Episode 2

The next day, Ricardo Conti left early as usual. He didn't care about his wife's absence at his side; perhaps she had gotten up to cook as usual. "At least she's good for something." Ricardo was not wrong. When he went downstairs, the aroma of breakfast reached him, but his wife was nowhere to be seen. He didn't give it importance and ate quickly before leaving.

He was dying to see his beloved Ivette, a goddess incarnate. That stunning woman adored him; for her, he was an idol. She always called him and made a drama when she didn't see him. The workdays were exciting since she arrived. Ricardo locked himself with her in the photography studio and there they enjoyed passionate moments, something he didn't have with Sophie, and that was making him want to leave her.

Ricardo knew that his wife was delicate, soft, and besides, it wasn't like he had guided her either, although he didn't have time to teach her. He has been her only man and sex between them has always been monotonous.

While driving to work, Ricardo remembered how he had met Sophie. It had been at university, where she was a scholarship student. He, the heir to a wealthy Milanese family, had been attracted by her sweetness and disinterest. Sophie was only 19 years old when they got married, and he, at 21, already saw in her the perfect wife to meet the requirements of his family.

Ricardo was born in Milan and had studied at the best universities. His family owned a company that he would inherit only upon marrying. Sophie, with her romantic nature and her willingness to do anything for him, seemed the perfect choice.

The Italian knew the young woman's past and had noticed her weaknesses, including her dependence on him. With manipulation, he showed her unparalleled love through details and jealousy. He made her feel as if he couldn't go on without her. Once he showed her what it was like to feel worshiped and loved; he began to order and arrange her life.

When he met his now wife, she was extroverted and had many friends; he took care of eliminating that; she only had one left who was stubborn as a mule. Isabella Ricci, this 25-year-old woman, was an explosion of energy; she was one of those peelers and capable of setting the world on fire with her crazy ideas. Although at one time he wanted Sophie to distance her, he didn't succeed. For Sophie, Isabella was indispensable; she had been with her since she arrived in Italy, and they were best friends, so he chose to ignore her.

Ricardo once loved Sophie; at first, he loved her; it was a novelty, and he was excited about her scoop; apart from being attentive and sweet, he met her being beautiful and a natural romantic, and that fascinated him, although now it seemed cumbersome to him.

However, over time, the novelty faded, and Ricardo began to seek excitement outside his marriage, like the woman who was waiting for him in the photography studio.

When Ricardo came out of his memories, he had already arrived at the company; he parked and got out, imposing, handsome, and elegant; he received his agenda and then went straight to meet his ardent lover. He couldn't wait to have her close forever.

While that pair was enjoying each other, Isabella's phone rang; she was in her workshop as always and was working on a dress for her friend. Seeing the cell phone and seeing that it was her friend, she grabbed it immediately and answered.

"Sophie… how are you, why haven't you arrived?" Isabella asked. They had arranged to meet at Isabella's workshop to try on a dress and thus win Ricardo back, but Sophie sounded sad.

"I'm not going, that's why I called you, Isa." Isabella clenched her fists and sighed. She knew that idiot had something to do with it.

"What did he do to you now?" she asked sharply.

"Nothing, Isa, it's just that…" she tried, but Isabella didn't let her.

"You're coming here now and you're telling me what he did because I know you, and you need your friend." Sophie knew it was useless to try to argue with her friend; she wasn't going to win, so with a sigh she agreed to go to Isabella's workshop.

Isabella was a fashion designer and had her own chain of boutiques that Sophie designed; she was excellent at that, but Ricardo wanted her useless at home, or so he said. The blonde with green eyes and a model's body: she and Sophie were of the same build, but she didn't believe it because of her husband's derogatory comments.

Sophie's friend hated the broken GPS as she called him, because you never know where or with whom he is; this was one of the many nicknames she called him when she spoke to Sophie, bringing a smile to her friend's face.

The blonde knew that he was a wretch, but she also knew that Sophie wouldn't leave him, and if he left her, she risked losing her; the Frenchwoman didn't handle separations well, and Isabella was clear about that.

While waiting for her friend, she remembered when she gave Sophie a rabbit. Her mother had died a few years ago, and one day the rabbit died. The poor girl went into a state of depression and only repeated that she caused that. From that day on, Isabella takes care that her friend doesn't suffer so much, distracting her with her crazy ideas…

She advises her to make dinners and dress sexy, but the idiot remains just that, a reverend moron. She can't stand to see her friend disappointed every time he doesn't arrive.

The blonde has tried to make her go to see a specialist to overcome her traumas, but she doesn't want to, and she can't force her, that's why she's plotting a plan. She has heard of a very good therapist who is not only a specialist in psychology but also attends to couples.

Isabella's idea is to take her saying that it is a couple's therapy to save her marriage and present her friend's case to the professional so that he can talk to her in each therapy and make her see her problem, helping her without her opposing.

She has no idea if it will work or if the therapist will accept her proposal; she is willing to pay him whatever he asks, but she has to try so that her friend gets rid of that ballast that is her husband, as she also calls him.

The call from her secretary made her return to the present, to announce that Sophie had arrived.

The secretary had her pass to the design studio.

They greeted each other while surrounded by fabrics and sketches. Isabella, with her inexhaustible energy, set about continuing to adjust a dress on a mannequin while Sophie watched her.

"I can't believe that Moron keeps saying those things," Isabella said, frowning. "How can you stand it, Sophie?" the blonde expressed once Sophie told her what happened.

Sophie sighed, looking at her hands.

"It's not that easy, Isa. He… He makes me feel like I can't do anything right, I try everything and nothing makes him go back to being the same."

Isabella stopped what she was doing and approached her friend, taking her hands.

"Sophie, you're amazing. Look at all this," she said, pointing to the studio full of her creations. "This is yours. Don't let that graceless clown make you feel less. You are capable of doing whatever you set your mind to."

Sophie smiled weakly.

"Thank you, Isa. I don't know what I would do without you."

Isabella smiled and gave her a quick hug.

"Well, that's what friends are for. And speaking of that, I've been thinking about something."

Sophie raised an eyebrow; curious and fearful, she knew her friend's crazy ideas.

"What thing?"

"I've heard of a therapist who is excellent at attending to couples. I think you should go with the idiot. It could help you."

Sophie denied, laughing in her head at the nicknames she called him; her friend detested Ricardo.

"I don't know, Isa. Ricardo would never agree to go to therapy," she said, emphasizing his name.

Isabella smiled mischievously.

"Use your charms, make a drama out of anything, and when he wants to defend himself, you propose the therapy thing, and you'll see that he'll go." Isabella proposed; she was one hundred percent sure that he wouldn't go.

Sophie hesitated for a moment, but then nodded slowly.

"Okay, I'll try. I'm willing to do anything to save our marriage."

Isabella smiled broadly; now all that was needed was for the therapist to help her, although she still thought that because of ethics he wouldn't help her, but she would still try for Sophie.

"That's all I need to hear! Now, let's finish this dress. I want you to try it on and see how beautiful you look."

Sophie laughed and let herself be carried away by her friend's energy, feeling a little more hopeful. Maybe her marriage would change with this therapy.

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