ena

e restaurant owned by my family. The crystal chandeliers overhea

. She is holding a large bouquet o

he blurry background reflections in her

de scraped harshly against the fine porcelain plate. A flicker

into my palm to still the tremor in my fingertips. I place my fork down. I did not move my lips, but the muscles in my jaw tig

is voice is sharp and commanding. He tur

d the stems of the flowers. She puts on a pathetic, deeply vict

o sit. "Please," I said, my tone laced with a false, saccha

ively thrust the woman away. His throat worked, his larynx bobbing as he tried to

features. She steps closer and boldly clings to Julian's shoulder. She whines loudly, pou

b, a cold stillness spr

, heavy stack of papers. They are the pre-prepared severance and asset-reli

s. The color drains completely

rately grabs both of my hands. He stammers, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to

mpty table. She looks at him in pure, unadulterated shock. Thick tears well

s every single rule of mafia protocol. He abandons his lawful wife at

account had a new update. She smugly boasts that she successfully confronted the wife and secured her Do

vehicle smoothly up

al syndicate soldiers are dutifully carrying matching sets of luxury lugg

et. I enter the penthouse lobby and take

of the sprawling living room wearing a designer silk robe

ulian bought me this penthouse." She points a manicured finger to the armed guards at the door and tells me, "He reassigned y

s of iced water. He saw me, but instead of pulling away, he walked o

y, quiet whisper. I coldly remind him of the invasive, highly complex medical procedure he underwent f

looks at the polished hardwood floor and admits, "

for a full year-lying beside me every night, accepting my trust, my money, my

arefully carrying a large, insulated thermos of traditional restorative soup. She immedi

ile vanished, her expression hardening into a mask

, the mistress who had mocked me, the mother-in-law who had k

ver. Now, the