The Don’s Favorite Lover Vanished

---- Chapter 21 Chiara's POV My birthday party was held at my gallery on the banks of the Arno. The elite of Florence were all there. Alessandro had a huge cake made for me. Then he got down on one knee and opened a velvet box. "Bella Fiore," he looked at me, his eyes sincere. "Will you marry me?" The guests gasped and applauded. I looked at him, at the clean, stable future he represented. I should have said yes. But just as I was about to speak, the heavy oak doors of the gallery were thrown open. Vincenzo stood in the doorway, a ghost in a black tuxedo, silhouetted against the night.

He wore a white rose on his lapel, his face as pale as marble. ---- He ignored the stunned silence and walked straight toward me. Two of my bodyguards tried to stop him, but Marco appeared behind them, pressing a gun to each of their heads. "Step aside," Marco's voice was pure ice. Vincenzo pushed past the still-kneeling Alessandro as if he were a piece of furniture. He stopped in front of me and placed a thick stack of documents and a black, sigil-engraved ring on the table.

It was the transfer of ownership for all core Russo assets in Chicago, and the signet ring of the Don, representing his ultimate authority. Then, before everyone's eyes, the man who once ruled the Chicago underworld slowly, humiliatingly, got down on one knee. "Pm trading my kingdom," he looked up at me, his eyes burning with a red, obsessive flame, "for my queen." He opened a small box. Inside was the black diamond ring of the Russo matriarch, the one I had once longed for. ---- "Chiara," he said, his voice raw. "Marry me." The gallery was dead silent.

llooked at him, at the kingdom at his feet, at the ring in his hand. Once, this was everything I had ever dreamed of. Now, it was just pathetic. I didn't look at the documents. I didn't touch the ring. I picked up the thick stack of papers, and without a single glance, handed them to a terrified waiter standing nearby. "Excuse me," my voice was quiet but carried through the silent room. "Would you mind disposing of this for me?" I paused, adding with a faint, cold smile: "1d rather not get ash on my hands." The waiter's hands trembled as he took the papers.

Under Vincenzo's shattered gaze, he tossed the documents-the symbol of an underworld empire-into the roaring fire. Flames instantly devoured the paper. ---- I walked to Vincenzo, crouched down, and met his eyes, now empty of all light. Tused the same tone he once used on me and whispered: "You still don't get it, Vincenzo. I never wanted your kingdom. I just wanted a home." I stood up and looked down on him. "And you burned it to the ground." I didn't look at him again. I turned and walked toward the back of the gallery. Behind me, utter silence.

Alessandro looked at me, about to speak, but I just shook my head. He sighed and turned to leave. Vincenzo remained on his knees, a stone statue with its soul ripped out. The only sound in the gallery was the crackle of paper burning in the fire. My assistant, Lucia, came to my side and whispered, " ---- Miss, the video has been sent via encrypted channels. It went directly to the five core Russo capos and the ambitious wolves circling his throne." I watched the ashes in the fireplace and sneered.

Lucia continued, a hint of excitement in her voice, "At the same time, as you planned, we 'accidentally' leaked scanned copies of the fake 'ancestral deed' to each of them from different anonymous email accounts. The emails imply this was part of a 'secret deal' Vincenzo was making to win you back." I turned back and looked down at the kneeling man. I murmured to myself: "They will see a king on his knees, not for power, but for a woman. They will see weakness. And in our world, weakness is a death sentence. It's an invitation for the wolves to come and feast."