He Didn't Know Whose Ring I Was Wearing

His voice came down the line, low and edged with a shame he could not quite hide beneath the calm.

"Adriana, it's just a wedding dress. It doesn't matter. I'm out of the territory right now, seeing to certain business. I've sent something to you, cara. I hope it brings you some measure of peace."

No sooner had I stepped back inside the estate than a man in a pressed suit and tie appeared at the door, offering me a velvet box with the gravity of a man delivering a sacrament.

Inside lay a full set of emerald jewels.

"These are blood-heirlooms of the Salvatore bloodline, passed down through generations to the matriarch of the Family. The Don asks that you accept them, Miss Russo."

I took the box carefully, and a wave of warmth flooded my heart.

Dante truly honored me as his wife. For the first time, I felt a glimmer of hope for the future of this union.

I had only stepped away to take a call from one of the Family's men about some unclear matter of business, and when I returned, the emerald heirlooms were gone.

I searched the entire room, but there was no trace of them. The doors and windows showed no sign of being forced.

Just as I was reaching to summon someone, I saw Vittoria's post appear on her social page.

"Couldn't find a betrothal ring to my taste, and who knew he'd have blood-relics of his Family prepared for me instead. So this is what it means to be bound for love."

In the photograph, Vittoria wore the earrings, the necklace, the jade bracelets. They were the very emerald heirlooms Dante had given me.

I pulled up the estate's surveillance and watched. After I had left the room, Lorenzo and Vittoria had come through.

"Lorenzo, is this the surprise you had ready for me? It's beautiful."

Vittoria's eyes fixed at once on the emerald set I had left on the bedside table.

Lorenzo faltered, his face going stiff, and he stammered. "Uh... I'm glad you like it."

My heart was in turmoil. I could not think any longer. I went straight to the Gallo house.

When I arrived, Vittoria was parading the jewels in front of Lorenzo's relatives.

"This is a blood-heirloom from Lorenzo," she said, smug, one hand drifting to the necklace at her throat as if to make sure it was still hers. "He's already decided I'll be the daughter of the Gallo bloodline."

"The fire in these stones is something else. Lorenzo really does treat you well."

My blood boiled. I strode forward and pointed at them both.

"Thief. Who gave you leave to steal my emerald jewels? Give them back to me."

Seeing me, Vittoria sneered.

"Adriana, have you no dignity left at all? This set is a Gallo blood-heirloom. Since when did it become your personal property? You've already taken my betrothal ring and my wedding gown, and now you want the Gallo relics too? Have you no shame?"

I looked at Lorenzo, standing beside her, guilt written all over him.

"Are you certain these are your Family's heirlooms? Would you like me to have it verified right now, in front of everyone?"

Cornered by my words, Lorenzo's face split into that wide, oily grin, and he cracked the knuckles of one hand against his palm.

"Enough. Even if they aren't my Family's, you still stole Vittoria's betrothal ring and her gown. Shouldn't you be begging her pardon? At worst, when Vittoria tires of these, I'll let you wear them a few days."

The blood roared in me. I had never in my life met such shamelessness from a pair of dogs.

Not willing to waste another breath, I reached for my phone to make the call that would bring the law, and worse, down on them.

Vittoria's eyes flickered. All at once she tore the jewels from her body.

"Adriana, stop making trouble for us again and again. If you want it so badly, take it. Just let us be. Lorenzo doesn't love you. Stop clinging to him."

She wore the face of a wronged woman, as though I were the shameless one who would not let go.

Vittoria held the jewels out toward me, then let them slip from her fingers, and the whole emerald set crashed to the floor and shattered into pieces.

My head rang, and for a moment it felt as if the blood in my body had frozen.

Vittoria smiled faintly. "Oh, why didn't you catch them, Adriana? Such a pity. Fine emeralds like those."

Lorenzo looked down at me, his voice thick with contempt. "Adriana, stop embarrassing yourself. Take your junk and get out of my house."

I looked at the shattered pieces on the ground, my heart aching beyond words.

"Lorenzo, I will never forgive you for the rest of my life."

He sneered. "And what does it matter if you don't? In a few days you'll come crawling back like a bitch to the door, begging me to take you in again. I'm warning you. Don't come and ruin my wedding in five days. If you behave, maybe I'll be generous enough to look in on you now and then."

"No need. You'd best never come looking for me again."

With that, I turned and walked out of his house, and put the estate up for sale.

The blood-heirloom was destroyed, and I couldn't shake the guilt of it.

Dante comforted me on the phone, his voice steady and low.

"It's only a thing, tesoro. Since I gave it to you, it was yours to do with as you pleased. Now. Are you ready? I won't have my bride walking to the altar with her eyes swollen from crying."

Before I knew it, the day of the union had come, and for reasons I couldn't name I began to feel nervous.

I had just finished my face when, of course, I crossed paths with Lorenzo again in a suit, near the washroom.

"Adriana, you truly have a hide of iron. I told you not to come and disturb the wedding. Are you deaf? It seems if I don't teach you a lesson you'll keep ignoring what I say. Somebody, take her, lock her up."

I fought against them. "Lorenzo, let go of me. I'm not here to ruin your wedding."

Lorenzo sneered. "Adriana, even when you lie you don't bother to prepare it. If you weren't here to steal my wedding, why are you dressed like this?"

"Let go of me. I told you, my marriage is nothing to do with you. The man I'm going to marry isn't you."

He pinched my chin with contempt. "Besides me, who else would ever want you? Adriana, there's a limit to how far the act carries you. Push it too far and you only make people sick."

Just as he gave his men the order to drag me away, a deep voice came from behind us, unhurried, quiet, and it turned the air in the room to ice.

"Signor Gallo. Where exactly do you intend to take my bride?"