Chapter 3

"Be smart and do as you're told," Lorenzo said. "I'll give you a sum of money that's enough to keep you comfortable for the rest of your life. Otherwise…"

I arched a brow. "Otherwise what?"

His gaze sharpened. "Otherwise, I'll treat you like I've never known you."

Suddenly, a soft meow sounded at Sofia's feet. A snow-white, long-haired cat poked its head out near her ankle. Around its neck hung a diamond necklace so bright that it was blinding.

My breath hitched. That was my Mamma's heirloom, a one-of-a-kind, priceless necklace named the Ocean's Heart.

My reasoning vanished at that moment. Without any warning, I lunged forward like a madwoman, reaching straight for the cat's neck. "Take it off now!"

Sofia shrieked and scooped the cat into her arms, stumbling backward like she had been traumatized to her core. Before my fingers could even graze the diamonds, a large hand clamped around my wrist.

The sheer force held me in place before violently shoving me to the side. Lorenzo shielded her, impatience written all over his face. "Vittoria, what the hell is wrong with you? You'll hurt Nevetta!"

I staggered, caught my balance, and locked my eyes on Sofia, who was cradling that animal and hiding behind Lorenzo.

"That's my necklace! It belonged to my Mamma!" I roared, my voice shaking with rage.

Lorenzo cleared his throat awkwardly, still shielding her. "It was just sitting in the safe collecting dust, anyway. Might as well put it to use. Sofia loves her cat, Nevetta, and the necklace suits it."

Put to use? By hanging my Mamma's heirloom around the neck of a pet?

Seeing my face flush red, he frowned and switched to that soothing, patronizing tone he liked to use when he thought he was being reasonable.

"It's just a necklace. You used to have plenty of jewelry, anyway. Having one less won't kill you. Besides, Nevetta is Sofia's baby. It's gotten used to the necklace, and removing it might upset it."

"So…" I uttered, my chest heaving. "That thing is her baby, while my Mamma's heirloom is some disposable trash?"

Seeing their ugly faces, I could no longer hold back my urge to kill. I raised my gun and fired it in their direction. The bullet grazed Lorenzo's ear and penetrated the vase behind him, shattering it.

Everyone froze. Gone were the colors from Lorenzo's face. He stared at me in disbelief. "You're actually insane, Vittoria."

"The next shot will be aimed at your head," I said flatly. "You have three seconds to take the necklace off and give it back to me."

The air in the living room was so suffocating that no one dared to move.

Clearly, Lorenzo hadn't expected me to pull the trigger. In his memory, I was the woman hopelessly in love with him. What he forgot was that before I ever met him, my name alone was enough to make all of Cicelya shudder.

I began the countdown. "Three."

Sofia's hands were shaking so badly she could barely hold Nevetta. It probably sensed my hostility, too, considering it was thrashing wildly in her arms, desperate to get away.

My finger tightened on the trigger. "Two."

"Give it to her! Just give it to her!" Lorenzo shouted at Sofia, his composure in pieces.

She sobbed as she tore the necklace off Nevetta's neck, hands shaking as she held it out to me. I took it from her, then carefully wiped away the cat hair and her scent with my sleeve before fastening it around my neck.

The cold diamonds rested against my skin, calming me, albeit minusculely.

"That's not all," I added, sweeping my gaze across the room. "The antique guns in the study, the collection in the wine cellar, as well as the haute couture in my wardrobe—return them all to me, or I'll start cutting off fingers."