"Before it's all over, before you come to your senses, I want you to know, that in that short time, that small period, I was yours. My heart was yours, I really felt it, for real, no games, no lies. I was completely and only yours, and my heart beat only for you. And it would keep beating, if you had asked for it."
(Quote from the beginning of chapter sixteen)
Cybele arrived at her house unannounced but felt such a relief when she looked at her house, she realized that her mother had actually changed the facade, it was still white, the color that seems to be preferred by all Greeks...
But she had painted the door and all the railings a light blue. Cybele smiles broadly and thinks it's beautiful.
She puts her hand on her belly. - We are home! - Tears insist on wandering down her face.
But her mind still showed Pietro's face smiling at her in the morning and the sun reflecting behind him. She closes her eyes and tries not to remember, everything was so fast, and so confusing, she thinks.
She quickly wipes away her tears approaching her house. Her mother sees her and runs to her.
But Cybele seems to be somewhere else and a memory takes over her, she walks into the house and to her it doesn't seem to be there.
- Darling, what happened? Your arrival was supposed to be in two days? - Julia asks, sitting next to her daughter on the sofa, staring at her.
Iris gives her a glass of water. Cybele seems to come out of her trance and explains to them everything that has happened.
- Wow, he really doesn't know you, so he doesn't know how much you hate lies! - Iris says raising her eyes and drinking the glass of water.
Cybele begins to cry, she was holding it in for too long.
- O darling I'm sorry, you don't deserve this. - Her mother hugs her and has fury in her eyes.
Julia's motto was "mess with me, but don't mess with my daughters.
- I don't know, Mom! Or maybe I deserved it, for believing in him, I ignored so many things, you know. - She stands up and gestures with her hands. - But it ends now, because I can't focus on things anymore, like this! But on my son, and on you, on my drawings. - She puts her hands on her face. - Oh my God, Mom, you won't believe it, I had a meeting with one of the stylists from Vogue, it was so strange, and I rode on a raft! There are so many things I want to tell you!
Cybele stares at them, they seemed to find her strange. Cybele runs her hands through her hair, literally ruffling it, when her mother says:
- Are you sure you don't want to talk about what happened dear? - Julia fakes a smile, and with one hand on her gold ring.
Cybele takes a deep breath and says no, that she needs to go upstairs to take a shower, but Julia has already seen her like this. She knew that Cybele never collapsed quickly, she was one of those people who took a long time to come to her senses...
Which reminded her of her breakup with Apollo.
Cibele rests on the swing in front of her house, after a Friends marathon with her mother, who seemed not to leave her alone, as well as her sisters, but she repeated ''I'm fine'' several times, and even to herself.
She didn't allow herself to miss him, after all it was only weeks together, "Forget it! She said! She thinks how hard it was to ask Apollo for a break, but she didn't feel that way, so wrong, it was a calm ending.
And at that moment she receives an unexpected visitor.
- Amanda? - Cybele says, getting up quickly and going to the gate.
- Sorry for coming like this, it's just that you left without even saying goodbye. - Amanda stares at Cybele, placing her hand on the wall. - How many stairs! - She observes, looking around.
- How did you find my address, Amanda?
- Your resume, but I came. - She purses her lips together, "I came to ask how you are, Pietro is...
Cibele interrupts her and says in an angry voice: "Honestly, I don't care about him, thank you for coming," she gives a half smile and raises her eyebrows, "Why didn't you tell me? I'll tell you about him!
Amanda puts her hand on her chest. - No, I couldn't! Not least because he seemed to want to change, she twists her head whenever she gets nervous. - It wasn't my place to say. - She scratches her hair.
Cybele lifted her chin, and put her index finger on it, -Good, but tell him I need some time.- She smoothes her shirt. -Tell him not to come please, I hate it when people lie to me! - She says raising her hands.
- Will you hate me for what I came here to do in a suit? - Amanda says biting her lip, "He sent those gifts.
She holds out her hands to Cybele showing a Dior shoe box, Cybele feels her blood boil.
Or do you think this will make you forgive him?" She clenches her fists and looks at Amanda in astonishment.
- Amanda doesn't get me wrong, what I'm about to say is not for you. - She holds up her hands. - I want you to tell him to put those shoes on.
-Daughter! - Her mother shouts from the window, opening the curtain.
Iris exits the house, and runs to the gate, opening the door for Amanda, who responds with a smile, stepping inside.
- Iris, what is it? - Cybele asks startled, with her hands on her stomach, and her eyebrows lowered.
- Thank you for the gifts. - Iris takes the bags Amanda has in her hands.
- Iris, no! - Cybele speaks firmly - I don't want to! she shakes her head.
- Ouch! - She rolls her eyes, "If you don't want it, I do.
Cybele shakes her head and narrows her eyes in the direction of Iris, who drops the bags. She rudely returns to the room.
- I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into her," she frowns.
- Wow, was she listening behind the door? - Amanda with her hand over her mouth.
- Yes, it runs in the family. - She gives a smile without showing her teeth. - I'm sorry," Cybele crossed her arms tightly and let the air out of her mouth.
-All right, well, I'm going to stay here for a few days, my husband is crazy about Santorini," she opens her arms. - I hope I can still have my friend! - She pats her shoulder.
Cybele smiles and tucks her hair back behind her ear at the same time, "You're welcome here! As long as you don't bring Pietro a gift, she puts her palms up.
- You're welcome here! - Amanda replies gracelessly.
They hug and Amanda leaves, embarrassed.