Luca sat in his office, staring out the window as the rain lightly tapped against the glass. He could feel the weight of his decision pressing down on him, heavier than anything he had experienced before. Giving up on Elena—it was the last thing he wanted, but after everything, what choice did he have?

He had tried to win her back. He had tried to fight the jealousy, the misunderstandings, the complications that had followed them for so long. But every time he got close, something pushed them further apart—whether it was Aaron, Shanaya, or the weight of his family's expectations.

His father, Victor, had spoken to him again that morning, urging him to consider a future with Shanaya. The pressure from both his family and Shanaya's father, Mr. Kapoor, had become relentless. Even though he despised the idea, Luca had finally realized that holding onto the hope of rekindling things with Elena was a fantasy. She deserved better than being pulled into the chaos of his life, and maybe, he thought bitterly, Shanaya was the "easy" solution to all the problems.

Luca's phone buzzed on his desk. He glanced at the screen—it was a message from Elena.

Elena: "Can we talk later?"

His chest tightened. She had been avoiding him lately, making it clear that she was done with him. So why now? Luca ignored the message, letting the phone buzz again, but his mind was already made up. He wouldn't let her back in. He had to let her go—for good.

Meanwhile, across town, Elena was pacing in her living room, waiting for a response from Luca that never came. Her heart was racing with uncertainty. After telling him she couldn't be with him, part of her had felt relief, but another part felt completely lost. She needed space, she needed clarity—but most of all, she needed to know if she had made the right decision.

She had sent him the message, hoping for closure, but when no response came, she sighed, frustrated and torn.

There was only one person she could turn to. Luca's mother, Isabella. She had always been kind to Elena, even during the difficult times between her and Luca. And now, more than ever, Elena needed her advice. Maybe Isabella could help her make sense of her swirling emotions, help her understand the mess her life had become.

A few hours later, Elena found herself standing at the doorway of the Russo family estate, her hand hovering over the doorbell. The familiar house brought back a flood of memories, both happy and painful, and for a moment, she hesitated.

But before she could turn around, the door swung open, and there stood Isabella Russo, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Elena.

"Elena! My dear, come in." Isabella stepped aside, pulling her into a warm embrace. There was something comforting about Luca's mother—her warmth, her wisdom, the way she always seemed to understand without needing too many words.

"Mrs. Russo, I—I wasn't sure if this was the right time to visit," Elena began, her voice hesitant.

"Nonsense," Isabella replied, leading her into the cozy sitting room. "You're always welcome here. And please, call me Isabella. We're family, remember?"

Family. That word stung a little, knowing how distant she had grown from Luca's family since their breakup. But still, she smiled and took a seat on the plush sofa, glancing around the room that had once felt like home to her.

Isabella sat across from her, offering a cup of tea. "I assume you're here to talk about Luca."

Elena nodded, letting out a soft sigh. "Yes. I don't know what to do anymore. Everything feels so complicated."

Isabella watched her for a moment, her expression calm but knowing. "You love him, don't you?"

Elena blinked, startled by the blunt question. She hadn't expected to be confronted so directly. "I—I don't know," she stammered. "I mean, yes. I think I do, but it's not that simple. Things have changed so much, and I'm not sure we can ever go back to how it was."

Isabella sipped her tea thoughtfully before responding. "Love isn't about going back, Elena. It's about finding a way to move forward, together."

"But how?" Elena asked, her voice tinged with frustration. "Luca's family wants him to marry Shanaya. He's been so angry and jealous lately. I don't even know who he is anymore."

Isabella smiled softly, setting down her cup. "Luca's been under a lot of pressure, and he doesn't always handle it well. But you know as well as I do that his heart has always belonged to you, Elena. He's been in love with you for as long as I can remember."

Elena's eyes welled up with tears, the weight of those words settling on her. She knew Luca loved her. She had felt it every time they had shared a moment of vulnerability, every time he had let down his guard with her. But love, she realized, wasn't always enough.

"I'm scared, Isabella," Elena admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm scared that if I stay, I'll get hurt again. I'm scared that I'll never be enough for him."

Isabella reached out and took Elena's hand in hers, squeezing gently. "You are enough, Elena. You've always been enough. The question is, can you forgive him for the mistakes he's made? And more importantly, can you trust yourself to give him another chance?"

Elena wiped a tear from her cheek, thinking carefully about those words. Could she forgive Luca? Could she trust him again after everything they had been through? Part of her wanted to say yes—to believe that they could make it work. But another part of her was terrified of getting hurt again.

"I don't know," Elena said softly. "I really don't know."

Isabella leaned back, giving Elena space to think. "It's okay to take your time. You don't have to decide anything right now. But just remember, whatever choice you make, make sure it's one that brings you peace."

Elena nodded, feeling the weight of her emotions lifting just a little. Spending time with Isabella had always given her clarity, and though she still didn't have all the answers, she knew that whatever happened, she needed to follow her heart.

As the evening wore on and the rain began to fall outside, Elena sat quietly with Isabella, lost in thought. The older woman's presence was a soothing balm to her chaotic mind. Luca still dominated her thoughts, but for now, she felt a strange sense of calm—a calm she hadn't felt in a long time.

Maybe Luca and her story wasn't over just yet.

But for now, she just needed to be with herself, to figure out what she really wanted. And somehow, being here, in this house, with Isabella, gave her the space to do just that.