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Ramona and Julius are young and in love, a couple that seems destined to last forever. She is a passionate dance teacher, he an office worker trying to get ahead. Their marriage is overwhelming, a dazzling love that makes them feel invincible. The early years pass between shared dreams and the heat of passion as they raise two children and try their hand at everyday life.
Over time, however, the excitement of first falling in love gives way to routine, sacrifices and family responsibilities. Compromises become more and more evident, their emotional chemistry wanes, and the initial love turns into a bond of affection that, while sincere, can no longer warm hearts as it once did. Passion seems to die out, like a small fire that no longer kindles any heat.
Giulio and Ramona’s friends tease them, accusing them of being more like two roommates than a couple in love. They joke that they now love each other as one loves one’s cat, without passion, but with a kind of affection that has taken the place of physical attraction. Despite the laughter of others, Julius and Ramona respond with a certain resignation, explaining that it is natural for love to evolve over time and that the reality of a marriage is made up of difficult moments, sacrifices, but also a deep mutual awareness. There is no longer the fire of the beginning, but theirs is a form of “benevolence” that does not require sparks.
Betrayal, however, is a scar they both try to ignore. Julius has a secret affair with a work colleague, while Ramona seeks an escape between gym workouts and a few too many drinks. When the betrayals are discovered, they both decide not to confront them, to pretend nothing happened. Julius takes refuge in the guest bedroom, away from his wife, while there is no more physical contact between them. They do not even touch each other, never a kiss on the lips, and everything seems to be reduced to a facade to be maintained for their children and friends.
In this picture of disillusionment, the question they both ask themselves is: *Does all this really make sense? Can love stay alive forever?* Yet, as they reflect on their own lives, between flashbacks that bring back memories of a happy time and flashforwards that show the consequences of their actions, their truths are intertwined with subterfuge, drudgery, and a continual escape from reality.
The story culminates in a totally unexpected ending when Ramona and Julius’ choices lead them to a shocking revelation that calls everything into question. Perhaps, what seemed like a failed marriage is, in fact, something more complex and ambiguous than they ever imagined. A final twist will change their lives forever, revealing a hidden aspect of their love that no one could have predicted.
ASIN : B0DTH6LBRL
Publication date : January 19, 2025
Language : English
File size : 573 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 126 pages
