Page 46 of Velvet Chains

Sarah came in, her eyes were filled with sympathy, and without words, she began to help me with the final preparations.

We worked in silence for a while.

"I'll miss this place," I said then, my voice barely above a whisper. Breaking the silence felt like shattering glass.

Sarah nodded. "You'll always carry it with you," she said. "And him."

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. We reached the entrance of the estate, and I turned to look back at the only home I had known for the past month. The grand halls, the beautiful gardens, the memories - all of it was being left behind.

"Are you ready?" Sarah asked, her hand on my arm.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead. "Yes," I said, my voice firm. "I'm ready."

As I stepped out of the estate, the morning light revealed Vincenzo standing stoically, his expression a mask of control hiding the turmoil within.

Sarah helped me into the car, her touch gentle and reassuring. I turned to look back at Vincenzo one last time, my eyes locking onto his. My feelings for him were overwhelming, mixed with a deep pain that would haunt me forever.

"Isabelle," Vincenzo called out, his voice low and husky.

I turned back, but the car was already moving, the distance between us growing with each passing second. My heart broke at the thought of leaving him behind, knowing that this separation was the only way to ensure my safety. And that of the life growing within me. I didn’t only have myself to think about now.

The landscape outside the window blurred as tears filled my eyes. I placed my hand on my stomach, feeling a fierce protectiveness.

In the car, Sarah reached over and took my hand, offering a squeeze of reassurance. "We'll get through this," she said softly.

I looked at her, grateful for her unwavering support. She had been through so much in the past weeks, yet she only ever worried about my wellbeing. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion. “You have done so much for me, when it is me who should be taking care of you right now, after everything you have been through.”

Sarah's eyes filled with sadness and compassion. "I’ll be fine as long as we are together and there for each other. Now remember. You're doing this for him, for your baby. You're doing this for love."

I nodded, my heart aching with the hurt of our parting. But I knew that this sacrifice was the greatest act of love I could offer. I was giving up our present for a chance at a future together, a future free from danger and fear.

As the estate disappeared from view, I felt a sense of resolve wash over me. I would carry Vincenzo's love with me, across an ocean and a continent, and I would fight to ensure our reunion.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

VINCENZO

Things were back to normal. However, I did not feel normal.

I felt restless.

The days after Isabelle left felt like a haze. There was an emptiness in my house that made it feel strange and unwelcoming. Her absence made everything seem dull and muted.

A realization hit me suddenly. I paused as I mulled over that thought, the implications of it sending shockwaves through my system. My breath caught as fear washed over me. I could feel a realization build, and I did not want to face it. I could not face it. Not yet at least. Not before I did what had to be done.

Don Antonio had gotten away with too much, and all my plans, everything had come down to this. I had spent so long gathering evidence that the search had consumed me.

Getting evidence that Antonio was behind the assassination of Don Messina was the only thing that would truly unseat him.

However, now that I had it, the next step was risky. If I took the shot and I missed for some reason, then Antonio would hit back at me. And this time, there would be no pretense or veneer of civility, it would be a blatant war.

There was no turning back. This was a crucial time, if Antonio caught a whiff of what I was about to do, he would find a way to stop me from ever getting to that meeting. I kept the news limited to a select few; only the people I knew for a fact could be trusted.

The days leading up to the Cupola meeting I had requested seemed to pass by slowly. It didn't help that my house felt haunted.

As I was about to leave the house to go to the meeting, I stopped to speak with my brother.

“You know, if this doesn't work out, you should leave.” I said, and in response he raised an eyebrow.

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