Chapter 127: She Belongs To Your Brother

POV: ENZO

Enzo sat in his hotel room, staring at his phone.

The news was everywhere.

VICTORIA ASHFORD CONFESSES TO DRUGGING INCIDENT

Socialite Arrested, Issues Public Apology

He’d watched the video three times.

Victoria crying. Confessing. Taking responsibility for something she didn’t do.

And Enzo knew, knew what had happened.

His father had orchestrated this.

Had found a scapegoat. Had paid Victoria a fortune to confess. Had fabricated evidence.

Had cleaned up the mess exactly as he’d promised he would.

But at what cost?

Enzo’s phone rang.

Antonio.

He answered immediately. "Father."

"Enzo." Antonio’s voice was calm, controlled. "I assume you’ve seen the news."

"Yes."

"Then you understand what I’ve done. What I had to orchestrate to protect Isabella. To protect you. To protect this family from the disaster you were part of."

Enzo closed his eyes. "I did what you told me to do. I watched her back. I extracted her when things went wrong. Exactly as you ordered."

"I know. And you succeeded in getting her out safely. For that, I’m grateful." Antonio’s voice turned hard. "But you were careless, Enzo. Sloppy. Your car was caught on traffic cameras three blocks from her hotel. Security footage shows gaps that are too obvious. You left traces that even Dimitri’s people found within hours."

"I was working fast...."

"Fast doesn’t mean careless." Antonio’s disappointment was clear. "You had access to resources. To people who could have handled the technical aspects better. To drivers who could have transported Isabella without using your personal vehicle. But you didn’t use them. You handled it yourself, emotionally, and you left evidence."

Enzo’s hands clenched. "I got her out. I kept her safe. That’s what you asked me to do."

"I asked you to protect her intelligently. Strategically. Not to rush in like some lovesick fool and compromise yourself in the process." Antonio paused. "Do you understand how much I’ve had to spend fixing your mistakes? Victoria’s confession cost five million euros. The medical records I had to fabricate cost another two million. Bribing officials, corrupting evidence properly, building an airtight narrative, this entire operation cost over ten million euros because you couldn’t be careful."

The number hit Enzo like a physical blow.

Ten million.

Because he’d been sloppy.

"I’m sorry," Enzo said quietly.

"Sorry doesn’t fix this. Sorry doesn’t erase the evidence you left. Sorry doesn’t change the fact that Dimitri suspects you helped her and is actively investigating." Antonio’s voice turned contemplative. "Fortunately, I’ve built a narrative that explains your involvement. The panic attack. The medication. The emergency extraction. As far as Dimitri knows, you helped Isabella for medical reasons. Nothing more."

"He doesn’t believe it."

"He suspects. But he can’t prove otherwise. And as long as you don’t make any more mistakes, he never will." Antonio paused. "Which brings me to why I’m calling. We need to talk about Isabella."

Enzo went very still. "What about her?"

"About your feelings for her. About how those feelings compromise your judgment. About how you need to remember exactly who she is and who she belongs to."

"I know who she is...."

"Do you?" Antonio’s voice turned sharp. "Because from where I’m standing, you seem to forget that Isabella Russo is your brother’s betrothed. That she was raised from childhood to marry Dimitri. That despite the current... complications with Eve Thorne, Isabella is still bound to your brother by contracts signed by both our families."

"Dimitri doesn’t want her. He’s with Eve now. He’s made that clear."

"Dimitri’s current feelings are irrelevant. The arrangement stands. The contracts are valid. And Isabella...whether you like it or not belongs to the Valentino family through her engagement to Dimitri. Not to you."

The words cut deeper than Enzo wanted to admit.

"I’m aware," he said tightly.

"Are you? Because your actions suggest otherwise." Antonio’s voice turned instructional. "You killed a man to protect her. You corrupted evidence. You risked everything. Not because I ordered you to, I ordered you to extract her safely, which could have been done without murder, but because you love her. Because you can’t bear to see her hurt. Because you’ve convinced yourself that somehow, someday, she might choose you over Dimitri."

"That’s not..."

"It is exactly that. And you know it." Antonio’s voice softened slightly. "Enzo. I understand what it’s like to want something you can’t have. I understand obsession. Desire. The irrational belief that if you just try hard enough, sacrifice enough, prove yourself enough, she’ll finally see you."

Enzo said nothing.

Because Antonio was right.

Every word of it.

"But Isabella will never see you that way," Antonio continued, his voice almost gentle. "She’s been in love with Dimitri since she was a child. She drugged a woman because she thought it would help her win him back. She’s willing to destroy herself for him. That kind of obsession doesn’t leave room for anyone else. Certainly not for you."

"I know that."

"Do you? Because if you truly accepted it, you wouldn’t keep putting yourself in positions where you have to save her. Where you have to sacrifice for her. Where you have to betray your own brother for her."

Enzo felt something crack in his chest. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you to be smart. I want you to remember that Isabella is your brother’s woman. Not yours. Never yours." Antonio paused. "I want you to maintain your partnership with her, it’s profitable, it’s strategic, and dissolving it now would raise suspicions. But I want you to keep it professional. Business only. No more grand rescues. No more killing witnesses to protect her. No more compromising yourself because of feelings she will never return."

"And if she needs help again?"

"Then you call me. You don’t act alone. You don’t make emotional decisions that leave traces." Antonio’s voice turned hard. "The only reason Dimitri hasn’t connected the dots yet is because I gave him an alternative narrative. But if you do something like this again, if you leave evidence, if you act recklessly....even I won’t be able to protect you from his fury."

Enzo knew Antonio was right.

If Dimitri found out the full truth that Enzo had killed the waiter, that he’d helped Isabella escape knowing she was guilty, that he’d chosen her over his own brother....

Dimitri would never forgive him.

Would probably kill him.

"I understand," Enzo said quietly.

"I hope you do. Because this can’t happen again, Enzo. I’ve spent ten million euros cleaning up this mess. I’ve lied to your brother. I’ve compromised my own integrity. I’ve protected you and Isabella at enormous cost. I won’t do it again."

"I know."

"Good." Antonio’s voice turned contemplative. "Your partnership with Isabella can continue. The territories you’ve built together are profitable. The Volkov backing is valuable. I won’t take that from you. But Enzo, you need to accept reality. Isabella belongs to Dimitri. She always has. She always will. And loving her will only destroy you."