Goodbye, Mafia Prince No More Tears Chapter 10
Romeo refused.
talked to lawyers about forcing the divorce through. They all said it would take a long time.
Every one of them told me to try for a settlement first.
A few were honest about it: nobody wanted to go up against Romeo.
Romeo started coming home every day. Toys for Astrid. Gifts for me.
But every time I brought up the divorce, he either went silent
or suddenly had a phone call to take.
When he was home, he spent every free minute with Astrid.
Playing with her, babbling back and forth.
Astrid was warming up to him.
Ellie came by a few times and saw all of it.
She finally asked, “Do you really have to go through with this?
He seems like he’s actually sorry.”
“So I’m supposed to forgive him just because he feels bad?
How is that fair to me? I’m done doing what everyone else wants. For once, I’m listening to myself.”
A few times I turned around and caught Romeo frozen mid–step, Astrid still in his arms.
My probation ended and they gave me more to handle. I started working late most nights.
Romeo was always there when I got out, parked outside the building.
We never spoke, never looked at each other. But his car always trailed mine all the way home.
That night, for the first time, he didn’t follow.
Some part of me relaxed. But I’d barely sat down when the doorbell rang.
checked the security monitor and saw Bianca.
I opened the door. “What are you doing here?”
The porch light fell warm across her face, but even that
couldn’t hide how worn out she looked.
But the second she looked at me, her chin lifted. Old habits.
“I came to deliver some documents to Romeo.
“Where is Romeo?”
She used to call him in the middle of the night. Now she was coming directly to our home.
If security let her through, this wasn’t her first time here.
No wonder she acted like she owned the place.
I blocked her from entering.
“What’s so urgent it can’t wait until morning? You’re really committed to the job. Director Francesco.”
Bianca’s face hardened.
“Drop the act. You still care about what’s between me and Romeo. Don’t pretend you don’t. You hate that I took your job. And you know what? I could make him divorce you too.”
I laughed. “That’s exactly what I want.”
Bianca stared at me.
The second Romeo and I broke up, you swooped in. I sent you those photos before the wedding; I told you everything, and you still didn’t back off. You wanted him that badly. There’s ho no way you’d let him go now.”
I sighed. “But here’s the thing. I want the divorce and Romeo
won’t give it to me. So if you can make him sign the papers, honestly, I’ll owe you one.”
Something shifted in Bianca’s face. She sneered.
Oh, I see. You’re playing hard to get now. That’s why Romeo’s been pulling away from me and even tried to get me fired. You’ve really got him wrapped around your finger, don’t you?”
*But too bad for you. One tear from me, and he caves every time.”
*So what if I had to leave him a few times and he ended up with you? You’ve seen it yourself. He’s still in love with me. All I have to do is say the word and he’ll leave you.”
“Seven years of you against fifteen years of us? It’s not even a contest.
There was a time when that would have gutted me.
Their history dwarfed mine, and I used to believe that mattered.
Because back then, I still loved him.
I didn’t anymore.
“Then by all means, get it done.”
Bianca was speechless.
You…”
Romeo’s voice came from behind her.
“Viola, are you that desperate to hand me over to her?”
Before I could answer, Bianca spun around. Her whole demeanor crumbled. She grabbed Romeo’s sleeve.
“Romeo, you can’t just shut me out.”
“You told me. You said if I came back to you, you’d take me back. I’m begging you. Divorce her. Be with me.”
Romeo pulled her hand off his sleeve. “I did say that. But nobody waits forever.”
“The day you came back, I told you I had a wife, I said we could be friends. But that door was closed.”
Bianca let out a broken laugh. “Just friends? Then explain the
Cartier LOVE necklace you gave me for my birthday. Or how the second I texted you from Alderhaven saying I was scared.
you were on a plane the next morning.”
Then what did all of that mean?”
Romeo closed his eyes briefly.
“You’re my past, Bianca. That’s all.”
“I’m not divorcing my wife. Viola is the only woman I want.
Stay away from us.”
Bianca turned and walked away, tears streaming, like she didn’t know where she was going.
Romeo came back to me. I hadn’t moved. Hadn’t reacted to any of it.
You’re not angry?”
I looked up at him. “I’ve already decided to divorce you. Why would I be angry?”
He swallowed hard, “Viola, we…”
I cut him off. “Unless you’re ready to talk about the divorce, we have nothing to say to each other.”
turned and went to my room.
But I heard him speak softly behind me.
“But I don’t want to divorce you.