Gone Before He Loved Me Chapter 02

Gone Before He Loved Me Chapter 02

He was so strong. The air thinned to nothing. I clawed at his wrist, couldn’t break free.

Just as black spots swallowed my vision, he let go.

I collapsed onto the bed, gasping like a dying fish, throat burning.

Matteo didn’t spare me a glance. Just pulled out his phone and made a few calls.

Minutes later, the door swung open. Men in protective gear filed in—all from Ferraro’s private psychiatric facility.

I knew instantly what was coming. Scrambled to the corner of the bed.

“What are you doing?! Matteo—what is this?!”

He smiled. That handsome face still gorgeous, but the words were straight from hell.

“My wife’s too ill. She needs intensive care. Let’s try electroconvulsive therapy.”

Electricity. Panic exploded in my chest. I couldn’t stop shaking.

The memories crashed over me like a tidal wave.

Seven years ago, after I destroyed Aurora’s face at the family gala, my ex-husband locked me up.

Aurora hated me with every fiber of her being. Found every way to torture me. Used ECT on me.

Those memories were fractured. All I remembered was the agony—the splitting headaches, the wish for death.

Matteo had sworn to me. No matter how bad my condition got, he’d never let that happen again.

Back to the present. The men advanced.

I screamed, stumbled backward, fell to my knees. Clung to his pant leg.

“Please—”

“Matteo… I’m begging you—”

“I’ll be good—”

“Don’t do this to me—”

He looked down at me like I was nothing.

“My wife’s out of her head. Don’t listen to her—just hit her with the sedative.”

The needle pierced my skin. Cold liquid flooded my veins.

My vision faded. All strength drained from my body.

Bottles of pills swallowed. ECT sessions again and again.

I became a walking corpse.

Forgot most things. Forgot two betrayals. Forgot Matteo.

I drifted through each day, staring at the narrow strip of sky above the asylum.

Always looking up. Talking to myself.

I remembered someone who always came to take me out. But I couldn’t remember who.

So I waited. Leaves turned green. Then they fell.

Winter approaching, Matteo came to see me. Through the chain-link fence, I didn’t recognize him at all.

I smiled at him like he was a stranger.

Something in his expression froze. Like he’d been stabbed.

“Enough, Lucia. No more of this.”

He spoke to the doctors. Said to stop my meds and therapy.

Before he left, he pulled out a photo.

A tiny ultrasound image. A curled-up baby in the dark.

All those years, I’d longed for a child. I couldn’t help myself—reached through the fence, fingers tracing the picture.

Matteo’s voice went soft. Unbearably soft.

“Lucia. I have to give Aurora a child.”

“After what you did to her face, your ex walked out on her. Nobody’s gonna touch her now—she’s damaged goods. She needs someone to lean on.”

“She’s pregnant. I’m going to let her have this baby.”

“Once she’s recovered, I’ll bring you home.”

Each word stabbed deeper. My smile faded.

I didn’t know this man. So why did my heart hurt so much?