4

Louis was quiet for a moment, then murmured to Vivian.

"Easy, sweetheart. I'll stay by your side and give you all the love you want, but Sherry keeps the title."

He seemed to be talking to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't start throwing little tantrums like Sherry. You're not her."

Vivian's cheeks flushed red, and she turned away without another word.

Louis's expression was pure disdain. He still thought my divorce was nothing but a childish tantrum.

I had anticipated this.

I pulled out the Romano Family's transfer documents.

"You've always wanted my shares in the Family, haven't you? Sign the divorce papers, and they're all yours.

"Since you all say I'm a traitor's daughter, this should be penance enough to satisfy every last one of you."

Jenny rushed over and grabbed my arm, her face panicked.

"Have you lost your mind? You and Louis risked your lives to build the Romano Family.

"Walk away from the Romano Family and you'll have nothing."

I avoided her gaze and looked straight at Louis.

A hollow laugh escaped me.

"I don't care anymore."

Louis stared at me for a long time, eyes narrowed.

I held his gaze, waiting.

"Louis, I'm letting you go. Now let me go too. I can't hold on any longer."

Something in those words set him off. He snatched the papers, his face ashen with rage.

"Without the casino, without my protection, I'd love to see how you survive in the underworld."

He stared me down, his eyes holding an emotion I had never seen there before.

"Sherry, I'll be waiting for the day you come crawling back and beg me to take you back."

He scrawled his signature and flung the divorce papers in my face.

I didn't argue. I bent down, picked up the papers, and turned to leave.

Jenny's frantic voice followed me, calling my name over and over.

For a moment, I was back on the day they dragged me out from among the dead.

But this time, I would never look back.

She started after me.

"Are you insane? Just admit your father was a traitor. Once Vivian gets closure, she'll forgive you!"

I saw straight through Jenny now. My father was innocent, and I would never let his name be stained.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn? Just admit you were wrong. It won't cost you anything.

"After all these years of friendship, don't put me in this position. I really can't stand watching you throw your life away."

Louis's cold voice came from behind.

"Let her go. Once she sees how brutal it is out there, she'll understand how good she had it with us.

"Once she's had enough, she'll come back to me on her own."

Jenny's footsteps stopped.

I walked out of the casino without looking back.

Louis would never understand that to me, the world outside was wide open and bright.

Every ounce of suffering I'd endured had come from the two of them.

Back at the villa, I started packing what little I had.

Photos of the three of us fighting side by side, mementos from the training compound. I left them all behind.

All I took were my documents and my father's old gun from the coffee table.

I stepped out the front door, and my phone rang.

"Ms. Bennett, this is George Moretti. I've been waiting for this call.

"Have you made a decision about the deal we discussed?"

A faint smile crossed my lips. I glanced back at the empty villa one last time, and every last thread of attachment snapped.

"Of course. I look forward to working with you."

His voice brightened, and his answer was swift.

"I'll send my private jet for you, Ms. Bennett."

An hour after the call, I boarded the private jet George had sent.

The plane carried me across the ocean, leaving all the betrayal and pain far behind.