Her words pressed a blade of panic into his chest. Ross stepped back from her and looked at her expectantly.

“Maurizio has taken Alessio away. I’m so frightened. He doesn’t know how dangerous his asthma is. He doesn’t know what to do if he has an attack. I’m afraid something will happen. It will be my fault.”

“No, it won’t be your fault.”

“Yes, it will. I should never have left him.”

Ross’s voice pitched with resolve. “I’ll go to Maurizio. I’ll bring Alessio back.”

“No, Ross. You don’t understand.” She was crying harder now. “Ross, I can’t have you and Alessio.” He could not speak, only stare into her eyes. Her voice was weak. “We lost. You have to leave, Ross. You have to promise to leave me and never come back.”

Her words cascaded over him like ice water, leaving him breathless. He erupted. “And what if I won’t? What if I tell you to run away with me right now and leave Maurizio and Rendola and all this behind you?”

“And Alessio?” She looked down for a moment then back at him, her eyes now gray and hard as concrete. “You would never have the woman you loved.”

Ross knew it was true. Eliana would never forgive herself for abandoning her child. She would hate herself. And someday she would hate him too. His mind reeled. This time there was no escape from circumstance, no back door. To take her was to lose her.

Filled with grief, Ross’s eyes began to moisten. He closed his eyes tightly and turned back, grasping the piazza’s steel railing, looking away from her so she wouldn’t see. But she did and his pain only added to hers. She touched him but he would not turn back. “Ross, please, no.”

“Didn’t you promise me? Didn’t you say to have hope just one last time?”

His words, her own words, stung. She laid her head against his back and sobbed. “I’m so sorry. I thought it was possible. All I wanted was to be loved. Don’t hate me, Ross. Please don’t hate me. I can’t live with that too.” She held to him. “I can’t live without you.”

After a few minutes he turned and held her. She felt warm in his embrace. Then his eyes locked on hers. His voice was dull with pain. “Remember, Eliana, love doesn’t give second chances.” He looked to the ground, swallowed. Then he said, “You better go. Alessio needs you.”

Eliana just stared at him intensely. The reality that they were parting filled her with panic.

“Where will you go? Back to America?”

“America holds nothing for me.” He paused and wiped back the tears from his face. “It’s best that you don’t know anyway.”

He drew a long breath, exhaled, then kissed her cheek. “Addìo, amore. I will always love you.”

Then he walked away. As Eliana watched him, each step of his drew greater pain—as if she were being torn in two, which she was.