Chapter 8
Vincenzo replied, [Sofia is safe. When the time comes, I'll pick you up myself.]
My tears finally broke free, relieved that my precious daughter was alive.
Just then, the bedroom door slammed open. Henson stood in the doorway, his face dark with anger.
"Who are you texting?" He strode over and snatched my phone.
When he saw the unfamiliar number on the screen, even without any name attached, his eyes turned dangerous.
He could barely contain his fury and growled, "Who the hell are you talking to now? Did you already hook up with someone else?"
"Henson..."
"Shut up!" he roared, smashing the phone hard against the floor. "You shameless woman!"
He looked down at me with contempt and added, "Tomorrow, you're attending the Costello family's annual charity gala. In front of the Five Families and the media, you're going to publicly admit that we've been divorced for a while now."
"What?"
He said, "You will tell everyone that you asked for the divorce because you fell in love with someone else."
I stared at him in shock. "Why?"
He replied flatly, "My heir needs a legitimate status, but our arrangement won't change. You can keep living in my villa."
"I'm not doing that."
He seemed to be in agony. "Do you even have real feelings for me? After everything you've done, time and time again, you don't have a choice!"
Before I could answer, he stormed out and slammed the door.
The next morning, a man in a suit came to my room. "Ms. Astor, I'm Christiano Faugno, the Costello family's attorney. This is the divorce settlement. Please sign it."
I looked at the document. It stated that I was giving up all assets and admitting to infidelity during the marriage.
I said, "I'm not signing it."
"Ms. Astor, you have no choice. Please don't make this difficult for me."
I thought of Sofia and remembered Vincenzo’s promise. In the end, I picked up the pen and signed my name.
Christiano collected the document with satisfaction and left.
Later, I picked up the landline by my bed and dialed a number. I said calmly, "Vince, you can release all the evidence now."
"Are you sure?"
"I am sure. It is time to end all of this."
After hanging up, I walked to the kitchen and turned on all the gas burners without lighting them. Then, I pulled out a cigar, lit it, and tossed it gently onto the antique rug, which was soaked with expensive whiskey.
Once I was done, I grabbed my small bag of belongings and walked out the estate's front gate.
A black luxury sedan was parked outside, and Vincenzo's driver opened the car door for me. I slid into the back seat and looked through the rearview mirror to see thick smoke beginning to rise from the estate behind me.
Not long after, roaring flames swallowed the entire building that had symbolized my humiliating marriage.
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