Fated to meet you.

(ARIELLE'S POV)

I had arrived in Italy and settled in, although the first week was a maze of orientation and waiting for students who had delays in arrival, to arrive. The academy provided accommodations, but I chose to stay outside campus due to my pregnant state. I got a decent apartment and spent the week touring the city, registering for antenatal in a hospital, and keeping in touch with Mom and Ashley.

But none of it filled the emptiness gnawing inside me. Late at night, when the city was quiet and my thoughts drifted back to Jared and the child I had lost, I felt the weight of it all. I tried hard to stay distracted, burying myself in activities so I wouldn't have to remember those painful memories.

Classes finally began, and during a break, I stepped out for some fresh air. As I made my way through the courtyard, my heart skipped a beat.

A familiar figure caught my eye-broad shoulders, tall frame, dark hair... My breath hitched. Jared?

But when he turned around, I immediately knew I was wrong when seeing that drowning emerald green eyes.

It was Dwayne.

I stumbled backward by the impact of the collision, shocked.

"D... Dwayne?" I called, eyes widened.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as his eyes locked with mine. "Hi, Arielle." The light breeze tousled his hair, and there was something about his easy charm that made it hard to look away.

My surprise quickly morphed into suspicion. "What are you doing here?" I asked, taking a step backward.

"I know you're surprised-" he said, taking a step closer.

"Are you stalking me?" I asked, trying to process the unexpected encounter.

He sighed. "No, Arielle, I'm not stalking you."

I narrowed my eyes. "Then how are you here? At the same academy, in the same city?"

"I'm a student here, too."

My eyes dimmed. "What? How is that possible?"

people were looking our way. "But not here, over lunch. I owe you

curiosity got the better part of me. What was he in Italy, at the

seated, I wasted no time. "So, what's going on? Why are you really

amusement again, as if he enjoyed the tension between us. "You're not going

just want to know what's going on, and why

sat up on the chair. "Okay, let's get this out of the way. I wasn't stalking you, Arielle. Our meetings were

"Coincidental? Maybe the previous

for food poisoning after trying out a new dish," he gave out a small laugh, but I maintained my straight face. "And the mall?" He shrugged. "I was shopping for ingredients for my cooking class. Karaoke night? Just

studying his face for any sign of deception

smile

my head.

it open to reveal a chef's badge. "I'm

to me. It was his F******k page, filled with culinary

I scrolled through, my skepticism

a bit silly for being

were fated to meet,"

crossed my arms, tilting my head as I added, "After all, you're way too suspicious. Let's be real, I'm

into small laugh. "Then I guess I owe

feeling a

the waiter, and we placed our orders. As we waited for our meal to arrive, I

the scholarship? I mean, it's thousands of miles

culture, the passion - Italy has

wanted to visit Italy. I had even thought of convincing Jared that we visit during one of our anniversaries. A bitter smile crossed my features now, I guess that's never going

for three whole years?" Dwayne suddenly asked,

unsure of

added. "I don't mean to pry, it's just that your Mom mentioned you were married that day

deciding how much to reveal. "I'm divorced," I responded, and quickly added, "I

I felt like Dwayne saw right through me, like

"We've still got some time before the

yet, and going back to the academy alone didn't sound appealing. "Okay, sure," I agreed. "I

on," he said

their lives, were arranged in delicate displays. The vibrant colors and details of their wings caught my attention immediately. I turned to Dwayne curiously. "I thought you meant paintings and sculptures when you said

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