The implication makes my face burn with shame and fury.
"I am suitable," I snap. “What I did or didn't do with Enzo doesn't change anything about this arrangement except that I don't want it anymore."
All eyes turn to me.
"You don'twantit," Vittorio repeats slowly.
"No. I don't want to marry you. I never wanted to marry you. I was willing to go through with it for my family but I'm not willing anymore."
"Isabella—" Matteo starts.
"No." I look at him directly. "You told me in your study that I wouldn't have to marry Vittorio if I didn't want to. You said you wouldn't force me. So I'm telling you now, in front of everyone, that I don't want this. I don't want to marry him. I want to call it off."
Matteo looks at me for a long moment, and I can see him running calculations, weighing consequences, deciding. I can see he’s furious because of the way I decided to say it but won’t do anything about it now.
"The wedding is off," he says finally, turning back to Salvatore. "Isabella has made her choice and I support it. I won't force her into a marriage she doesn't want."
Salvatore's face goes dark.
"You're making a mistake," he says quietly. "This alliance was the only thing keeping your family stable against the O'Rourkes. Without it, you're vulnerable. Exposed. And I will not stand by and watch you insult my family this way without consequences."
"What consequences?" Matteo asks, and his voice is dangerously soft.
"The De Lucas will withdraw all support. All resources. All protection. You will be on your own against the O'Rourkes and anyone else who sees weakness." Salvatore leans forward slightly. "And we will make it known to everyone in our network that the Romanos cannot be trusted to honor their agreements. That Matteo Romano let his sister's pussy dictate family policy."
Matteo's hands curl into fists on his desk.
"Get out of my house," he says quietly.
"Gladly." Salvatore straightens. "But understand this, Romano. You just made an enemy today. And you're going to regret it."
He turns and walks out with Vittorio behind him, the door slams hard enough to rattle the frame.
The silence that follows is suffocating.
I'm shaking, my hands trembling at my sides, my breathing too fast.
"Matteo—" I start.
"Don't." My brother stands up. "Just don't."
He comes around the desk and I back away.
"You need to leave," he says slowly. "You need to get out of the country for a while. Let this blow over. Let me handle the fallout."
"Wait, what?"
"Europe. I'm sending you to Europe. Tomorrow morning. It's already arranged."
"No!" The word comes out sharp and panicked. "No, I'm not leaving. I'm not running away."
"You're not running away. You're being smart. The De Lucas are furious and the O'Rourkes will use this to their advantage and you being here makes you a target." His voice is firm but not unkind. "You need to go somewhere safe while I figure out how to fix this."
"I don't want to go to Europe." Tears are streaming down my face now. "I don't want to leave. Not now. Not when Enzo is—" I can't finish.
“It's not safe for you here, Isabella, this is not up for debate." He growls even though his eyes soften a bit.
"It's not safe for me anywhere without him!" The words come out broken and desperate.
