After the Ninety-Ninth Fire

I frowned.

I glanced at Vincent; his expression hardened.

He beckoned to someone behind him, and one of his men handed him an envelope stuffed with cash.

"So high and mighty when you walked out. I bet you've learned how hard life is without money, haven't you?"

"Take this money and get out of Chicago."

"The Falcone family will never acknowledge this child."

I stared at the thick stack of cash, dazed.

The echoes of my past life roared in my head, a phantom ache in a heart that no longer felt.

But the sting was still real.

"I'll have my lawyer draft an agreement. Sign it, and then disappear from my life for good."

Vincent's pretense of generosity drew a ripple of contemptuous whispers from the crowd.

Before I could react, Isabella snatched the money from my hand.

"Why are you giving her money?"

"Vincent, you can't possibly still have feelings for this woman!"

"I don't tolerate deceit. Who here doesn't know you were ready to die for her?"

With the Falcone family's power waning, they needed an infusion of cash. Isabella's family, rising through the ranks of smugglers, was the perfect solution. It was a classic arranged marriage.

Isabella had finally managed to latch onto the Falcone family, and now I, a thorn in her side, had appeared. Naturally, she wanted me out of the picture.

"Isabella, stop making a scene."

Vincent pulled Isabella back, his words laced with a warning.

"Haven't you embarrassed the family enough?"

Vincent’s gaze on me was a turbulent mix of anger and something unreadable, but he still subconsciously stepped in front of me.

Watching his back as he shielded me, a bitter pang went through my heart.

In my past life, he had shielded me from every storm just like this, and when he looked back at me, his eyes would be full of deep affection.

But why did he become so heartless?

I lifted my head, my gaze turning ice-cold.

"Vincent, drop the hypocritical act."

"I don't need it. And besides, the child in my belly isn't yours!"

Vincent looked as if he'd heard something utterly absurd, his eyebrows knitting together as he stared at me in disbelief.

It had only been five months since I'd left him, and my stomach was already swollen, clearly four months along.

"Elara, I know you still hate me, but there's no point in lying to me!"

I let out a cold laugh. He would probably never understand that once a woman's heart dies, she can let go in an instant.

The moment he detonated that bomb, my love for him had already turned to ash.

"If you don't believe me, I'll send you a paternity test after the child is born!"

Seeing my conviction, humiliation washed over Vincent’s face.

"So she wasn't here for a payout, she was here to announce she cuckolded the groom!"

"Well, Falcone, congratulations on getting played on your wedding day!"

...

The entire hall erupted in laughter. Vincent just stood there, rooted to the spot as if the floor were covered in hot coals.

He viciously yanked me towards him, his fury palpable.

"So you left me because you'd already climbed into someone else's bed?"