I walk into the office, and Alessandro looks up at me, standing. “Ivan.”
“Alessandro,” I say, sitting in the armchair.
“Drink?” he asks.
“No. But I’d like to congratulate you. It was fucking clever, it really was.”
“What?” he asks me.
“Planting Vittoria in my family, getting her to warm me up, and then having her betray me,” I shake my head. “I was a fool, and you exploited it. Tell me, how did she communicate with you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Alessandro tries to brush me off.
I snarl at him, “Don’t fucking lie to me.” I sit back and take a deep breath. “I won’t kill her. You used her as a pawn, and she obeyed. It’s what happens in our families. Have her collected today.” I stand up. “But I declare open war on all Sorvinos and related parties.”
Alessandro stands up, “Ivan….”
“Collect her before I change my mind,” I say before walking out. I don’t look at a single person as I walk out. I get back into my car and drive back to the house.
When I walk in, I find Tori in the library reading. I stand at the doorway, watching her. My heart aches to hold her because she crossed me. How could someone so beautiful be so cruel? She didn’t seem cruel at all. It was clearly all an act.
She’s the enemy.
As I turn to leave, she looks up. “Ivan,” she smiles broadly. Alessandro must not have phoned her yet.
She looks into my cold eyes, and her smile fades. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I turn to walk away but hear her running after me. She grabs my arm. “Ivan?”
I yank my arm away from her and whip around; I can’t control myself. I want to hurt her, she doesn’t deserve peace. “You betrayed me. You fucking took me for a ride and thought I wouldn’t find out,” I snarl. “I know about the shitty territories you were negotiating for us. We would have lost millions.”
Tears well up in her eyes, I can’t tell if she’s sad or afraid, but she’s probably both.
“Ivan, I’m sorry. I didn’t think I would fall in love with you.” she starts to cry. “At first, it was about betraying you, but I fell for you. I love you. I feel like being with you is where I belong. Please, please give me a second chance. I will make this right.”
“Lies,” I roar, and she steps back. “I don’t fucking believe you. Pack your shit. Your brother is on his way to fetch you, and I never want to fucking see you again. Don’t come near my family or me; my patience for you will wear thin, and I will have you killed for betraying me.”
I turn to leave. The sadness in her voice as she sobs my name does nothing. I shut down. I can’t feel. I get my driver to take me to our warehouse, and I walk into the office where Leonid is working.
“I should have listened to you,” I say after a moment.
“Boris phoned and told me,” he says quietly. “I’m sorry, Ivan. I know you were fond of her. A Sorvino is a Sorvino, though, and you were taken for a ride.”
“I’m having the marriage annulled. But I don’t want her hurt, not yet anyway. We will declare war with the Sorvinos, trample over them, and rule New York City.”
“I agree. We should, as you would say, play chess, not football. Clever attacks where it hurts them, but we must first deal with a situation closer to home. Evgeni is back this weekend.”
“I’ll deal with him swiftly,” I say. “I’m only a fool once. I should have believed you, brother. I’m sorry.” His hand clasps my shoulder and squeezes. “You thought you were doing right by the family. We can learn from this.”
I nod and look out at the warehouse. All I can hear in my mind is Tori sobbing my name.
Chapter 25 - Vittoria
As soon as Ivan walks out of the house, I crumble to the ground, holding my belly. I sob as hard as I can, but soon Aleks comes in and nudges me with his foot. “Pakhan Volkov said you were to pack your things and leave. Your brother is here to collect you.”
I pick myself off the floor and go to the room, packing what I brought with me and leaving the things that Ivan and Arina bought me. Anastasia passes and sees me sobbing. “Are you okay?”
“I’m so sorry, Ana.” I pull her into a hug. “Please, I know your father will say I betrayed him, but I do love him more than anything.”