Chapter 4

The disgust in his eyes hurt more than any weapon.

Just then, Ava, who'd been "trembling" in Vincent's arms, looked up at me, her eyes wet with tears.

"Isabella, sister, please, stop…" she said weakly, her voice was weak, already starting to break. “I know you hate me, but you can’t deny the truth… I saved Vincent’s life. All our lives, I’ve let you have everything—the clothes, the awards, the jewelry. But not him. I’m not giving up Vincent.”

As she spoke, she pulled away from Vincent and walked toward me, reaching for my hand like she was about to beg.

“If you think this is my fault, then hit me! Go on!”

The second she was close, something in her eyes changed. They went cold. Vicious.

Where Vincent couldn’t see, her fingers dug into my arm.

Pain shot through me. I tried to pull away, but she suddenly threw herself backward, slamming her body hard against the sharp corner of the desk.

"Ahhh—!"

A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the study.

It happened so fast I couldn't even react.

Ava was already on the floor, clutching her arm, blood quickly soaking through her sleeve.

I was frozen, my hand still in the position she had pulled it into.

Vincent's eyes widened. He lunged forward and shoved me back, hard.

"Isabella!" he roared, his voice loud enough to shake the room. "Are you crazy?! What the hell are you doing?!"

He gently scooped Ava up, his eyes going from panicked to murderous as he looked at her bleeding arm.

He looked up, his gaze locked on me.

"I can't believe you. You're so twisted you'd actually attack her."

I looked at the "trembling" woman in his arms, the one with a triumphant glint in her eyes. I looked at the undisguised hatred and disappointment on his face. And I started to laugh.

I laughed so hard the tears streamed down my face.

So, ten years of love, ten years of work, and in his eyes, I was just a "twisted" woman being "jealous."

"You are a blind, pathetic fool, Vincent Corleone." I laughed, the sound wet and broken. The calm in my own voice was terrifying.

Vincent's voice trembled with rage. He held Ava tighter. "Apologize to Ava. Now!"

Apologize?

I looked around the lavish study. The paintings on the wall were ones I'd acquired for him. The papers on his desk were the result of my all-nighters.

Everything in here was once proof of my love. Now it was just evidence of my stupidity.

I walked slowly toward the fireplace and picked up the shredded pieces of my audit report.

"Isabella, what do you think you're doing?" Vincent watched me, wary.

"Nothing." I stood before the fire, watching the flames dance, and dropped the scraps of paper in, one by one. "Just cleaning up some… trash."

The paper curled, blackened, and turned to ash in the fire.

That was my youth. My ten years of hard work.

And the last of my love for him.

When the last piece was gone, I turned around and met his unbelieving stare.

"Vincent Corleone. As of this moment, I, Isabella Rossi, officially break our engagement."

My voice wasn't loud, but it echoed in every corner of the room.

"You can save your precious title of Donna for the 'brave' hero in your arms. I wish you both… a long and happy life together."

Vincent was stunned. He'd clearly never imagined I would say that. In his world, I was the desperate psycho who would do anything to marry him. The girl who would always come running back.

He looked at me, his shock turning to a condescending sneer.

"Break the engagement?" He scoffed, like it was the funniest joke he'd ever heard. "Isabella, stop playing these games. It's childish."

He patted Ava's back soothingly, then spoke to me with the tone of a king granting a pardon. "I know you're upset today. I'll let it slide. Now go to your room. Without me, you are nothing," he said, his voice dropping to a low threat. "Without my family, the Rossi name is dirt. Go to your room. And when you’re ready to beg, you can come and apologize to Ava."

He was so sure I wouldn't leave him.

He thought he was my whole world.

He thought that after ten years, no matter what he did, all he had to do was snap his fingers and I'd come crawling back.

I turned and walked to the door, without looking back.

Behind me, I heard Vincent’s dismissive voice.

"Let's go, Ava. Let her cool off."