Chapter 2

After I hung up, Vincenzo pushed the door open and stepped in. His eyes flickered when he saw me. He walked over to hug me, but I stepped back out of reach. "Don't touch me."

His face went dark. "Isabella, what exactly do you want?"

"I don't want anything." I turned and lay down on the bed, my back to him. "I'm going to the banquet tomorrow. You can't stop me."

That night, I stared into the darkness until dawn. Vincenzo breathed evenly beside me, as if our argument had never happened. I carefully lifted his hand from my waist, knowing this might be the last time I lay next to him.

When I went downstairs after the sky had turned bright, Vincenzo was already waiting in the living room. He frowned when he saw me. "Are you really going to go?"

"Yes. I want to see how your darling Lina basks in everyone's blessings with my recipe."

His gaze turned cold. "Isabella, don't cause a scene."

"A scene?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm just going to take back what's mine."

…

Villo Estate blazed with lights, and luxury cars lined the street.

When I got out of the car, several people gave me odd looks. In their eyes, I, the Donna of the Corleone family, hadn't shown up at this sort of event in a long time.

Giuseppe leaned close and murmured, "Ms. Rossi, the abduction arrangement is all set."

I nodded, pushed the doors open, and walked in.

The ballroom was buzzing. Lina wore a white gown that put her pregnant belly on display; she was surrounded by admirers like a proud princess. When she saw me, her smile froze for a beat. Then, she tilted her chin and strode over.

"Well, well, Isabella. What brings you here?" Her tone dripped with undisguised mockery. "Didn't Vincenzo tell you that today's my big day? Outsiders aren't welcome."

"Outsiders?" I let out a short, cold laugh. My gaze swept over the table and landed on a plate of tomato-basil pasta. "If I'm an outsider, then tell me how you got the recipe for that dish."

The room instantly went quiet, and every eye turned to us.

Lina blanched before she quickly threw on a look of innocence. "What are you talking about? I developed that recipe myself. How could it be yours?"

"You developed it?" I took a step forward, closing the distance. "Have you forgotten what happened three years ago, when I was testing that dish in the family's restaurant?

"You used touring the kitchen as an excuse to steal my recipe book, then copied the special handling notes I'd marked. You think I didn't notice? The cleaning lady saw you sneaking out of my station and told me about it."

Her gaze turned shifty and panicked. She instinctively stepped back, arms tightening protectively over her belly. "That's utter nonsense! You copied my method, and now you're turning it around to smear me!"

"Smear you?" I signaled a server to bring the plate over. "The basil is supposed to be marinated in olive oil for three hours. The tomatoes must be from San Zanoro, peeled and seeded, then sauteed in butter until almost molten.

"These are details that no one aside from myself would know. Are you really claiming you figured all that out on your own?"

Lina's lips trembled. She couldn't form any words.

Just then, the crowd parted, and Vincenzo walked in. His expression darkened when he saw us facing off, and he hurried to Lina's side.

When she saw him, she suddenly reeled backward, almost falling. She would have fallen if he hadn't caught her.

"Vincenzo!" Lina's eyes instantly reddened, and her voice caught. "Isabella bullied me. She said I stole her recipe, and she even pushed me…"

A wave of condemnation rose around us.

"How could she push a pregnant woman? That's outrageous!"

"Exactly. Lina's pregnant, and she just won an award. Donna Corleone is obviously jealous."

"Donna Corleone is such a disgrace."

I stood where I was, watching the farce unfold, finding it nothing short of absurd.

Vincenzo frowned at me. His tone was tinged with reproach as he said, "No matter what happened, Isabella, you shouldn't have laid a hand on Lina. She's pregnant."