LOGINIsabella's POVSophia's words stung like poison."Are you finished?" my voice was like ice."Not yet." A crazy light flashed in Sophia's eyes, and she lunged at me.We crashed to the ground, tumbling onto the grass.Sophia clawed at my hair, her nails scratching my face."This is all your fault!" she screamed. "You did this!"I shoved her off me and scrambled to my feet. "You're insane!""You made me insane!" Sophia got up from the ground, her dress torn, her knees bleeding. "You ruined my life!"She lunged at me again. This time we fell towards the fountain. Cold water splashed over us.In the chaos, something glinted in the moonlight.A blade.She'd had a knife hidden in her sleeve. The point aimed straight for my heart."Isabella!"Dante's voice yelled from the darkness. He rushed forward, shielding me with his body.The dagger plunged deep into his stomach."No!" I screamed.A strangled cry tore from Dante's lips as he staggered, collapsing against me. A dark, wet stain instantly b
Isabella's POVBlood splattered across my face.I screamed, covering my eyes with my hands.The warm liquid ran down my cheeks, the metallic smell making me sick.Vince's body fell to the floor with a heavy thud and didn't move again."Isabella!"Dante rushed to me, pulling me into a tight embrace. I trembled in his arms, unable to stop screaming."You're safe," he whispered in my ear. "You're safe now."I opened my eyes and saw Vince lying in front of the altar, a hole in his chest.His eyes were still open, but the light was gone."He's dead," my voice shook. "He's really dead.""Yes," Dante stroked my hair. "He can't hurt you anymore."I pulled away from Dante's embrace and knelt in the spreading pool of blood. I looked at Vince's empty eyes. He loved me, a broken part of my soul whispered. Once."Isabella, don't look," Dante tried to pull me up.I took one last look at Vince, then let Dante help me to my feet."How did you find me?" I asked."This," Dante unclasped the St. Christop
Isabella's POVThe point of the blade pressed through my coat, cold against my skin."Vince, you're crazy," I said, trying to keep my voice calm."Maybe," his voice was right next to my ear, smelling of booze and desperation. "But I'm not letting you be with that bastard.""Let me go.""Never." The knife pressed harder. "You're mine. You've always been mine."His free hand grabbed my arm, and he forced me towards the parking lot."Help—""Shut up!" The knife was tight against me. "You scream, you'll be sorry."The cemetery was silent. No one would hear.Vince shoved me into the back of his beat-up BMW, then got in the driver's seat. He looked at me in the rearview mirror, his eyes burning with a wild madness."Buckle up," he started the engine. "We're going somewhere special.""Where?""You'll see."The car pulled out of the cemetery and headed for the outskirts of town. I tried to memorize the route, looking for a chance to escape."Don't you see? It was all a mistake!" His voice grew
Isabella's POVIt was just Dante and me in the private room."Thank you," I opened my eyes. "For all of this. The evidence, the plan, the… support."Dante stood up and walked to the window.Outside, the city lights burned bright. Life went on."Don't thank me," he said."Why?" I stood up too. "Why do so much for me?"Dante turned to face me. His green eyes held a deep, raw emotion."Because I'm in love with you, Isabella," he said, his voice raw with an emotion he'd held back for years. "I think I have been since the moment I first saw you."My heart stopped."Dante…""Since that night fifteen years ago," he walked towards me. "When a brave little girl saved my life.""We were just kids then.""Yes. But I knew even then that you were special," Dante stopped in front of me. "Kind, brave, full of light."I took a step back. "That's just… gratitude.""No," Dante shook his head. "It's love. A deep, lasting love.""We just met—""We've known each other for fifteen years," Dante cut me off.
Isabella's POVVince's face went from white to a sickly gray."Five years," his voice was hoarse. "For five years, you were lying to me.""Lying?" I gave a small laugh. "I never lied, Vince. You just never asked the right questions."Sophia finally found her voice. "You're a Mafia princess?""The only daughter of the most powerful family on the East Coast," I confirmed. "The DeLucas control most of the business from here to Miami."Vince shot to his feet. "Those deals… my early successes…""My father pulled every string," my voice was a blade. "Every door that opened for you, he held the key. It was a test, Vince. To see if you were worthy of the DeLuca name.""A test?""And you failed," Dante said, stepping into the room. "Miserably."Vince turned to him, his eyes burning with hatred. "This was all you. You planned this.""No," Dante sat beside me. "This was all you.""I don't understand," Sophia's voice trembled. "If you were so rich and powerful, why did you marry Vince?""Because I
Isabella's POVThe next evening, the Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of "Vittorio's," a restaurant in Manhattan's Little Italy.An old, beat-up BMW was parked outside, looking completely out of place."Looks like Vince has fallen on hard times," Dante observed, looking at the car."Good," I said, adjusting my necklace. "Desperate men are easier to break."We had just gotten out of the car when the restaurant door opened. Vince and Sophia were about to go in.They saw us and froze.Sophia was wearing a bright red dress, her arm linked tightly with Vince's.On her left ring finger was a cheap-looking ring."Look who it is," Sophia’s voice was dripping with spite. "Isabella and her new husband."I walked gracefully towards them. "Sophia. Vince.""We got married yesterday," Sophia said, flashing the ring on her finger. "City Hall. So, I guess that makes me the real Mrs. Moretti now.""Congratulations," I said coolly. "I hope this one lasts longer."Vince just stared at me. There was somethi
I flipped through the evidence in the folder, each page making me angrier.Records of Sophia buying endless luxuries with Vince's money.Intimate photos of her with another man.Even a recording of her admitting she planned the whole seduction."That bitch..." I gritted my teeth. "She planned all of
I took the whiskey and downed it in one go.The liquor burned my throat, but it didn't burn away the confusion."Who are your sources?" I stared at Dante. "And why were you watching my marriage?"Dante didn't answer right away. He walked to the window, hands in his pockets."I never stopped watching
"I don't understand." My fists clenched. "Why would he want to see me?""We were wondering the same thing," Marco said, leaning back in his chair. "Dante Costello doesn't do anything without a reason. If he specifically asked for you...""Then he has one," Father finished.I stood up, pacing the din
Sophia stroked the sapphire at her throat, her eyes filled with vicious satisfaction."You know what the funniest part is, Isabella?" Her voice was sickeningly sweet. "Vince told me you once stood outside the jewelry store, staring at this necklace like a beggar."My nails dug into my palms."He sai







