Chapter 182

*LORENZO* It was my song. The song I finished after I met her. She knows it. By heart. And she plays it a damned sight better than I do. I started this song when I really wanted to be a performer. But my parents, especially my dad refused. They wanted me to take over the family’s business whether I like it or not. The grief of the life I truly wanted hit me like a tidal wave, crashing over me. Drowning me. A knot formed in my throat, and I tried to contain my emotion, but it expanded, constricting my ability to breathe. I watch her, spellbound but aching as the music punctures my heart and touches the yawning void the life I wanted. Her eyes are closed. She’s concentrating and losing herself in the sad, solemn melody. I’ve tried to ignore my pain. But it’s there. It’s been there since I realized I couldn’t fight for what I truly wanted. Tears burn behind my eyes as I lean against the wall, trying to fight my anguish. I cover my face with my hands. I hear her gasp, and she stops. “I’m s