Page 86 of Capuleto

"Adriana's father?" I nodded and took the opportunity to tell him what I had discovered.

I told him what the boy had explained to me, how I went to his parents' house to impart justice and fulfill the promise I made to my nephew.

"Did you kill him?"

"What do you think?"

"If you didn't, I'll go finish the job myself," he said very seriously.

"I promised Adriano I’d deal with the demon, and that's what I did. But not before making sure he felt the pain he inflicted on his daughter."

"And his wife?"

"Anyone who condones an atrocity like the one Adriana suffered is as guilty as the one who raised the hand."

"I agree."

"Andrey took care of the bodies. I didn’t tell you because you were bedridden. We were very careful, they’ll never find the bodies, and my man cleaned everything thoroughly. You don’t have to worry about anything."

Romeo stood up from the chair and took my face in his hands.

"The only thing I fear is you leaving my life, amore." He gave me a sweet kiss. "You have no idea how much I admire you. You know I think I couldn’t have a more perfect woman by my side."

"Even the apple that the witch offered to Snow White was perfect, and it turned out to be poisoned."

"Then I’ll devour your poison, bite by bite."

"Maybe one day, I’ll have to remind you of your own words," I declared before offering him a sly smile. R had no idea how much truth was hidden in what I had just said.

He gazed at me absorbed for a few seconds and raised his index finger.

"Give me a few seconds, I think the time has come to give you the gift I couldn’t give you in Santorini. It will only be a moment."

"Now?"

"Do you have other plans?" I shook my head.

My husband was only gone for a few minutes. When he returned, I had already refilled the wine glasses, and he was shaking a dossier, looking excited.

He spread the folder over my hands and urged me to open it.

When I saw the contents, I was in disbelief.

"Bu-but this is..."

"The divorce papers," he declared firmly.

"I don’t understand, the deal I made with your father..."

"It’s nullified with the annex."

"You want a divorce?" The question came choked from my vocal cords. I should be happy, that agreement, or what I had briefly seen, gave me a freedom I currently didn’t have, and yet, I didn’t feel that way. "Is it because of Irene?" I asked hesitantly.

"No! Don’t you get it?" he inquired with emotion. "It’s just the opposite. If I offer you a divorce, it’s because I love you. I love you, Nikita Koroleva, and what I want most in this life is for you to be with me by your own will, not because of an imposed agreement. If you sign these documents, you’ll regain control of your company, of your empire, with the advantage that your accounts will be in order. Nothing will tie you to me, unless you also want me..."

His brown pupils sparkled.

He pulled a small red velvet box from his pocket and opened it in front of my astonishment. Inside was the ring I had fallen in love with in a jewelry store in Santorini. It had a gigantic diamond in the center and several smaller ones around the band.

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