The sight stopped me cold.
“L...leave me alone...!I have t...to me...meet—” Ariana’s words cut off into a ragged whisper.Two of D’Angelo’s men had her pinned while he stood behind her like a ghost.She spoke right up until she blacked out; he just watched, expression dead, and then nodded once to the men for confirmation.One of them hoisted Ariana over his shoulder and they started through the hallway toward the front yard.
I melted into the shadow behind a huge curtain and watched them go.
My heart went hollow in my chest as the scene played out.I should have stepped in — grabbed her, thrown them off — but something held me back.I knew that any interference might wreck whatever sick deal Vicenzo had cooked up with this bastard.Still, I couldn’t just let it go; I couldn’t walk away from what I was seeing.So I followed, quiet and careful.
If only I’d known what was about to unravel in the next hour or two, I would’ve pulled Ariana out of there and run with her right then.
I sucked in a breath and crashed back into the present — a present that felt like fucking hell.My head throbbed, my heart felt like it would explode, because that night had come back to choke me.I’d never dared to think about it straight-on, and now that I had, I couldn’t take it.That night ruined everything.My face was wet with angry tears as the memory cut open again.It was my worst nightmare.
My biggest regret.
The more I turned it over in my head, the angrier I got.Anger spun through me until it felt like heat, and I slammed my fist into the wall.My knuckles screamed, but the pain didn’t matter — the fury did.Today I realized love didn’t give me anything but pain.What the fuck did it ever do for me?Look at me now.The girl I loved — the girl I lived for — had thrown me away.I was left to burn.
My mind went in circles: did Ariana actually leave me?Did she move on?
Of course she did.She had the nerve to disappear that night and not look back.She’s probably living her life now with that fiancé of hers.
The thought about her being betrothed to someone else made my blood boil.I lashed out, toppling the vase by the double doors.It smashed across the floor while I screamed until my throat cracked, weeping out hot, bitter tears.
I loved that girl.I loved her more than I loved myself.I wanted everything with her — a future, a house, kids.I imagined her as the mother of my children.Instead she left.She didn’t tell me.She didn’t even have the decency to break it clean.She ghosted me in the worst way possible.She ruined everything.She ruined me.
Ariana — you disappointed me.You shattered me.
From today, whatever was left of my love for her died.It’s gone.She’s not the woman I adored — she’s the enemy who turned my world into ash.Because of her I hardened.Because of her I became cruel and remade myself into something that could survive this life.I’ll never love the same way again.I hate that I ever trusted her.
You betrayed me.I fell for it.You lied and I believed every lie.You told me you loved me and I swallowed it whole.I fell for everything, and now I hate myself for being so blind.
“Why?”I screamed into the room, sweat and tears tracing clean lines down my face.“Why did you do this, Ariana?”I whispered into the quiet that followed.“Why the fuck did you do this, Ariana...?”
I hate you, Ariana Vallezi.I fucking hate you.I will finish what needs finishing — I will make your father pay.I will make him suffer, and I will make you watch.You turned your back on me five years ago.Now it’s my turn.
Wait and watch.You’re in for a surprise.
CHAPTER 6
