Chapter 4

Rosie was wearing a white couture dress with the Moretti family's silver eagle pin on her chest.

The pin marked her as someone under the Don's personal protection.

I blocked the door to the side parlor.

"This is a family lunch," I said, looking at Rosie. "No outsiders."

Damian put a hand on my shoulder and said quietly, "She's with me. Let her say hello to your family, then we'll leave."

With my back to Grandpa, I warned him through clenched teeth, "You'd better make sure she keeps her mouth shut."

"Don't worry. There won't be any trouble."

He stepped around me and brought Rosie over to my grandfather.

The photographer had already set up the camera in the side parlor, and Damian's reserved spot was right beside mine.

My grandfather glanced at the silver eagle pin on Rosie's chest.

"A guest of the Moretti family?"

Rosie gave a sweet little bow.

"Please, just call me Rosie. It's an honor to meet you."

Just then, the photographer called from nearby, "Don, Donna, could you two step over there first? We'd like to test the framing."

Damian took my hand.

Grandpa smiled at our joined hands.

I had no choice but to follow Damian to our marked spot, my body rigid.

The photographer adjusted the lens.

I faced the camera, but I kept watching Rosie out of the corner of my eye.

She seemed to say something else to Grandpa.

Then she took a piece of paper out of her clutch and handed it to him.

Grandpa took it and glanced down at it.

His breathing turned ragged. Without warning, he slapped Rosie across the face.

He clutched his chest as the color slowly drained from his face.

"Grandpa!"

I ran to his side and shouted at Damian, "Go get a doctor!"

Before Damian could answer, Rosie beat him to the door and slammed it shut.

"Make your grandfather apologize to me, or I'm not opening this door!"

Tears streamed down Rosie's face. "Just because he's an elder, he gets to humiliate me for no reason?"

Grandpa trembled with rage.

He couldn't catch his breath, and then he passed out.

I rushed to the door to drag Rosie out of the way.

The next second, Damian clamped a hand around my wrist.

His grip was so tight it nearly crushed my bones.

I looked back at him.

He avoided my eyes and said quietly, "Isa, apologize to Rosie for your grandfather."

I stared at him in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"Apologize." Conflict flickered in his eyes, but his jaw remained clenched. "Apologize to Rosie."

"Isa, it's her birthday." His voice dropped even lower, now pleading. "Just let her have this one. Apologize first."

I looked at Grandpa. His face was as white as paper.

I bit down so hard I tasted metal.

"Fine. I apologize. Rosie, I'm sorry."

The moment the words left my mouth, I felt something inside me snap.

Rosie finally looked up, satisfied, and waved a hand as if she were being generous.

"Fine, I accept your apology."

Damian finally seemed able to breathe again, and he slowly released my wrist.

I lunged for the door, yanked it open, and ran to get a doctor.

By the time I returned with my father and our family's medical team, Damian and Rosie were gone.

A little later, the doctor removed his mask and shook his head gravely.

"I'm sorry. We did everything we could."

At that moment, the whole world went silent.

I threw myself over Grandpa's body. My throat closed, and I couldn't force out a single word.

My father stood across from me, his hands clenched into fists, his eyes red.

That was when I noticed the crumpled piece of paper next to Grandpa.

Shaking, I picked it up and smoothed it open.

It was a prenatal report.

"Mother's name: Rosie Carter."

"Result: 12 weeks pregnant."

I stared at the next line.

"Father's name: Damian Moretti."

My father took the report from me. One glance, and his face darkened.

I wiped away my last tears.

Grandpa would never get to hear their apologies. And I was done waiting for Damian to come back to me.

I wasn't even going to give him the three days.

From this moment on, there would be no more tears. Only blood.

My enemies' blood.

"Dad, it's time to use our backup plan."

I gripped my father's hand and spoke slowly, emphasizing every word. "It's time we brought the Morettis under the Bellini name."