Chapter 4

The day I left was the day before the wedding.

I walked down the stairs, pulling my black suitcase behind me.

In the main hall, Ryn was excitedly setting up several cylindrical devices.

She was whispering to Elena. "When Briony walks down the aisle, these cream bombs will all go off at once. It's going to be epic!"

Elena put down her coffee cup and just gave a tired smile.

"Ryn, don't take it too far. Just get her dress dirty. Don't actually hurt her."

"Don't worry, Mom," Ryn said with a smug arch of her eyebrow. "Briony won't get mad. When has she ever stayed mad? She always just swallows it."

This version is direct, punchy, and uses common but effective slang to capture the "mafia" feel.

She’s talking about when we were kids.

Ryn broke my favorite teddy bear. All she did was shrug and say she didn't mean it.

Elena jumped in front of her. "It's just a toy. So it's broken. Big deal."

What she forgot was, she was the one who gave it to me. For my birthday.

Then Riccardo got on my case, saying I wasn't acting like the daughter of a boss should.

So I stormed out. Just grabbed a small bag and left.

But I was just a kid. Where the hell was I gonna go?

Of course, nobody came for me. After I was frozen stiff, I dragged myself home.

And there they were, the three of them, sitting in the living room. Smirking. Like they knew I'd come crawling back all along.

I stood on the landing, listening in silence.

I felt nothing. My heart was already dead.

I continued down the stairs, the wheels of my suitcase making a soft rolling sound on the hardwood floor.

Gideon was just walking in from outside.

He saw me with the suitcase and raised an eyebrow.

"Couldn't wait to move into my place, huh?" he said, walking toward me with a smirk. "Good. Get used to being the lady of the house."

He reached out to take my suitcase.

I sidestepped him, neatly avoiding his hand.

Gideon's hand hung in the air, and his face instantly darkened.

"Playing the part of the untouchable bride already?" he sneered, stuffing his hand in his pocket. "We're not even married and you're giving me the cold shoulder?"

I ignored him.

I stopped at the front door.

On the wall hung a massive family portrait.

Riccardo, Elena, and Ryn sat in the center, smiling happily. Gideon stood behind Ryn, his hand resting on her chair.

And me? I was on the far edge of the frame, wearing a plain gray coat, looking like an out-of-place servant.

I looked away and pushed the door open without a second glance back.

"Hey! Are you still mad?"

Ryn followed me to the door, yelling at my back.

"If you're going to be like that, you can get to the church by yourself tomorrow! I'm not picking you up!"

I opened the door of the black sedan waiting for me and got in.

Ryn leaned against the doorframe and turned to Gideon, joking with a grin. "Look at her, Gideon. Better watch out. She might get mad and actually run away."

Gideon lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and smiled with absolute certainty.

"Run? She wouldn't dare," he scoffed, blowing out a smoke ring. "The worst she'll do is go cry in the mansion for a while. She'll be in that wedding dress tomorrow, right on time."

The car door closed, shutting out their voices.

"To the airport," I told the driver coldly.

The car pulled smoothly out of the estate.

On the way, my phone buzzed.

A message from Elena.

"Briony, be a good sport when you walk down the aisle tomorrow. Ryn has a little surprise for you. Don't you dare put on that sour face and make us a laughingstock in front of the guests."

Right after, a message from Gideon popped up.

"Once you've dropped off your luggage, go to the master bedroom. I have a surprise for you in the closet, to make up for the last few days. Stop this nonsense."

A surprise?

Another tool to humiliate me, or another pity necklace?

I didn't care anymore.

I opened my contacts and, one by one, blocked Gideon, Elena, Riccardo, and Ryn.

A clean break. No one left to contact.

The flight to Zurich was boarding in half an hour.

In the family group chat, Elena had started a poll: "Let's make a bet. What time will our little princess finally cave and show up tomorrow?"

Riccardo was the first to reply: "10:30. Got to give her time to fix her makeup."

Elena sent a smiling emoji: "I'm guessing 10:00. This is a serious alliance. Briony knows the score."

Gideon chimed in, "10:15 at the latest. If I have to, I'll sweet-talk her a little. She'll put on the dress and show up."

No one cared about my dignity. They only cared about who would win their little game.

I looked at the screen, a smirk playing on my lips.

The boarding call echoed through the terminal.

I stood up and walked away without looking back.