truth crashed over him in waves: what he was witnessing wasn’t just Cassie moving on–it was Cassie blooming into the person she might have been all along had he not stunted her growth with his lies.
The happiness he now observed from the shadows should have been his to share. Instead, he’d squandered it, chasing a ghost while the real treasure slipped through his fingers.
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