Chapter 3 3

Isabella POV

I woke up to the suffocating silence of the townhouse. The morning light barely penetrated the heavy drapes of the guest room, offering no warmth. I dressed quickly in my old navy dress and made my way downstairs, navigating the maze of sheet-covered furniture until I found the kitchen.

It was a cavern of stainless steel and cold marble, smelling faintly of bleach and abandonment. Hector Vargas stood by the counter. He didn't greet me. Instead, he placed a single plate on a small corner table. On it sat two pieces of toast, charred black like charcoal, alongside a chipped mug of instant coffee.

"The toaster is broken, ma'am," Hector said, his posture rigid, his face an unreadable mask. "Mr. Moretti's trust fund budget is... restricted. We cannot replace it yet."

I stared at the burnt offering. It was a test. Just like the story of his frozen accounts in the armored car last night. Damiano was pushing me, searching for the breaking point where the desperate bride would turn into a complaining, greedy *Rat*.

I didn't flinch. I sat down, picked up the blackened bread, and took a bite. It tasted like ash and bitterness, but I chewed and swallowed deliberately.

"You don't need to buy a new one, Hector," I said calmly, taking a sip of the terrible coffee. "I can cook on the stove from now on. It will save us money. We are a family now, and families budget."

Hector's sharp eyes flickered with something akin to surprise before he gave a stiff nod. I didn't know then that somewhere in the dark library, Damiano was listening to every word through a hidden microphone, his perception of his new 'shield' slowly fracturing.

An hour later, I stood in my old apartment in Hell's Kitchen. The space was a chaotic mess of half-packed boxes and the lingering scent of my past life. I ignored the clutter, focusing entirely on carefully placing my architectural design portfolio into my heavy leather suitcase. It was my only tool for independence.

The front door banged open, hitting the wall with a violent thud.

Brayan.

He looked disheveled, his hairline seemingly receding further in his rage, clutching a crumpled newspaper in his fist.

"Is this a sick joke, Bella?" he spat, throwing the paper onto the table. The headline screamed about my sudden marriage to the 'Ghost' of the Moretti family.

"You're trespassing, Brayan," I said, zipping up my suitcase.

He closed the distance between us, his face twisted in an ugly sneer. "You married that cripple just to get back at me? You threw a tantrum and tied yourself to a paralyzed freak? He's a disgrace to the Morettis! A useless half-man who can't even-"

The insult ignited a fierce, protective rage inside me that I didn't know I possessed. Damiano might be a dangerous stranger, but he had caught me when I fell. He was my partner.

Brayan reached out, his fingers digging painfully into my arm to drag me closer. "You're coming with me. I won't let my discarded property be picked up by a rival-"

I didn't think. I reacted. Using a self-defense move I learned in college, I twisted my arm sharply against his grip, stepped into his space, and shoved him hard in the chest with both hands.

Brayan, lacking any real physical strength, stumbled backward. His heel caught on a loose floorboard, and he crashed onto the dusty floor, his eyes wide with absolute shock.

I stood tall, looking down at the pathetic, arrogant man I had almost married. The terrified orphan was gone.

"Don't ever speak of my husband that way," I said, my voice cold, steady, and echoing with a newfound authority. "And don't call me Bella. It's Mrs. Moretti now."

I grabbed the handle of my heavy suitcase, stepped over his sprawling legs, and walked out the door.