Chapter 114
The man wearing a mask and a hat glanced at Isabella before turning around and leaving.
But Isabella still recognized him. It was Henley. He probably thought she was being bullied, which is why he showed up.
Seeing that the situation wasn't as serious as he thought, he turned back and hid in the shadows.
Isabella felt a bit relieved and continued looking at Sonia.
Sonia suddenly burst into laughter, her voice twisted with exaggerated mockery, "True feelings?"
"Does the mafia even have true feelings? Isabella, since when did you become so naive? Vitale treats you like his whore, a pretty toy to play with in bed and show off outside of it."
"Once he gets tired of you, he'll toss you out like trash."
"I'm saying this for your own good, telling you to stay away from him, but you won't listen to a single word, just like when Mom warned you to stay away from those bad boys!"
Isabella felt a rush of heat to her head.
It wasn't out of shame or even Sonia's insults themselves, but because she couldn't stand Vitale being misunderstood and slandered like this.
"Vitale is a legitimate businessman!"
"He works at Tyson Group, runs a legal business, and has a clean tax record! Don't talk about him like that! You have no proof—"
Her words cut off abruptly.
Because Sonia's hand was already raised.
It was too fast.
So fast, like a bolt of lightning, that Isabella didn't even see the motion clearly.
All she felt was a sharp, burning pain on her left cheek.
Isabella's head snapped to the side from the slap, her blonde hair covering half her face.
For a few seconds, her world went blank, with only a ringing in her ears and the spreading, stinging pain in her cheek.
"Isabella!" Aria's voice seemed to come from far away.
"Oh my God, Sonia, you're insane!" Doria's shocked cry followed right after.
When Isabella's senses came back into focus, Aria and Doria were already standing between her and Sonia.
Aria's finger was almost poking Sonia's nose, while Doria spread her arms to shield Isabella.
The other customers and staff in the store were stunned.
Some gasped, some whispered to each other, and some quietly took out their phones.
But after catching Henley's icy glare, they silently put them away.
Sonia stood there, her chest heaving, a trace of smug, vengeful satisfaction on her face.
But when she looked around and saw everyone staring at her with condemnation and disgust, that smile froze.
"Isn't that her sister?"
"She's a lunatic, hitting someone in public."
"So vicious."
Sonia couldn't take it anymore.
She bit her lower lip, shot Isabella a fierce glare, and then turned, practically storming out of the jewelry store.
"Isabella, are you okay?" Aria's voice was full of concern and anger.
She gently held Isabella's face, and seeing the red, swollen handprint, her eyes turned red, "That bitch, I really hope Vitale does something to her! Hitting someone in public? Who does she think she is?"
Doria had already gotten an ice pack from a staff member and carefully pressed it to Isabella's face.
"Don't touch it, just ice it. God, Sonia hit so hard, this is definitely going to bruise tomorrow."
Isabella felt the burning pain on her cheek, the coolness of the ice pack offering some relief, but the real sting was in her heart.
Not because of the slap, but because of Sonia's endless malice and the forever broken bond between them as sisters.
"Thanks," she said softly to the staff member who handed her the ice pack, her voice trembling with emotion.
The staff member, a young girl, looked at her with sympathy, "No problem. Is there anything else we can help with? Do you want to call the police? We can be witnesses."
Isabella shook her head.
Call the police? Press charges against Sonia? That would only make things worse, break her father's heart, and drag Vitale into it.
And she didn't want Vitale's hands to get stained with more dark blood because of Sonia.
"Just help me wrap this up and send it to the address I'll give you," Isabella said, carefully taking off the diamond necklace from around her neck.
She gave the staff member the address of Vitale's apartment.
That was the only safe place, where Sonia or anyone else wouldn't have a chance to steal or destroy it.
"Of course, ma'am," the staff member took the necklace and placed it carefully in a velvet gift box, "We'll use insured shipping, and it'll be delivered this afternoon."
Aria and Doria helped Isabella out of the jewelry store.
The cold winter wind hit her swollen face, bringing a different kind of sting.
Isabella closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself.
But at that moment, she heard Sonia's voice again.
Just around the corner, less than 60 feet from the jewelry store.
"You know what? My sister, Isabella, she's Vitale's mistress now."
"That guy, the president of Tyson Group, the one rumored to have mafia ties—she's selling herself for money, for status."
"God, I'm ashamed to have a sister like her. She's completely disgraced our family!"
Isabella stood there, listening to Sonia spread lies on the street, feeling a mix of absurd shock and sadness.
This was her sister, the woman who always had to step on her, always had to ruin her happiness.
Aria was trembling with anger, "I'm going to rip her mouth off."
"No," Isabella stopped her, her voice surprisingly calm, "I'll handle this myself."
She adjusted her coat, straightened her back, and walked toward Sonia.
Aria and Doria exchanged a glance and followed closely behind her.
"Sonia," Isabella's voice rang out on the street, not loud, but clear enough, "That's enough. You look childish."
Sonia turned around, seeing Isabella, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
She hadn't expected Isabella to come after her, let alone face her so calmly.
She thought Isabella would hide and cry, run away, or endure silently like she always had in the past.
"How am I childish?" Sonia shot back, "You being with a man like that puts our whole family in danger."
"The darkness Vitale brings will drag me down, too. God, Isabella, don't you have any shame? All you've learned is how to sleep with Vitale, right? Don't you think about Dad or me at all?"
Sonia spoke with a righteous tone, as if she were playing the role of a caring sister worried about her family.
But the malice in her eyes betrayed her.
This wasn't a concern; it was an attack, an attempt to control Isabella's life through moral guilt.
Isabella felt a wave of exhaustion.
She was tired of this game, tired of Sonia always painting herself as the victim and Isabella as the sinner.
"Sonia, you can't tell Dad about this, you understand?"
Sonia froze for a moment, then sneered.
"You've just reminded me, Isabella. I should tell our father."
"Let him know what kind of man his precious little daughter is involved with, let him worry about you, feel ashamed of you—"
"Wait," Isabella interrupted, taking a step forward, "You can't. If I get angry, I'm not easy to deal with either, Sonia."
She paused, watching the confusion flicker in Sonia's eyes, then slowly said the name, "Think about what happened to Chris. I'm sure Colt must have mentioned it to you, right?"
Sonia's expression froze instantly.
Yes, she'd heard about it from Colt.
Just a few weeks ago, Colt got drunk and mumbled something about Isabella's ex-boyfriend, Chris.
The guy had suddenly become disabled, found in an alley with both legs broken.
Colt was slurring his words at the time, but Sonia understood.
A chill of fear ran through her.
Not for Chris, but for Vitale's blatant, violent protectiveness.
If he could break an ex-boyfriend's legs for Isabella, what else could he do for her?
Sonia's face turned pale.
She looked at Isabella and suddenly realized something.
Isabella was no longer someone she could bully or control at will.
Isabella now had a backer—a dangerous, powerful one.
"All you know how to do is threaten people, Isabella," Sonia finally said, but her voice had lost its earlier confidence, sounding weak.
Isabella smiled, a smile without any warmth.
"Yes," she admitted, "I don't often succeed at threatening, but it works on you. Because Colt is in that dark world too, isn't he? He knows who Vitale is, knows what happens if you cross him."
"And you, Sonia, you married him. You're tied to him. If Vitale decides to deal with Colt, what happens to you?"
Sonia's lips trembled.
She wanted to argue, to keep attacking, but she didn't dare.
Because Isabella was right.
Colt was indeed involved in some shady business, and he did have dealings with people like Vitale.
If Vitale went after Colt because of Isabella...
Just then, a man's voice cut in, "You two look like something's wrong. Is everything okay?"