All Chapters of The Wedding Jilt: Gangster's Revenge Bride: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Chapter 32: The Sabotage Begins*Valerie's POV*Vivian had done well finding us somewhere off the beaten path, I had to admit. Two separate rooms on the third floor, each with its own bed, its own bathroom, its own space to breathe. After the intensity of sharing Tony's suite, I told myself the separation was exactly what I needed.So why did I feel so disappointed?Tony was in the room next to mine, separated by a thin wall that did nothing to muffle the sound of him pacing back and forth. He'd been trying to reach Michael for hours, sending message after message from my phone, but there'd been no response."He's gone dark," Tony said when I knocked on his door to check on his progress. "Either he's figured out someone's impersonating you, or he's too paranoid to respond to anyone right now."I stepped into his room, noting how similar it was to mine. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, my phone in his hands, his expression a mix of frustration and calculation."What do we do now?

Chapter 34: Overheard Truths*Valerie's POV*The drive to Il Belvedere should have been scenic…rolling Tuscan hills dotted with olive groves, the late afternoon sun casting everything in golden light. Instead, it felt like driving toward a funeral.Tony was tense behind the wheel. Vivian sat in the passenger seat, constantly checking mirrors and scanning the roadside like she expected an ambush at any moment. After yesterday's encounter with law enforcement, paranoia seemed like the only rational response."Turn here," Vivian said, consulting the GPS on her phone. "The restaurant should be just ahead."The road curved through a stand of cypress trees, and I caught my first glimpse of our destination. Il Belvedere sat perched on a hilltop, its terrace offering panoramic views of the valley below. It was exactly the kind of romantic location Michael would choose, isolated enough for privacy, elegant enough to impress. He was using my money to book a reservation in a five star restaurant

Chapter 36: The Discovery*Tony's POV*I woke to silence, and in my world, silence was never a good sign.The digital clock on the bedside table read 7:23 AM. I'd fallen asleep in the chair by the window sometime around four, still fully clothed, my gun within easy reach. Old habits from too many years of never knowing when an enemy might come calling.Vivian laid on the bed, still deep in sleep. I thought of Valerie, did I make her feel lonely? Did she feel left out?I moved to the wall we shared and pressed my ear against it, listening for any sign of life on the other side. No movement, no breathing, nothing. The silence was so complete it felt ominous.I crossed to her door and knocked, keeping my voice low so as not to wake Vivian."Valerie? You awake?"No response.I knocked again, harder this time. "Valerie?"Still nothing.Ice formed in the pit of my stomach. In our line of work, when someone didn't answer their door, it usually meant one of two things: they were dead, or they

Chapter 38: The Mole*Tony's POV*I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Valerie's phone in my hands, trying to push away the gnawing worry in my gut. She was gone. Had chosen to leave. That should have simplified things, made my job easier without the complication of protecting a civilian who didn't understand the rules of my world.So why couldn't I stop thinking about her? About whether she was safe, whether she had anywhere to go, whether she regretted walking away from her chance at revenge against Michael?Focus, I told myself. The job comes first. It always comes first.At least I still had access to her Instagram account. I'd logged in with my phone last night to monitor Michael's messages, and thankfully she hadn't changed the password before disappearing. It was my only remaining connection to the bastard who'd framed me for murder and destroyed my reputation.I opened the direct messages and started typing, slipping back into the persona of heartbroken Valerie.Me: Michae

Chapter 40: The Long Con*Valerie's POV*"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE????"The scream tore from my throat with such force that it echoed off the marble walls, bouncing back at us like an accusation. My father actually stepped backward, his face going pale with shock at the raw fury in my voice."Valeria, please," he said, his diplomatic instincts kicking in even as confusion clouded his features. "What's gotten into you? Why are you shouting at our guest?"Our guest. He called her our guest, like she belonged here, like she had every right to be standing in my family's home wearing designer clothes and looking at me with those fake, apologetic eyes."I'm sorry you had to find out this way," Cynthia said, her voice soft and trembling with what I now recognized as practiced vulnerability. "But Valerie, I love your father. I know it might be hard for you to understand, but…""Love my father?" The words came out as a snarl. "What about Michael? You…"I caught myself just in time, the