Chapter 3

The next morning, Matteo was waiting outside the Manhattan headquarters of Santoro Holdings.

The moment I stepped out of my car, he approached and shoved a velvet box toward me.

"Have you had enough?"

The box struck my chest and fell to the pavement.

"Withdraw the engagement termination notice."

I didn't bend to pick it up.

"Our engagement is over."

Matteo pulled out his phone, opened the email from my lawyer, and deleted it right in front of me.

"Who do you think you're threatening with a piece of paper?"

"You're twenty-nine, Giulia. If you break off this engagement, what do you think people will say? A woman with a bad reputation, a broken engagement, and a family that doesn't even want her."

He stepped closer.

"I'm willing to marry you, and you think you can find someone better?"

I looked at him.

"Then marry Natalia."

His expression darkened.

Before he could answer, a black sedan pulled up beside us.

My father stepped out, followed by Mother and Natalia. Raffaele Costa, the Santoro family's Underboss, came out of the second vehicle with two security men.

Father held a revised anniversary banquet schedule and threw it against my chest.

"Tomorrow's celebration will go ahead as planned."

He pointed at Natalia.

"You will apologize to your sister in front of the Capos and our allied families. I won't tolerate another scene."

Mother leaned against the car door, looking me up and down.

"Do you really think you're some untouchable heiress?"

"Your grandfather is dead. Who do you think is going to keep indulging you now?"

I looked at them.

"If you despise me so much, why do you still expect me to pay for your anniversary banquet?"

Mother answered as if it were obvious.

"You're our daughter."

"Taking care of your parents is your responsibility. Don't act as if paying for one family celebration makes you special."

Then I noticed the necklace around Natalia's neck.

My natural pearl necklace.

I'd refused to give it to her the day before. Matteo must have used the spare key he still had to our apartment and taken it from my jewelry box.

Natalia noticed my gaze and immediately covered the necklace with her hand.

"Giulia, don't misunderstand."

"Mom said you hardly ever wear it. She thought I could borrow it for one evening."

"If you don't like it, I'll take it off."

She said that while deliberately pulling at the clasp.

The string snapped.

Pearls scattered across the pavement.

Natalia gasped and stepped backward. Her heel crushed two of them.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

I crouched to collect them.

My grandfather had personally chosen every pearl for my eighteenth birthday.

Mother kicked one away from her shoe.

"Stop picking up those things!"

"They're just pearls. Are they more important than your own sister?"

Natalia crouched beside me and grabbed my wrist.

"Giulia, let me help..."

Then she suddenly fell backward.

A sharp slap rang through the entrance.

She had pulled my hand across her own cheek.

The security guards turned toward the commotion.

Matteo rushed forward and caught Natalia before she hit the ground.

Father shoved me hard.

My back struck the stone planter behind me, leaving me breathless.

"Have you lost your mind?" he roared. "Are you trying to kill your sister?"

I struggled to stand.

"I didn't hit her."

Matteo held Natalia against his chest and looked down at me.

"She fell by herself?"

"Do you think everyone here is stupid?"

Natalia shook her head through her tears.

"Please don't blame Giulia."

"She has always had everything. I only borrowed her necklace once. It's understandable that she's upset."

Mother immediately took her side.

"What does she have that you don't?"

"Besides being born into this family, what is she better at?"

"You're sweet, considerate, and loved by everyone. She's nothing but a cold-hearted stone."

Father pointed at me.

"If you don't attend tomorrow's banquet, don't ever call yourself a Santoro again."

Matteo picked up the ring box from the pavement and opened it.

My engagement ring lay inside.

"Get down and apologize to Natalia," he said. "Then maybe I'll reconsider marrying you."

"Otherwise, you'll never become a member of the Bellucci family."

I looked at the ring.

Then I laughed.

"Then I won't."

Matteo's expression turned ugly.

"Stop pretending you're proud. Without me, nobody would even look twice at you."

I reached into my bag and took out the formal demand notice my lawyer had prepared.

"Twenty million dollars. Seven days to repay it."

I placed another document on top.

"The Manhattan building housing Bellucci Holdings belongs to me. My lawyer has initiated termination of your company's lease. You'll have to vacate next week."

Matteo glanced at the documents before tearing them in half.

"You think you can scare me with money?"

"You think you can survive just because you own a few buildings?"

I didn't answer.

Tearing up a copy wouldn't erase the debt or cancel a legal notice.

That afternoon, I completed my handover at Santoro Holdings.

I also changed my flight.

Instead of leaving in two days, I would depart at five the following morning.

That evening, Matteo sent another message to the family group chat.

She'll come to tomorrow's banquet. Just wait.

Father replied:

Don't give her an easy way back.

Mother added:

Some people only learn when they're taught a lesson.

They still believed I would eventually apologize.

They had no idea I would be at the airport before sunrise.

Tomorrow, I wouldn't be attending their anniversary banquet.

I would be leaving New York.