Chapter 2

I destroyed everything connected to Sebastian in my study—cheap trinkets, old photographs, and letters full of empty promises. Just then, the doorbell rang three times.

My gaze darkened. By the time I rose from my seat to open the door, my fingers were already wrapped around the dagger hidden in my sleeve.

As soon as the door opened, the first thing that came into view was Sebastian, his arm wrapped around Angelina. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her face streaked with tears. Clutching a cheap fruit basket, she shrank into his arms as if she'd suffered some great injustice.

"Why are you so pale, Bella? Are you feeling unwell?" Sebastian's voice was still warm and gentle. He reached out and tried to touch my forehead.

I stepped aside to avoid him. "You're not welcome here. Get the hell out!"

Angelina immediately choked back a sob, clinging to his arm. "I was just worried about you, Signora Valerini. I heard you've been in a foul mood lately, so I brought some fruit to check on you.

"I know I don't deserve him, but what we have is real. Can't you just give us your blessing?"

"You want my blessing?" As I stared at her pretentious face, I immediately called her out. "The two of you teamed up and scammed me out of four million dollars, used my famiglia's soldati, and now you want my blessing? You're nothing but a clown to me, Angelina."

Angelina's sobs grew louder as she turned to Sebastian. "I didn't… Look at her, Sebastian! She's always looked down on me, and now she's accusing us of scheming against her. I swear I didn't do anything!"

Sebastian's expression hardened in an instant, and he seized my wrist.

"You've gone too far, Isabella! Angelina came to check on you out of kindness, and this is how you treat her? Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you're a Valerini?"

I watched him pull Angelina behind him, and whatever foolish illusion I had was shattered in a heartbeat. I yanked my hand free and slapped him across the face. The sharp crack echoed down the hallway, prompting my soldati downstairs to look up.

"You want me to apologize?" Contempt was written all over my face as I gazed at him, who was clutching his cheek.

"You're an illegitimate child of la famiglia Passini, Sebastian; you're only alive because my family supported you, yet you turned around and plotted against me. Who do you think you are?

"That injury on your arm was self-inflicted. The four million dollars you asked for went straight to Angelina's house, her car, and her luxury goods.

"There was never any crisis. Did you really think you could fool me?"

His face contorted, and he bellowed, "Have you lost your mind? Who told you that? What kind of lies have you been fed?"

"Lies?" I pulled out my phone and played the recording. Their conversation from the secret chamber immediately rang out.

"Should I send this to all the mafia families in Bellano right now? Then, everyone will know what a traitor you truly are and how you played me like a fool!"

The blood drained from Angelina's face. Then, she hurriedly grasped his arm and dragged him outside. "Let's go, Sebastian! Don't argue with her anymore."

"Where do you think you're going?" I stepped forward, blocking their path. "Do you think you can come and go as you please? What do you take my house for, a flea market?"

Sebastian's gaze hardened. He reached out, attempting to snatch my phone away. "Give it to me. Isabella, if I go down, I'm dragging your whole famiglia down with me!"

I had seen that coming. So, I twisted aside and pressed the alarm on the wall. My soldati downstairs flooded upstairs and surrounded them in no time.

"How dare you lay a hand on me, Isabella?" he roared. "My famiglia won't let this slide. The Aurelis are on my side. Your famiglia's days are numbered!"

"Your famiglia?" I arched my brow and let out a mirthless chuckle. "A famiglia that survives on betrayal won't last long in this city."

I took a step back and ordered my soldati, "Throw them out. If they show their faces near any of our operations again, feed them to the sharks!"

My soldati acted immediately. Sebastian was thrashed, and he swore, while Angelina shrieked as the two of them were hauled off. I closed the door and changed all the villa's access codes, from the front gate to the garage and the study.

Sebastian's roars and Angelina's shrill curses echoed outside the door. Ignoring them, I walked to the window, picked up my phone, and called my Madre.

"It's time, Mamma. The Passinis and the Aurelis are going to pay!

"Also, look into our own people. Sebastian couldn't have had access to so much information on his own. We have a traitor in our famiglia."

Camilla's voice was calm and resolute. "I've been prepared for this. Are you safe over there? Do you need reinforcements?"

"No," I responded firmly. "I can take care of it. Keep your eyes on the Passinis' core businesses. Wait for my signal. Then, we'll strike them from both directions."