Chapter Text
NADA PERSONAL
Rafael hadn’t been able to sleep; when dawn barely peeked through the curtains, he was already awake. Through the fabric, the first rays of sunlight filtered softly. In his hand, he held a cup of black coffee, hoping the warmth of the drink would offer him some kind of answer.
His first thought of the day was her… Olivia. He imagined her, shaped her in his mind, picturing what that perfect morning would be like—drinking coffee together.
She still lived in his thoughts. She had never been in his sheets, but imagining her in them was enough to make him smile.
There had never been anything personal… Only his heart loving.
Today he would see her again, after a few years since the Wheatley case. He had been postponing this meeting—one that excited him, but also filled him with a deep ache.
What would that meeting be like? He had been avoiding it, not out of shame, but out of fear. He knew the Wheatley case remained the great Greek tragedy of his life.
But what if there was no longer anything personal?
As if preparing for battle, he put on his new black Tom Ford suit, unconsciously reserved for this moment. He paired it with a white Canali shirt and that golden tie Olivia had given him their last Christmas together.
It was like carrying a piece of her with him. In front of the mirror, he imagined how she would tie it for him—her gestures, Liv’s smile. The thought alone made him smile.
With his armor on and his briefcase in hand, he left the room, his now-cold coffee abandoned on the nightstand.
What would the encounter be like? Was there still something between them, or had everything been left behind?
Was there truly nothing personal left?
As he walked toward the door, he thought about the words left unsaid, the broken promises, and what she had buried deep within herself.
That last call at Forlini’s.
In some way, he had convinced himself that their connection had been left behind. But had it, really?
Olivia had never been far from his thoughts.
Because even though he had told himself a thousand times that there was nothing personal between them anymore,
his heart knew a different story.