Farewell to My Undercover Ex The Fall and Rebirth of a Mafia Princess Chapter 09
At dawn, Nolan pushed my studio door open, knuckles split open and bleeding.
I grabbed the first aid kit and started cleaning him up.
“Who was it?”
He flashed that stupid grin of his. “Caught Declan hanging around outside. We had a talk.”
I pressed the alcohol swab down hard.
“You’re lucky he didn’t hit you back. One punch and that pretty face
is ruined. And I need that face, it pays the rent.”
Nolan blinked. “…Damn.”
“But seriously, I got a few good hits in.”
A few days later, I saw the damage for myself.
Nolan had exaggerated. Declan had some bruising near his temple.
Nothing serious.
He showed up in his detective’s suit, badge on his belt. Pressed, polished, composed.
“I need a new headshot,” he said. “The ones the media’s been using
are outdated. Figured I’d come to you.”
Work was work. I nodded and pointed him to the white backdrop.
Five minutes later, I pulled the raw shots up on the monitor.
He stared at the screen for a long time.
“You used to draw me all the time. I’m sorry. I couldn’t find a single one.
“Now you’re behind a camera instead. And I’m just another client. I guess that’s exactly what I deserve.
“I won’t bother you again, Renata. But if you ever need anything, anything at all, call me.”
I didn’t say anything. I just smiled and gestured toward the door.
“Take care.
The bell chimed behind him on the way out.
Curtain down. Story over.
Except it wasn’t. There was one last scene.
That headshot never made it to print. Claire got arrested.
Turned out Declan had locked down his accounts. She couldn’t pay back the five thousand, and she was too scared that coming clean would blow up her marriage.
So she did what desperate people do. She started running a shakedown scheme, trading on Declan’s name to extort local business owners.
When Internal Affairs caught on, it dragged Declan down with her.
He had nothing to do with it. Didn’t matter. His career was finished.
Every time he stepped outside, paparazzi camped on his lawn, tearing his reputation to shreds.
I heard through an old classmate that Declan was looking for a divorce lawyer.
While I was waiting for Nolan. I picked up a pencil. Started drawing without thinking about it.
I didn’t realize how long I’d been at it until Nolan walked over and tapped my shoulder.
“Hey, I’ve been calling your name for five minutes. You okay?”
I looked down. Over an hour. The tremor in my fingers was gone. And it had felt… effortless.
Natural. It was coming back.
Little by little.
My art. My happiness. Me.