For His True Love, He Lost His Throne

"Divorce?" Matteo frowned deeply. "We're talking about you betraying the Famiglia right now. Don't change the subject, and tell me how much you have revealed to the Castellis."

I let out a self-mocking laugh. "I haven't told them a single thing."

He impatiently rubbed the bridge of his nose and said, "My patience has its limits, Bianca."

Isabella soothingly patted his back. "Don Rossini, the Donna probably doesn't know many inside details anyway, so she couldn't have leaked anything important.

"If she refuses to confess, I'll find a way to extract the truth from the Castellis myself. Trust me."

Matteo's expression eased slightly, but the way he looked at me was still cold.

He called Fabio over. "Lock her up. No one lets her out without my permission."

As Fabio strode toward me with a smug look, my first reaction wasn't anger. Instead, it was relief.

This was the final nail in the coffin that killed any lingering feelings I had for Matteo.

"Don't bother. I'll go myself."

Matteo stiffened slightly, but said nothing. He watched in silence as the guards escorted me to the car.

After my phone and earrings were confiscated, he looked over my belongings and asked, "Where's your wedding ring?"

"I left it at the hospital."

With that, I stepped into the cell and shut the iron door myself.

He stared at me for a deep, long beat before turning around and walking away.

…

That night, Isabella came to my cell, looking all proud and unbearably smug.

"Look at you, the once-admired Donna. Now, you're as pathetic as a stray dog.

"I was wondering how to get rid of you for good, but thankfully, the damned Matteo did me the perfect favor."

At the mention of his name, her face twisted. "I covered my tracks so well, yet he still suspected me.

"But it doesn't matter now. You're the scapegoat, so even if I never deliver another piece of intel, Don Rossini will never blame me…"

She laughed wildly until I grabbed her and slammed her to the ground in one swift move.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "How do you know how to fight?"

I gave a cold laugh. "I know a lot more than that."

Then, I slapped her hard across the face.

She howled in pain and shrieked, "Bitch! How dare you lay a hand on me!"

"Damn right I did."

All the anger I had been suppressing finally erupted.

"This slap is for breaking the rules and seducing the Don!

"This slap is for betraying the Famiglia, spreading lies, and creating rumors!"

Holding her down with one hand, I tore the keys from her belt with the other and unlocked the cell door. Then, I took out my phone and called Papa.

"Papa, I'm in the basement of Tenuta Ombra. Bring plenty of men and guns…"

I looked at the guards rushing toward me and let out a cold laugh. "Otherwise, I'm afraid I won't be able to beat them all."

Matteo arrived just in time to hear my last words.

His eyes fell on Isabella's swollen face, and his gaze immediately turned cold. "Bianca, do you realize the consequences of what you've done?"

"Consequences?"

I let out a short laugh. "When my Padre gets here, you'll understand the consequences of locking me up."

At the mention of Papa, Matteo looked at me like he'd just heard the funniest joke of the century. "Your Padre? Are you talking about the dairy merchant?

"Bianca, I think you've lived in luxury for so long that you can't even tell what real power looks like anymore."

I looked at their arrogant expressions and quietly announced, "My Padre is Vincenzo Valenti, Don of the Valenti Mafia Famiglia."

The moment the words left my mouth, laughter broke out around me.

Fabio couldn't help but chime in, "Vincenzo Valenti? Just because you share the last name doesn't mean you can claim him as your Padre!

"Do you even know how he is? He's a man even Don Rossini has a hard time meeting."

When he noticed Matteo's stiff expression, he quickly added, "But once Don Rossini swallows up the Castellis, even Don Valenti would have to show him some respect."

Only then did Matteo's expression ease slightly.

Isabella turned to Fabio and snapped, "Don't get off track. If Don Valenti heard that, how would Don Rossini ever get to work with him again?"

I laughed. "Don't worry. As long as I'm around, he'll never work with Matteo."

That only sent the crowd into louder laughter.

Matteo's frown deepened. The way he looked at me was the same way one would look at a madwoman.

That was when he lost all interest in the conversation and simply said in a cold voice, "I don't have time for your nonsense, Bianca. Apologize to Isabella right now, and maybe I'll spare you out for our old times' sake."

When I didn't respond, Isabella pouted and wrapped her arms around Matteo's.

"Don't push her, Don Rossini. Given her noble status, she can slap me or even take my life if she wants…"

"She wouldn't dare! I gave her her so-called noble status! With a single word from me, she'd be lower than a stray on the streets," Matteo snapped. His expression was dark and thunderous.

Though I'd expected it, his words still hit me like a blow. That was the harshest thing he'd ever said to me in three years.

"And besides, her betrayal of the Famiglia is enough reason for me to kill her a thousand times over."

He waved and summoned a few guards over. "Pin her down."

I immediately straightened up and warned, "Matteo, if you dare lay a finger on me today, my Padre will wipe out your entire Famiglia."

"Sure, I'll wait," he said, word by word as if to challenge me. "I'm quite curious to see how your dairy merchant father manages to topple a Mafia Famiglia.

"Since you refuse to apologize, I'll deal with this my way."

He glanced behind him before several guards lunged forward and slammed me down onto my knees.

With a thud, my injured knees hit the hard concrete. For a second, I could feel my bone splinter all over again.

"Matteo Rossini!" I choked.

Lifting my head, I bore into his gaze with bloodshot eyes. "You… will… regret… this…"

Matteo froze. For a fleeting second, a flicker of hesitation flashed in his eyes.

That was when Fabio came stumbling into the cellar. "Don Rossini! Something's gone wrong!

"A fleet of strangers just stormed Tenuta Ombra and took down the guards at the gates. Right now, they're heading straight for you!"