Chapter 104: You Want To Drug Dimitri..

POV: ENZO

Enzo had been in his own hotel room, reviewing territory maps for their organization, when he’d gotten a call from one of his contacts.

Isabella Russo just paid 100K for information on Dimitri Valentino’s schedule and event invitations. Thought you’d want to know.

Enzo had stared at his phone, fury building in his chest.

They were supposed to be partners.

Building something together.

Creating an empire that was theirs, not defined by Dimitri or Antonio or anyone else.

But Isabella was still obsessed.

Still plotting.

Still chasing a man who would never choose her.

And Enzo was done pretending he didn’t see it.

He’d stormed out of his hotel, driven to her new location, bypassed security with his Valentino name, and burst into her suite without knocking.

Now he stood in her doorway, watching her spin around with wide eyes, a wine glass in her hand.

"Enzo..."

"Don’t." He slammed the door behind him. "Don’t lie to me. Don’t tell me this isn’t what it looks like. Don’t insult my intelligence."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about..."

"You just spent 100K on information about Dimitri’s schedule." Enzo moved closer, his voice hard. "You’re trying to get invited to events he’ll be at. You’re planning something. After everything,after he made you sign that contract, after he threatened to kill you, after he made it crystal fucking clear that he doesn’t want you..you’re still chasing him."

Isabella set down her wine glass with shaking hands. "I’m not..."

"Yes, you are!" Enzo’s voice rose. "We’re supposed to be partners, Isabella! We’re supposed to be building our own thing! But you can’t let him go. You can’t stop obsessing over a man who chose someone else!"

"You don’t understand..."

"I understand perfectly." Enzo’s voice dropped to something rawer. "I understand what it’s like to love someone who’ll never love you back. To watch them choose someone else. To have to smile and pretend it doesn’t kill you every single day."

Isabella went very still.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I’m talking about." Enzo moved closer, his eyes locked on hers. "I’m in love with you, Isabella. Have been for years. And you’ve never even looked at me. Not really. Because you’ve been too busy staring at my brother."

The confession hung in the air between them.

Isabella’s face went pale. "Enzo..."

"I know you don’t feel the same. I’ve always known. But I thought...I hoped...that if we built something together, if we became real partners, maybe eventually...." He stopped, laughed bitterly. "But you’re still chasing him. Still planning. Still scheming. And I’m just...what? A convenient cover? A useful ally until you figure out how to get Dimitri back?"

"That’s not fair..."

"Isn’t it?" Enzo’s voice was steel. "Tell me the truth, Isabella. Right now. What were you planning? What did you ask Catarina to get for you?"

Isabella’s eyes widened. "How did you..."

"I have her under surveillance. Have had since you arrived in the city. Because unlike you, I actually care about our partnership. I care about making sure we’re not walking into traps." Enzo crossed his arms. "So I’ll ask again. What did you instruct her to acquire?"

Isabella was quiet for a long moment.

Then, quietly: "A compound. A pharmaceutical."

"What kind?"

"The kind that..." She stopped, met his eyes. "The kind that creates a physical need that can only be satisfied through sexual release."

Enzo felt like he’d been punched in the stomach.

"You’re going to drug him."

"I’m going to create an opportunity..."

"You’re going to DRUG him!" Enzo’s voice cracked like a whip. "You’re going to slip some compound into his drink at a public event and hope that when the effects hit, he’ll turn to you instead of Eve. That’s your plan?"

"It’s strategy..."

"It’s desperation!" Enzo moved closer, his voice shaking with fury. "It’s pathetic, Isabella. You’re better than this. Smarter than this. And yet here you are, planning to drug a man who’s made it clear he’d rather die than be with you."

Isabella’s face crumpled. "I don’t know what else to do."

"You move on!" Enzo grabbed her shoulders. "You accept that he chose someone else! You build the life we planned together! You stop destroying yourself over someone who will never want you!"

"I can’t." Tears were streaming down her face now. "I’ve tried. For fourteen years, I’ve tried. But I can’t let him go, Enzo. I don’t know how."

"Then learn." Enzo’s voice softened infinitesimally. "Because this path....this obsession....it’s going to get you killed. And I can’t..." His voice cracked. "I can’t watch you destroy yourself like this."

"Why do you care?" Isabella looked up at him, her eyes red. "If I’m so pathetic, if I’m such a disappointment, why do you care what happens to me?"

"Because I love you, you idiot!" The words burst out of him, raw and desperate. "Because even though you don’t love me back, even though you’ll probably never love me back, I can’t stop caring about you. I can’t stop wanting you to be happy. I can’t stop hoping that someday..."

He stopped himself.

Isabella stared at him, tears still falling.

"Enzo..."

"Forget it." He released her shoulders, stepped back. "Just...forget I said anything. I’ll go back to being your convenient partner. Your useful ally. Your second choice."

He turned toward the door.

"Wait." Isabella’s voice was small.

Enzo stopped, didn’t turn around.

"I’m sorry," she said quietly. "I’m sorry I can’t be what you want. I’m sorry I’m so fucked up over Dimitri that I can’t see what’s right in front of me. I’m sorry I’m using you."

"Are you sorry enough to stop?"

Silence.

Enzo waited, his heart in his throat.

"I don’t know," Isabella said finally. "I don’t know if I can stop. But I can...I can try. To be a better partner. To focus on what we’re building. To..." Her voice broke. "To not destroy myself chasing someone who doesn’t want me."

Enzo turned, looked at her.

She looked broken. Lost. Like a woman who’d spent so long focused on one goal that she didn’t know who she was without it.

"Cancel the drug," he said quietly. "Tell Catarina you don’t need it anymore."

"Enzo..."

"Cancel it, Isabella. If you want me to believe you’re trying, if you want me to keep partnering with you...cancel the fucking drug."