"If you kill them, you kill part of me too," she says, her voice steady despite the tears. "Is that what you want for our child? To be born from blood and revenge?"
I stare down at her kneeling there in the courtyard, protecting the men who would have taken everything from me. The image burns itself into my memory—her courage, her loyalty, her refusal to let me become the monster this situation demands.
The courtyard falls silent except for the sound of her ragged breathing. My men wait for my command. Emilio and his family wait for death. And Rosaria waits for me to choose between the violence that built my empire and the woman who could destroy it.
Slowly, I raise my hand. My soldiers lower their weapons.
"Get up," I tell her.
She rises unsteadily, never taking her eyes from mine. "You're letting them live?"
"On conditions." I turn to address Emilio directly. "You will step down from the opera board immediately. Every position, every influence, every connection you have built in Rome's cultural sector—gone. You forfeit all claim to Rosaria's career and to her unborn child."
Emilio says nothing, but I see understanding in his eyes.
"Furthermore, you will sign documents making this arrangement legal and binding. Rosaria will become my wife, legitimizing the truce between our families. Our child will be raised in my household, under my protection, carrying my name."
"And if we refuse?" Victor asks through split lips.
"Then we return to the original plan." I gesture toward my armed men. "But if you accept these terms and honor them, you live. Violate them in any way, and I will raze every Costa asset from here to Sicily."
The silence reigns between us while Emilio considers the offer. He has no other choice and he knows it. Finally, he nods once.
"We accept."
Gianni produces the documents from his jacket—papers I had prepared for this possibility. He cuts their bonds and hands Emilio a pen. The older man's hand shakes as he signs, then passes the papers to Victor and Rocco.
When all three signatures are complete, I help Rosaria to her feet. She leans against me, exhaustion finally claiming her.
"There's one more thing," Emilio says as my men prepare to escort them away. "The moment I learned you were pregnant, I was coming to save you, not harm you."
Rosaria looks at him with doubt in her eyes. "It doesn't matter now."
She's right. Whatever his intentions were, they died the moment he brought violence to my door. When she turns back to me, pressing closer to my side, I understand that she has made her final choice.
The Costa men are escorted from my property in vehicles that will dump them at the Rome city limits. I watch their taillights disappear before leading Rosaria back toward the house.
"Thank you," she whispers as we walk.
"Don't thank me yet. Thank me after our wedding if you still feel grateful."
Her hand finds mine in the darkness between us, and for the first time since this war began, I allow myself to believe we might actually have a future together.
32
ROSARIA
The morning light filters through the shutters of the Florence safehouse, and I sit at the mahogany desk in the study, surrounded by documents that will reshape my future. The Rome Opera House letterhead stares back at me from the top page—their formal reinstatement offer, complete with apologies for the "misunderstanding" that led to my dismissal.
I set down my pen and flex my fingers. Never in my life have I been so tense about a decision, but I won't change my mind now.
"You're certain about this?" Salvatore asks from the doorway. He's dressed for business in a charcoal suit, his hair still damp from the shower. The stubble along his jaw has grown thicker in recent weeks, softening the sharp edges of his face.
"Completely." I fold the rejection letter and slide it into an envelope. "I won't crawl back to their stage. Not after everything."
He enters the room and takes the seat across from me. "The new production will require significant investment. New venue, new orchestra, marketing campaign. The financial risk?—"
"Is yours to take," I finish. "I understand."
