Chapter 3
After the fallout with Vincent, my heart felt unexpectedly light.
Even after I left, Romeo Moretti, one of my former research subordinates, kept pinging me through encrypted channels.
That day must have been an emergency, because he bypassed the channels entirely and called my private line.
"Donna Valenna! No—Signora Sanna, you have to come back! The custom firearms, Dark Gold Rose, are due for delivery tomorrow!"
I was about to cut the line when I heard a commotion on the other end. Someone had snatched the communicator away.
Then Angela's voice came crashing through, practically a roar. "Valenna, you've been struck from the Corleones' rolls! Don't even think about setting foot on this compound again!"
Romeo's voice came back, tight with barely contained fury. "Signora Mancini, stop making things worse! If this shipment goes south, the entire Corleone famiglia will go down with it!"
Angela couldn't have cared less. Her tone dripped with contempt. "What's the panic? I've already finished the R&D on these pieces. They'll be ready for delivery in no time."
Romeo's reply was laced with disbelief. "What? It took Signora Sanna seven months to develop the Dark Gold Rose, and you're telling me you pulled it off in seven days? You can't be serious! We're taking this straight to Don Corleone!"
Angela let out a cold, sharp laugh. "Don Corleone is unwell. If any of you dare run your mouths in front of him, you'll be risking your worthless lives!"
With that, the line went dead.
I could already guess how this would play out. With Angela's temperament and her authority as Donna, no one would dare go over her head.
I sighed and pushed it out of my mind.
Without the constant grind of R&D and managing the famiglia, life suddenly felt effortless and sweet. Spending my days doing things I actually enjoyed made the future feel bright again.
…
On the seventh day after leaving Vincent, I slipped into an evening gown to attend the wedding of my best friend, Sofia Greco.
Our famiglie had been allies for years, and we had grown up side by side.
Sofia stepped out of the car first. I followed behind, carrying her bridal bouquet.
I had barely taken two steps when a familiar voice boomed from the speakers of a neighboring hall.
"Thank you all for joining Angela and me at our engagement celebration."
I looked up and saw Vincent in the adjacent hall, arm in arm with Angela. On her left hand, the black gemstone ring that used to be mine glinted.
Angela spotted me first. She rose on her tiptoes and pressed a deliberate kiss onto Vincent's lips.
Vincent beamed, about to pull her into his arms, when his gaze drifted and landed on me.
His hands dropped away from her instantly. His eyes rimmed with a sudden flush of red.
Angela's guard shot up at once. She assumed I was there to sabotage their engagement.
She hurried over to me, putting on a grand show of pleading. "Valenna, Vincent and I are truly in love. It took so much for us to finally be together. Please, don't try to tear us apart, okay?"
Vincent caught sight of her tearful eyes and moved to step forward, but then his gaze fell on the bouquet in my hands.
"Valenna, you're already meeting someone else behind my back? Who is he?"
He had jumped to the wrong conclusion, but I couldn't be bothered to correct him. I replied flatly, "Vincent, we're done. Stop harassing me."
My words seemed to cut deep. His dark blue eyes reddened again.
He threw himself back into the act, feigning a sudden rush of memories. "Valenna, it's coming back to me. You held a bouquet just like that the day we got engaged. Are you trying to relive what we had?"
Watching his clumsy performance made my stomach turn.
"Drop the act, Vincent. I saw through your amnesia charade a long time ago."
My words caused his pupils to contract sharply. He stumbled back two steps before the shock even registered.
He knew the lie had been exposed, so he stopped pretending altogether.
"The Corleone famiglia has no use for someone who defies orders," he scoffed. "Compared to you, Angela knows how to fall in line. She's been running the famiglia just fine—far more useful than you ever were."
I couldn't help but sneer. "If she's doing such a wonderful job, then surely you know that today is the delivery deadline for Dark Gold Rose, the custom firearms for the partner from Sicovenza?"
Vincent's brows furrowed. It was clear that he was completely in the dark. He whipped his head toward Angela, only to find her looking smug.
"Of course I know. There was no need to trouble Don Corleone with such a minor detail. I've already handled everything."
Then she turned her barbs on me. "It's a shame some people are just slow. It took you seven months to develop the Dark Gold Rose, and I finished it in just seven days. I guess some people have it, and others… well, they just don't. Right, Valenna?"
Vincent nodded, looking satisfied. He was about to speak when rapid, frantic footsteps suddenly echoed from the edge of the crowd.
A moment later, one of his Soldati came stumbling in, nearly tripping over himself in his haste.
His face was deathly pale as he gasped out, "Don Corleone! The firearms… They were delivered… but the buyer…"
Angela stood there, her grin smug as she waited for her praise, the arrogance practically spilling from her eyes as the report began.
Vincent, brimming with confidence, waved a hand to silence the Soldato's stammering. He turned to me, his eyes full of contempt.
"It seems the deal went through, and our partner is eager for more. If you know what's good for you, Valenna, you'll bow your head to Angela now. It's the only way you'll keep a shred of dignity."
Only then did he raise his hand for the Soldato to continue.
The Soldato pulled out a blood-stained parchment, his voice breaking into a sob.
"Don Corleone! It's a disaster! Every single barrel of the Dark Gold Rose blew during testing! The blast set off the buyer's entire armory. Three of their Made Men are dead! Their Don has issued an ultimatum. We either hand over the entire western territory as compensation, or they will massacre every last one of us tonight!"
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