No Longer Your Rose Chapter 03
Valentina heaved a sigh, her tone edged with reproach. “Isabella, don’t mess anything up tonight.”
I dug my nails into my palms and followed Valentina into the ballroom.
“So this is the Santoro family’s long-lost Principessa.”
“I heard she’s an incredible pianist. Won first place at an international competition.”
” The Santoros struck gold getting her back into the family.”
Sophia suddenly smiled and spoke up. “Isabella, why don’t we play a duet for Valentina?”
I passed out halfway through the performance, felled by an allergic reaction to peach fuzz left on the piano keys.
When I woke up, Theo was the only one by my bedside. Not a single member of the Santoro family had come.
A dull, aching bitterness settled heavy in my chest.
Theo drove me home.
He pulled up out front, fell silent for a long beat, and finally drove away wordlessly.
I pushed open the front door and heard laughter coming from the living room.
Sophia was curled up against Valentina, buttering her up. The four of them looked like the perfect, happy family.
Dario shot me a cold glance. “If Sophia hadn’t covered for you and fixed your mess, you would’ve dragged the Santoro name through the dirt.”
I kept my face blank as I explained, “Someone tampered with the piano. They put peach fuzz on the keys. I’m severely allergic.”
He scoffed. ” Save the act. The doctor filled us in—you weren’t sick one bit, just putting on a show.”
I parted my lips to defend myself, then fell silent.
The next day, the family’s lawyer arrived.
“According to the late Don’s will, Sophia’s inherited stock is void and transfers to Isabella by legal requirement.”
Dario set down his teacup, his voice flat. “They’re both Santoro Principessas. A Santoro Principessa holds them either way. No difference.”
“Sophia carries no Santoro blood. She has no legal claim to the inheritance.”
After the shares were transferred to my name, Sophia kept her head down and stayed quiet for two months.
Theo took me to art exhibitions and concerts. At our engagement dinner, he got down on one knee and swore he would never betray me.
I almost believed my good days had finally arrived.
That illusion shattered when Dario slammed a check into my face.
He stood over me. “Isabella, I thought you’d changed for the better these past few months. Turns out you’re even more vicious than before.”
I looked down at the check. My name was forged on the signature line.
“You loved throwing money around, didn’t you? Let’s see what you can do once you’re broke.”
He tossed a stock transfer agreement onto the table in front of me.
I lifted my eyes to his, my throat tight. “What is this?”
He let out a cold laugh. “You’re quite the actress, Isabella.”
He pulled out a voice recorder and pressed play.
My own voice came out from the speaker: “Sophia, here’s five million dollars. Get out of the Santoro family for good. There can only be one true Santoro Principessa, and that’s me…”
If I hadn’t known it was fake, I might have believed it myself.
“That’s not me. I spent the whole day at my adoptive parents’ house. I never left.”
“Of course they’ll vouch for you. Your adoptive parents would never say anything bad about their own daughter.”
“Sign it.”
“I never pulled any of this, so I’m not signing. Grandpa left these stocks to me fair and square.”
He didn’t waste any more time arguing. He waved his hand.
The bodyguards stepped forward, forced me down onto the table, and made me sign the transfer papers.
Crushed and utterly dejected, I swept my gaze across every member of the Santoro family, then turned and walked out.
It was pouring cats and dogs out front.
I called Theo nine times, but no one answered.
When I took a cab to his place, the villa was dark and empty.
I stood in the rain for a long time before my feet carried me to my adoptive parents’ door without thinking.
My adoptive mother came out to meet me, her voice trembling. “What happened? Where’s Theo?”
I couldn’t hold back the pain anymore and burst into sobs.
“Mom… I don’t want to go back to the Santoro family… They don’t want me there…”
I poured out all my pain and resentment to her.
She pulled me into a tight hug and patted my back gently. “You never have to go back if you don’t want to. This will always be your home.”
I was jolted awake in the middle of the night by my phone buzzing. Still half-asleep, I unlocked the screen.
Sophia had sent a photo.
Two hands intertwined, fingers fully interlocked. I recognized Theo’s hands immediately.
A message followed: [You’ve got great taste in guys, Isabella. Too bad he’s mine now.]
My fingers trembled as I saved the picture.
She sent new photos every single day after that.
I stared down at the folder of saved images.
My wedding to Theo was set for three days from now.
I hoped he’d enjoy this little surprise.