The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows of Elena's apartment, illuminating her quiet space. She sat at the kitchen table, staring blankly at her cup of coffee. The events of the previous night kept replaying in her mind, but it wasn't just the fall or the public humiliation that lingered. It was the look on Luca's face—his concern, his frustration, and his desire to help her.

She didn't want his help. Not after everything that had happened between them. And especially not after what Shanaya had done, twisting the situation to make Elena seem weak and out of place.

Elena sighed, pushing her coffee aside. She had to be honest with herself: she couldn't keep living like this, caught between her past with Luca and the constant drama surrounding him. No matter what her heart told her, it wasn't realistic to think they could go back to how things were.

Just as she stood to begin her day, her phone buzzed on the table. A message from Luca lit up the screen.

Luca: "We need to talk. Meet me at the park?"

Her heart raced. She knew this conversation was inevitable. Luca was too stubborn to let things lie. But she had already made up her mind. Grabbing her jacket, Elena headed for the door, steeling herself for what she had to say.

Luca was waiting on a park bench when she arrived, his expression clouded with worry. When he saw her, he stood up, hands stuffed in his pockets, eyes scanning her face as if searching for answers.

"Elena," he began, walking toward her, his tone soft but urgent. "How are you feeling? After the fall... Are you okay?"

She waved him off, her tone sharp. "I'm fine, Luca. That's not why I came here."

His brow furrowed, and his mouth tightened into a straight line. "Then why did you come? To tell me you're leaving with Aaron again?"

Elena shook her head, a flash of frustration crossing her face. "This isn't about Aaron. This is about us, Luca. About the fact that we can't keep pretending things can go back to the way they were."

Luca's eyes darkened. "Why not? Because you think Aaron's better for you? That's ridiculous, Elena."

She closed her eyes for a moment, steadying herself. "No, it's not about Aaron, and it's not about you being ridiculous. It's about the fact that too much has happened. We've hurt each other. We've changed. I can't keep doing this with you, Luca. It's exhausting."

"You're wrong," he said, stepping closer, his voice low and determined. "Things can get better. You just have to give us a chance."

Elena's heart clenched at his words. She wanted to believe him, to let herself fall back into the familiar warmth of his arms. But she couldn't. Not anymore.

"I'm sorry, Luca," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I can't give you that chance."

For a moment, Luca said nothing. He just stared at her, his eyes filled with hurt. Then, slowly, his expression hardened. "So that's it? You're just walking away?"

She nodded, tears stinging her eyes. "Yes. I'm walking away."

That evening, the Russo family had gathered for dinner, but the tension in the room was palpable. Victor, Luca's father, sat at the head of the table, doing his best to keep the conversation light, but it wasn't working. Luca was quiet and brooding, his mind clearly elsewhere, while Shanaya sat across from him, flashing him smiles that he barely noticed.

Victor sighed, watching his son closely. "Luca, son, you've been quiet tonight. Is something bothering you?"

Luca barely glanced up from his plate. "I'm fine, Dad."

Shanaya, sensing an opportunity, leaned forward. "You know, Luca, I've been thinking about the expansion plans for the company. We should review them together next week. I'd be more than happy to help."

Victor smiled warmly. "That's a great idea, Shanaya. You've always had a good head for business, and you and Luca used to work well together."

Shanaya's eyes sparkled as she reached across the table to touch Luca's hand. "We did, didn't we? Maybe we could get back to that."

Luca pulled his hand away, his expression cold. "We're not getting back to anything, Shanaya."

The room fell silent. Victor's brow furrowed in confusion, while Shanaya's face flushed with embarrassment.

"Luca," Victor said slowly, "what's going on? Shanaya has been loyal to this family for years. I don't understand why you're treating her like this."

Luca's jaw clenched, and he stood up abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Because this isn't about loyalty, Dad. It's about you and Mr. Kapoor trying to push us into something I don't want."

Victor frowned. "Luca, don't be stubborn. Shanaya's a good match for you. You two have history, and it would be good for the business."

"I don't care about the business," Luca snapped, his frustration boiling over. "And I'm not marrying Shanaya, no matter what you or anyone else thinks."

Shanaya's father, Mr. Kapoor, spoke up, his tone sharp. "You're being foolish, Luca. You think you can build a future with that girl, Elena? She's a distraction. She'll ruin everything."

Luca turned to face him, his eyes blazing. "Elena isn't the problem. The problem is everyone trying to control my life. I'm done with it."

Victor stood up, his voice tense. "Luca, sit down. We're just trying to help you."

"I don't need help," Luca said through gritted teeth. "And I'm not marrying Shanaya. End of discussion."

Without another word, Luca stormed out of the dining room, leaving everyone in stunned silence.

The next morning, Elena stood in her apartment, packing her bags. She couldn't stay here anymore, not after everything that had happened. The drama with Luca and Shanaya was suffocating, and the humiliation of the previous night was still fresh in her mind. She needed a fresh start, far away from all of this.

As she zipped up her suitcase, her phone buzzed on the table. It was a message from Luca.

Luca: "We need to talk. Please, don't leave."

Elena stared at the screen for a long moment, her heart aching. She wanted to stay, to work things out with Luca, but she knew she couldn't. It was too late for them.

With a deep breath, she typed out her response.

Elena: "I'm sorry, Luca. I have to go."

With that, she turned off her phone, grabbed her suitcase, and walked out the door, unsure of what the future held but certain that she couldn't stay tangled in the past any longer.