na's

full celebration, toasting t

stuffing the remains of my old life into a single black suitcase. I deliberately slipped my old architecture-school acceptance letter and personal files in among my

corridor as Alessandro an

. It was the finest room in the entire estate - the one that had belon

to Alessandro's arms. "The guest nursery downstairs is perfect

closed door, and he did

nd turned to see me stepp

dro commanded. "Valentina

cross my mother's old rocking chai

said evenly. "Ten minut

rms suddenly began to wai

, and what little patience he had left evaporated. He

onds," Alessandro snapped. "T

bing boxes, blankets, and b

a silver picture frame went flying, smashing

r that had survived. A shard of glass

and began picking up the broken glass with my bare hands. The sharp edg

s if the scene beneath him weren't worth his attenti

orward and ground the stiletto heel of her designer shoe into

he outsider,"

ack, looking down a

d in a tone that permitted no argument. "Valentin

he blood-soaked, ruined

going,"

don't test me today. You owe this family. Your lif

p. At the same moment, heavy tires came

ht past them. No hysterics, no tears. I descended the grand staircase, walked out the

the massive mahogany desk. I laid a stack of bank receipts on the desk - every dollar o

x and handed me a formal divorce certificate stamped in vivid red. "T

triarch said coldly. "From this day fo

ried the anti-tracking SIM card out of my phone, snapped it