Chapter 76 – Pietra's End

Chapter 76 – Pietra's End
Pietra had always believed that some people were born to win.
She, of course, was one of them.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Intelligent.
Dangerous.
Accustomed to walking into any room and immediately becoming the center of attention.
Accustomed to flashing a smile and getting exactly what she wanted.
Accustomed to being desired.
Feared.
Envied.
But never ignored.
Never.
Until Mikaella.
That damned Mikaella.
The woman who came out of nowhere with that clumsy little saint act, that razor-sharp mouth, that infuriating habit of refusing to bow to Romeo... and stole everything.
Everything.
Romeo.
The power.
The control.
The certainty that she still mattered.
Pietra tightened her grip on the photograph.
In the picture, Romeo was smiling.
Not the polite smile he wore at public events.
Not the courteous smile he handed out to women who meant nothing to him.
This was a real smile.
Open.
Ridiculously in love.
And the worst part?
It wasn't for her.
It never had been.
Another knock echoed through the door.
Harder this time.
"Mrs. Pietra, open the door."
She took a slow breath.
Her eyes swept across the room.
The luxurious living room seemed to be mocking her.
The crystal glasses.
The expensive furniture.
The imported paintings.
The dress carelessly draped over the armchair.
Everything looked untouched.
Everything looked elegant.
Everything looked like it belonged to her.
But it didn't anymore.
None of it did.
Because behind that door stood men ready to take away the only thing she still had left.
Her freedom.
"Mrs. Pietra!"
She smiled.
A cold smile.
Almost beautiful.
Almost insane.
Then she walked to the door and opened it.
Two police officers stood outside.
Behind them were more officers.
And cameras.
Of course.
There were always cameras whenever a woman like Pietra fell.
"Can I help you?" she asked, as though she had no idea what this was about.
As though she hadn't kidnapped a woman.
As though she hadn't threatened innocent lives.
As though she hadn't manipulated dangerous men to satisfy her thirst for revenge.
One of the officers held up a warrant.
"Pietra D'Angelo, you are under arrest for your involvement in the kidnapping of Mikaella Vergara, criminal conspiracy, unlawful imprisonment, attempted extortion, and other offenses that will be determined during the course of the investigation."
The words under arrest hung in the air between them.
Heavy.
Humiliating.
Unreal.
Pietra looked at the document.
Then at the officer.
Then at the cameras.
And laughed.
"You're making a mistake."
"You have the right to remain silent."
"I want to call my lawyer."
"You'll have that right."
"I want to call Romeo Petraglia."
The officer said nothing.
But another voice answered from behind him.
"There's no need."
Pietra froze.
Because she knew that voice.
She would recognize it anywhere.
In any lifetime.
In any hell.
Romeo.
He stood several steps behind the officers.
Impeccably dressed.
Handsome.
Cruelly handsome.
A dark shirt.
His jacket left unbuttoned.
A cold stare.
Colder than she had ever seen before.
And that hurt.
More than the handcuffs.
More than the cameras.
More than prison itself.
Because Romeo had never looked at her that way before.
Never.
Not even when he rejected her.
Not even when he dismissed her.
Now he looked at her as though she were nothing.
And nothing was far worse than hatred.
"Romeo..."
Her voice came out soft.
Almost gentle.
Almost human.
He didn't move.
"It's over, Pietra."
Those two words struck the deepest part of her soul.
It's over.
No.
It couldn't end like this.
Not after everything.
Not after all these years.
Not after every humiliation she had swallowed.
Not after every night she'd spent imagining that one day he would realize she was the right woman for him.
Not after watching Mikaella win.
"You don't understand."
She said it while struggling to preserve what little dignity she had left.
"I did everything for you."
Romeo let out a quiet laugh.
Without humor.
Without mercy.
"No.
You did everything for yourself."
Pietra blinked.
"I loved you."
"No."
The answer came instantly.
Sharp.
Brutal.
She stood perfectly still.
"What?"