第3章

I suddenly remembered a family photo Rachel had once posted on social media. At a red light, I pulled it up.

"Uncle Pete, could you find out who the man in this photo is?"

I sent him the message along with the photo.

I was genuinely curious who would have the nerve to impersonate the Lucchese Family's consigliere.

After all, impersonating a consigliere violated the Mafia's Ten Commandments. The penalty was execution on the spot.

"So do you actually love me, or do you love the consigliere's daughter?"

Rachel went on flirting with James in Italian.

"You, obviously, sweetheart. I want to pin you down on this seat right now and show you exactly how much I love you."

"With your fiancée sitting right there? I have to say, I like the sound of that."

Rachel licked her lips at James as she said it.

"What are you two talking about?" I couldn't stand another second of their nauseating little exchange, and I kept my voice as steady as I could.

"Nothing much. Just school stuff, and... work stuff."

James brushed me off, a flicker of guilt crossing his eyes.

"Can you be more specific? I'd like to know exactly what you two just said. Care to translate?" I pressed.

"Isabella, what is this, an interrogation? Who do you think you are, a cop? A judge?! You've become impossible to deal with!"

James exploded at me. "We are not going to sit here and be insulted! Stop the car! We're getting out!"

"James, don't be like that. Isabella just wants to feel included. Isn't that right, Isabella?"

Rachel gave me the sweetest smile, but I could see her hand secretly stroking James's thigh. In that instant I wanted to claw my own eyes out.

"James, what am I to you, really? Your fiancée, or an ATM that doesn't even need a PIN?"

I stopped the car, turned around, and asked him slowly and clearly.

"Isabella, you have completely lost your mind. Go see a therapist, and fast. I am not marrying a lunatic!"

James slammed the car door and strode away with Rachel on his arm.

"James, I will make you regret every single word you said today."

Watching the two of them walk away wrapped around each other, I enunciated every word.

Three days later, my father arrived in America, right on schedule.

The moment he stepped off the plane, he strode over and crushed me into his arms. The dangerous scent of cigars and gunpowder that made everyone else tremble only made me feel safe.

"I'm sorry, my little princess. I missed your engagement party. You're not angry with Papa, are you?"

"Of course not." I shook my head at once.

"Where is this fiancé of yours? I'd very much like to meet the man who caught my little princess's eye."

"Actually, he isn't quite my fiancé. He left our engagement party for another woman before we had even finished our speeches."

"What? No one treats my little princess that way. No one!"

My father's voice didn't change at all, but his eyes had gone cold.

"Papa, I want to handle this one myself... In fact, I already have a plan."