Amethyst St. Clair's POV

"Amy, right?"

I looked up at the handsome man who was just speaking. I gave a faint smile at him as he waited for me to deny or acknowledge his assumption about me. Finally, I gave him the answer he needed. "Yes. And you are?"

He extended his hand in my direction there was a pleasant smile on his face. "Dario. I am Franco's best friend."

"Oh," I just managed to say while shaking his hand briefly and continued to sketch in my notebook here in the coffee shop where Franco and I usually meet.

"Franco instructed me to keep you company while you wait for him." He stated, taking the offered chair across to me on the table lineup on the streets.

"Where is he?" I asked briefly, looking up for a moment from the sketch pad in my hand sparing him a glance.

There was a private smile on his face. "He's somewhat occupied at the moment and he tells me he will be late for your coffee date."

"I see." I nodded in his direction before paying attention back to my drawings. We just stayed in silence after that since I was surprised to meet Franco's best friend here.

Two more weeks had passed since I lost my virginity to Franco and we adopted this new setup of spending the day in his bed after our coffee date almost every day since the first time I drew a portrait of him.

Maybe I could say that our relationship leveled up somehow but I didn't exactly know how to label our relationship right now.

Just like this moment, I was stunned to see his best friend here. For four weeks, he didn't bother to introduce his good friend to me. But could I blame him? Even if we were on rendezvous talking about everything except our family. I did the same with him since I never told him about my family too.

"So how long do you know Franco?" This man named Dario dragged me out of my reverie.

I looked up at him again to find him staring at me with curiosity in his dark eyes way different from Franco's warm light brown eyes. This guy's eyes were cold and distant, unsmiling the way I should put it.

"Four weeks, I guess," I answered briefly, sipping my customized drink.

I could see that he was searching for my face studying me intently. "He didn't say anything to you about me or his family?"

I looked at him for a moment before shaking my head. "We don't usually talk about personal matters such as family when we meet."

"I see."

There was something about him that made me think that this conversation took a different turn than merely babysitting me while waiting for Franco to show up.

"Is there something you want to say to me?" I asked after a moment.

He shot me a look of amusement. "What makes you say that?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know maybe because you are giving me this vibe that you want to say something to me."

His lips curved with a smile. "I don't know you are this perceptive. Franco didn't tell me."

I just raised an eyebrow in his direction and didn't say anything. There was a part of me that thinks that he was harboring a secret from me about Franco and it irks me to think that I am getting curious at the moment. "What is it?"

He looked at me for a long moment as if judging if he should tell or not. Finally, he took a deep breath and shook his dark head. "Oh, well...Franco might kill me for this but I cannot lie to a beautiful woman like you. Come with me I want to show you something."

I frowned at him questioningly. "Where are we going?"

He was already standing up from his chair and expecting me to do the same. "Come. I will show you where Franco is."

With that, he finally got my full attention and my heart started to hammer in my chest. So he knew all along where Franco was? I found myself following him in the streets of Lake Como silently. He was walking a few feet ahead of me.

"You don't know how my conscience eating me up while we wait for Franco at the coffee shop. I cannot lie to you anymore when you are this kind-looking girl he doesn't associate himself with."

I just raised an eyebrow in his direction but didn't say anything.

"Please do not tell him that I told you about his secret, okay?"

Secret?

Now I am getting curious as we walk on the street as we are about to see Franco and his whereabouts. After a few moments of walking Dario stop from walking and nodded at the far end of the street.

I followed his gaze and I swear my heart practically stopped beating and I think it was shattered beyond repair. I saw Franco across the far end street where Dario and I standing with a woman in his arms they were walking happily. I saw Franco even laugh heartily when the dark-haired woman in his arms said something to him. Suddenly, I felt that I couldn't breathe while I tightened the hold of my sketch notebook.

"That's Chiara Rizzo." I heard Dario saying beside me. "She's engaged to be married to Prince Francesco Calvetti in the coming months."

The blood on my face drained at his words. "A prince?"

Dario nodded with wide eyes. "Yes. Franco is a prince here in Italy. He's royalty didn't he tell you that? His family is one of the most respected families here in Italy."

All of a sudden, I was lost for words. I didn't know if I wanted to cry or snort at this unexpected revelation. So he was lying to me all along?

You are too with him, right? A low voice inside my head whispered.

I managed to drag my gaze back to the couple across the street. It was as if someone put a dagger in my heart when I saw them hugging and fond of each other.

"He told me that you are his last fling before he will take Chiara as his wife. I thought I should tell you since you seem a nice woman and I don't want you to be hurt when Franco ends everything when the time comes and he is about to wed his fiancée."

I choke the emotion that suddenly fills me. I couldn't speak when I was abruptly hit by the unexpected realization. I fell in love with my cheating lover. Maybe I deserve this, I thought watching them. If I didn't let things go beyond a coffee date maybe if I didn't show up the following morning when we first met. Maybe I saved myself from this breakup.

"You know what? I need to go." I found myself saying to Dario. I knew that this summer romance was too good to be true. It's time to go back to reality. "Don't worry. I will not interfere with them again. Rest assured."

"I am sorry, Amy."

I smiled bravely at him I turned around before he could see the tears that threatened to fall in my eyes. "It's okay. Don't worry about me."

I didn't wait for him to speak again as I ran in the direction of the coffee shop. I need to go. I guess my vacation here in Lake Como is finally over and my summer romance just went down straight to hell wiping the tears in my cheeks I went straight to the villa and packed my things. It's time to go back to New York.

Mrs. Gatti found me packing my things in my room. "Are already leaving, Signorina?"

"Yes," I answered briskly throwing my things inside my luggage. I looked at the middle-aged housekeeper. "Please give me a favor, Mrs. Gatti. If someone looks for me here say you don't know me or no American woman is residing or working here."

"Are you crying?" She exclaimed with wide eyes. "Is everything okay?"

"Please promise me that you will help me and hide my identity in case someone will look for me here."

"I don't understand but..."

"I can't explain to you now, Mrs. Gatti," I said hugging the elderly housekeeper. "Thank you for taking good care of me. I will go back to New York now and please don't say anything to Granddad. Keep this a secret between us."

"All right, I promised, Signorina."

I drew back from our embrace and smiled at her. "Goodbye."

Franco Calvetti's POV

I was running towards Villa Maeve. Where is she? I asked myself silently. I knew that I was late for our coffee date today since something came up unexpectedly but I was only thirty minutes late from our usual time. I tried to call her mobile but it was unattended.

"Damn it!" I muttered to myself as I fastened my pace so I could reach the mansion where she temporarily worked for the summer.

I rang the doorbell of the beautiful gated mansion and a middle-aged housekeeper went out to see me.

"I am looking for Amy," I said panting from running. If the Rizzo siblings didn't show up on my hotel doorstep this morning all from Rome this wouldn't happen. If Chiara didn't force me to help her buy her mother some Lake Como specialty then I should have met Amy on time. If they didn't disturb my vacation here in Lake Como this would not happen.

I noticed that the housekeeper was giving me a sad look. "There's no Amy here, sir."

I stared at her in disbelief. "The American girl working in this villa for the summer where is she?"

The older woman shook her head. "I am sorry no American girl is working here. It's just me the family's caretaker and the gardener who is currently living here."

"But..." I looked back at the mansion silently praying that she had just been hiding inside. "...please tell her that I want to talk to her. I will wait for her outside."

"I told you there's no American housekeeper here. You better go now, Mister."

"I will wait for her to come outside." I insisted to the housekeeper. She went inside the mansion and I sat on the pavement waiting for Amy to take pity on me and go outside. I will wait for her until she takes pity on me.

The following morning after spending the night outside the mansion the elderly housekeeper went outside again with pity in her eyes. "Go home, my child. She's not here."

Those words made me feel like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. The ring inside my pocket feels like burning my skin.

She's gone. She took my heart with her disappearance ruthlessly. Leaving me wondering what the hell just happened to us.

Amethyst St. Clair's POV

It's been a month since I came back from my trip to Lake Como and I feel that my world starts to crumble right before my very eyes. The pain in my chest was still there but this time I have another revelation I need to face.

There were at least half a dozen pregnancy test kits on my bedside table stating loud and clear about the souvenir I brought home from my trip last month.

I am pregnant with Prince Franco Calvetti's baby. I thought silently.

Once the tabloid learns about this they will surely devour this baby news like hungry sharks. Finally, the scion of the St. Clair family had fallen from the pedestal.

I will bear this scandal alone without him on my side. I don't want his out-of-duty obligation and marry me for the sake of this baby. He was meant to have a life different than this. He's about to marry that woman and I will not ruin it by coming into the picture.

I would hold my head up high even though the New York society would sneer at me with a word probably like Amethyst's Scandal.

I can endure everything for the sake of my baby. Never again will let a man touch my heart as he did. I swear on my parent's grave. This will be the last time I will be stupid for a man who didn't deserve my love.