Don Begged, Donna Walked Chapter 07
He let out a sigh. “I came back because I heard you’ve had a terrible time these past few years.”
I stared at him.
To me, that old engagement was nothing more than a bargaining chip between two clans.
I’d resisted it, assuming he felt just as reluctant.
He went to the park to visit my mother. He remembered the painting lessons she’d given him. And he had pulled me back from the brink of death.
A sudden thought flashed through my mind. What if he had never been unwilling about that engagement?
I lowered my gaze to my wrist wrapped in thick bandages.
“But it was your Moretti family that called off the marriage back then.”
It was the first time I truly saw how fragile such a promise could be against harsh reality.
“It wasn’t me!” Sebastiano’s voice dropped to a rough growl.
“I was abroad at the time. My father trapped me there with work projects. The family made that decision behind my back. I knew nothing about it.”
“Caterina.”
He took a deep breath to steady himself. “This city is no longer safe for you. If you’re willing…”
“I can take you away. We’ll go overseas, start fresh somewhere no one knows who you are.”
I shook my head gently.
My life was already in ruins. I had no right to drag anyone else down, least of all him.
“Caterina!” He leaned forward anxiously.
“That broken engagement is the biggest regret of my life. I was powerless to defy my family back then. But things are different now.”
“I can protect you. Won’t you give me a chance to make things right?”
“Aren’t you afraid…” I lifted my eyes and spoke softly, “of crossing Vincenzo Falcone?”
With Vincenzo’s standing in the life and his vengeful nature, taking me away would be a direct challenge to him.
Sebastiano did not hesitate for a second.
“I’m not.”
“Don’t keep doubting.”
He suddenly pulled out a thick kraft paper envelope and set it beside the bed.
I looked at him in confusion.
He opened the envelope and took out stacks of neatly bound legal documents.
“After your father passed away, his illegitimate children seized most of the family assets. I’ve recovered the majority through legal channels, or bought them back outright.”
He pointed to the names on the papers. “Everything is re-registered under your name now. What belongs to you has been returned.”
He met my eyes, his gaze calm and earnest.
“Come away with me. You can manage these properties and build a new life. Won’t you agree?”
A bitter ache welled up inside me, stinging my eyes.
I whispered, “All right. I’ll go with you.”
…
Inside the hotel room in Iceland, the northern lights glowed beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Vincenzo tugged irritably at the collar of his cashmere sweater.
Nothing felt right.
The fabric irritated his skin, and the sleeves were far too short.
Even the clothes in his suitcase were folded and arranged all wrong, nothing like his usual order.
Caterina had always taken care of these things for him.
She even knew the perfect ironing temperature for every one of his shirts.
“What’s wrong with these clothes?” He frowned. “And this luggage is a mess.”
Adelaide spoke in a cajoling tone. “I tried to ask Caterina about your preferences, but she wasn’t home and wouldn’t answer her phone. I don’t know your things well, so I just picked out what I thought would suit you.”
“Not home?” Vincenzo froze mid-movement.
“Where could she have gone?”
“Who knows? Maybe she’s avoiding me.” Adelaide admired the large diamond ring on her finger. “She’s been sharp-tongued and moody lately, hasn’t she?”
Vincenzo said nothing and pulled out his phone.
No answer.
He dialed again, only to be met with silence once more.