7 Chapter 7
The private jet landed in Boston, where my best friend, Siobhan Kelly, immediately swept me into a hug.
“Welcome to your new life, Isabella,” Siobhan said, pulling me into a fierce hug. “You’re finally free.”
The tears I had been holding back for so long finally spilled over, hot and uncontrollable.
Siobhan, uncertain, asked, “Izzy, do you really not regret this? Leaving Dante, running from the marriage?”
It wasn’t surprising she asked.
When I had told her I was leaving him, she’d been floored.
He was the Underboss of the Moretti family; I, the Principessa of the Falcones. Our marriage was to be the alliance that would reshape the city’s underworld.
We were each other’s first love, the golden couple of the New York underworld.
Everyone envied us, how we’d kept our love alive for so many years.
Women even came to me for advice when they fought with their partners, asking for the secret to a perfect relationship.
At the time, I would just smile and share my thoughts.
My advice had helped many couples. People even told me I should write a book.
Who would have thought that I, the expert on love, couldn’t even save my own?
“But you always say we have to be true to ourselves, right? I mean, he’s sick, Izzy. People aren’t perfect. You can’t just abandon him for that. I can’t believe he could just forget six years of love!”
Yes, I didn’t believe it either.
At this point, I had no reason to hide anything from Siobhan.
When I told her everything, she was so furious she was ready to take her men to New York and teach Dante a lesson.
I pulled her back.
“He’s not worth our time. And trust me, the gift I sent him is one he’ll truly appreciate.”
Siobhan couldn’t believe I could let go so easily.
Then I told her, my voice cold, how I had been forced to donate blood right after my abortion. Her eyes filled with tears.
“Isabella, if he doesn’t love you, that ‘gift‘ won’t hurt him at all!”
I had kept one thing from Siobhan, fearing she would act rashly. Just then, a news notification popped up on my phone.
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7 Chapter 7
To distract Siobhan, I opened it.
It was a livestream of Dante and Carina’s engagement party.
I quickly tried to close it, but Siobhan had already seen it.
She snatched my phone in a fury.
“That bastard! That absolute scumbag! He swore he’d marry you, and now he’s getting engaged to her? He was playing you all along!”
I couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.
I was even starting to wonder if the past six years, the love I thought we shared, had just been my own wishful thinking.
At least, I was free now.
And with that, I cut the last cord. Dante Moretti, you will never hurt me again.
Just as they were about to exchange rings, one of Dante’s men ran up and whispered something
in his ear.
Dante suddenly turned to the camera and shouted, his voice ringing with excitement, “Isabella, I know you’re watching! This is fake! All of it! I had to do this to get your attention! I couldn’t find you! Isabella, I’m better now. The sickness… it’s gone!”
“Isabella, I love you! You are my one and only!
“Do you remember this diamond set? I’ve been waiting for you to come back, to wear it and marry me!”
He held up an exquisite jewelry box, launching into the story behind its design, every word a supposed declaration of his love for me.
All i felt was a deep, chilling irony.
If he truly loved me, how could he have cheated? How could he have fooled around with those women and my own cousin?
If he truly loved me, how could he have let me go through an abortion alone?
If he truly loved me, how could he have forced me to donate blood right after?
If he truly loved me, how could he have brought Carina and that entire sordid crew into our home for an orgy?
If he truly loved me, how could he have given Carina the wedding rings and the gown I had designed for myself?
