Where Red Roses Wither

Of course, she's not like me.

At her age, Vincent and I were dodging bullets in gang wars, ready to die for each other and for the family.

He was afraid I'd say too much. Afraid I'd tell her who we really were.

Vincent sighed lightly and gestured for his men to escort her away.

Isabella clutched pitifully at the corner of Vincent's jacket, refusing to let go.

Vincent murmured something to soothe her, and they shared a quiet, intimate moment for the whole room to see. Only then did Isabella finally leave, her walk a triumphant swagger.

It wasn't until we were the only two left in the suite that Vincent lit a cigar and slowly sat down across from me.

The smoke swirled around him, obscuring his face.

I could only hear his steady, emotionless voice.

"You have status, wealth... more than anyone could dream of. Why are you making this so hard over some girl?"

"You know you're the only one I love. But I'm a man. Men... we need a change of scenery sometimes."

Vincent casually flicked the ash from his cigar.

His gaze fell on the scars I'd gotten saving his life, then quickly darted away.

"I've never said a word about those hideous scars on your body, have I?"

"Even though every time you get naked, trying to be seductive, I look at those wounds and feel utterly..."

He paused, glanced at me, and then spat out the word with perfect precision.

"Disgusted."

After saying that, Vincent slowly stood up.

He slid the heavy signet ring, the symbol of my position as Donna, back onto my middle finger.

"But don't worry. I do love you."

"No matter who I'm with, nothing will ever threaten your position as Donna."

"People like us, we've fought our whole lives for some stability. Wanting to enjoy life a little isn't a sin, is it?"

For years, Vincent always told me.

"Just wait a little longer. Wait until I'm the Boss of the Five Families."

Then he would step down and live a quiet life with me.

For that promise, I'd taken bullets and knives.

My body is a roadmap of scars, but I never thought of leaving.

But the good life I imagined was a happy family of three.

But what Vincent wanted wasn't a family. It was a harem.

I took a deep breath, the man before me both intimately familiar and a complete stranger.

The boy who said he would bathe New York in blood for me after I was bullied.

The Vincent who pulled me from a dumpster and promised me a home.

The man who knelt by my hospital bed after I nearly died and swore he'd buy me a red rose every day for the rest of our lives.

He was a stranger to me now.

My fingertips grazed the grip of the gun hidden in my dress.

I touched my stomach, remembering the promise I made to Lily, and took a deep breath before speaking to Vincent.

"Let's get a divorce."