There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.

-Malcolm X

Coco Spencer's POV

It's been three days since the finalization of the divorce. I should feel better now that I was once again a single woman this was what I want, wasn't it? Yet, all I could feel was misery in my heart. Since we signed the divorce paper last Saturday I moved out of the manor and took residence back in my old flat.

Rafe hasn't been here before but everywhere I looked I could swear he'd been here before. Even if, I tried to deny it for the past few days I missed him terribly. I thought when we haven't seen each other for a long week I could continue to live my life without him. The truth was, I had never been to Hampshire the previous week. I just stayed here in my flat planning my next move. But seeing him in the restaurant made me think again if I could survive living without him.

And that's the last time I saw him. The following morning after our divorce he sent his secretary to pick his clothes on the manor. I asked the woman waiting patiently—as the maid placed his clothes on the luggage—where was her boss why couldn't he personally get his stuff in the manor. The woman replied not meeting my gaze that Signore Moretti was busy at the office finalizing everything before his flight back home later that day.

I felt unexpected pain in my heart. So he'd been serious about leaving London for good then? Just the thought of not seeing him again brought tears to my eyes. Like this very moment just thinking about the events that had happened since the divorce, my eyes blurred with tears again.

Here I was, curled up on my sofa with the untouched tea on the coffee table. I haven't gone out of this apartment since I moved back. I didn't remember the last time I ate something. Every food I eat tastes like chalk.

My parents started to feel worried about me and keep on sending me messages inquiring about my welfare. I haven't answered their messages I wanted to be alone and let my misery eat me each passing day.

I heard my doorbell sounded but I ignored it. I don't want to see anyone today or maybe for a few days or weeks at the most. If I would just keep quiet maybe that person would think I'm not at home and would decide to leave.

But the persistent ring on the doorway irritated my ears. I wanted silence in my place, damn it! I grudgingly from the sofa and opened the door with a ready scowl on my face. "What..."

"Surprise!" The familiar sweet voice of a woman sounded behind the enormous flower arrangement in her hand. "I traveled London back and forth searching for you, woman. Everyone thought you vanished in the thin air. She lowered the flower arrangement so she could look at me. I was greeted by warm gold eyes. "How are you? Where's your husband I want to meet him."

Just what I wanted to hear right this moment someone was inquiring about the husband I lost. And just like that, I couldn't contain anymore the emotions I've been trying my best to hide for days. I burst into tears in front of Lucia Salazar.

"Good Lord!" Lucia exclaimed, putting down the flower arrangement on the floor. She was enveloped in a hug. "What's wrong?"

"We're divorce." I sobbed in her shoulder. I couldn't bear the pain in my heart anymore. "We're no longer husband and wife. And I missed him terribly."

"There...There..." She patted my back affectionately. "Would you like to talk about this inside your house? Your neighbor was starting to give us a weird look. I don't want to be the center of London rumors that I made you cry."

Despite my tears, I couldn't help but laugh at her. I knew she's trying to lift my mood what a good friend that she was. I led her inside my flat and offered her some tea. I went to the kitchen to prepare a new tea since the one I prepared earlier was now icy cold like my heart as of this moment.

Once everything was done I went back to the living room when Lucia patiently waiting for me. "I can't help but feel remorse coming here, Coco. And the way I made my greetings. I'm sorry how I acted tactlessly. I have no idea that you were divorce."

"That's okay," I replied with a sad smile on my face. I poured our cup a steaming tea. "It's just recently. Nobody knows it yet. You are the first one beside my grandfather's solicitor and the judge."

"How are you?" She asked concernedly, taking the offered teacup and sip it. "I know you must feel terrible right now."

"You have no idea," I answered gravely. "But to be honest, I was the one who asked for divorce now that he complied with my request I feel nothing but emptiness. I don't think I could survive this pain in my chest."

Compassion showed in her gold eyes. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm sure you will find it at the end of the day. You are a strong woman. I believe you can overcome this. Divorce is never been easy. I saw my parents go through this thing believe me it's nasty. For years we hated our mom thinking she left us when we don't know the real story."

I smiled sadly in her direction. "Thank you for cheering me up. You don't know how glad I am that you came for a visit. Which reminds me what are you doing here in London? I won't believe you if you tell me that you just think of visiting me all of a sudden."

She laughed heartily. "Oh, no. I came here for London Fashion Week. Then, I realized that why not pay a visit to my most demanding customer. But I guess my time was off. "

"It's fine," I told her honestly. "I think I need some company while going through post-divorce depression. I don't have many female friends who I think were genuine persons. So it's nice to have you and share my blues."

She held my hands firmly, her eyes filled with compassion. "I hope you can count me as your true friend. I'm here for you, Coco."

"Thank you, Lucia." My throat was thick with emotions. I just realized how nice it was to have a female friend you could always count on.

AT THE SAME TIME IN SICILY...

Rafe Moretti's POV

I stared at my computer screen intently trying to understand the word written in the document but my brain was not functioning. Since I came back from England I have not done any work. I knew a have a mountain of work waiting for me but my brain was not cooperating with me then there was my heart...

I sighed deeply closing my eyes. It's been five days and seven hours since I let my heart be broken again by another woman. But this heartbreak was far worse than what I've suffered before. I lost the woman I love not to another man this time but for her determination to be single again.

This was what a man like me should expect when he's risking his heart for a woman. I should have had learned my lesson the first time not to let a woman rule your heart yet I let it happened. But what can I do? She's too lovely and free-spirited that I couldn't help to let her crawl into my heart. I knew we have nothing in common yet she's all I want in my life. She completed the broken pieces in my soul...

My reverie was cut short when the door of my office burst to open and a woman maddeningly angry enter without notice. "What the hell is going on? Laila informed me that you and your wife are now divorced? What the hell, Rafe? Only two weeks ago you told you to love her and now you two call it a quit?"

Great, I thought with the lack of enthusiasm. The last person I wanted to see just visited me. I glared at her when I caught her gaze. "I don't have time for this, Leila. I'm busy. Go back another time."

"Too bad for you I have all the time in the world so you have no choice but to make time for me." She replied with an evil smile on her lips, closing the door carefully behind her. She advanced in my office even further.

I threw a disapproving glance in her direction. "Did anyone ever tell you before not to butt in into someone else's problem? That's rude, Signora."

"I am known for being rude and troublemaker so light insults are useless to me." Her lips twitched with a smile.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" I scowled at her. "I thought you are busy taking care of your child since you don't want to hire a nanny. I'm surprised your husband let you came here to see me."

She settled herself comfortably in the chair in front of my table. "I let Leandro babysit Anton this afternoon I told him that I will visit you and probably kill you in the process. Believe me, he's more than willing to let me come here if that means I will kill you after."

"No doubt." I agreed with her darkly.

She rolled her green eyes. "Of course, I will not kill you. Coco might never forgive me if I ever harm you in any way."

"Leila..." I warned her dangerously. I don't want to talk about anything that had something to do with my ex-wife. Dio, my heart constricted with pain. How weird it was to think of her as an ex-wife. I never thought that I would address her like that in this lifetime.

"You know I'm not going anywhere until I get the information I want from you, Rafe." She promised with determination in her eyes. "So what went wrong? Have you told her that you love her?"

"I don't know what went wrong with our relationship she suddenly wants out." I rubbed my face with my palm in frustration. "Suddenly, after her trip in Hampshire, she told me she wants a divorce."

"Have you told her that you love her?" She persisted firmly.

"Yes, damn it!" I answered honestly. "I bare my heart for her. But what did she do? She threw away my love back on my face. She doesn't believe me."

She paused for a moment before answering. "Have you ever wondered that she might overhear our conversation at the bar two weeks ago and jumped to a conclusion?"

It never crossed my mind but was it possible?

"I guess I need to talk to Coco about this," Leila said.

"No! You will not talk to her about this matter," I told her heatedly. "Stay out of it, Leila. Back off. This matter is between me and Coco."

"If this divorce is really just a big misunderstanding you should fight for her and threw away your stupid pride, Rafe."

"Thank you for your advice but let me handle this."

With one last disapproving smile she threw in my direction. She went out of my office like a whirlwind storm. That woman was too much to handle. I pity her husband for having such a strong-willed wife.

Once I was alone in the office I resume my work. Half an hour after staring at the document I knew that I was only wasting my time. I knew that no improvement would happen to my work I shut down my laptop and come to a decision to come home early maybe come to a bar and drink to numb my feelings and nurse my broken heart.

Once I was outside the Moretti Industries everything went so fast before I could react to what was happening. A black SUV parked in front of me and three men wearing bonnet masks bodily force me to ride their car.

They handcuff my hands at the back and covered my head with a black sack overhead.

"Don't you dare do something stupid or I will blow your head with my gun, do you understand?" One of them warned me in Italian.

I nodded subsequently. What the hell is going on? Was my last thought, as I wonder I was not far away from my death?