Chapter 4

The Vow

Finally, it was time.After Dominic had rejected me, and our child, squashing all my hopes of reconciliation, I had quietly bided my time, waiting for a month to be over.I had rehearsed my departure so many times it felt like muscle memory now.I had moved everything I would need—which wasn’t much, really—in small stacks from the Russo Mansion to my studio so no one would be suspicious. I didn’t think anyone cared much about what I did or didn’t do in this grand palace of a house, but I hadn’t taken any risks, especially now that a child was involved as well. All my things would be shipped along with my studio supplies this morning, and the flight to Florence was booked for tonight. My assistant at the studio had arranged it all for me, believing I was simply relocating for work.Only I knew that I wasn’t coming back.I’d already informed the HR head at my new job in Florence about my unexpected pregnancy, and they had been more than accommodating about it.