Trapped in the Don’s Vow (Serena) novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Two weeks later, news came in. Vincent had ordered a hit on a rival family boss, lost half his men, nearly took a bullet

himself, and only escaped by handing over a key port city.

When he returned. Don Moretti’s expression was dark as thunder.

“Don Moretti, it was a setup.” Vincent protested. “I walked right into an ambush. Give me two more months and I’ll take

their entire territory.”

A heavy ledger slammed down on the desk in front of him. “Two more months?” Don’s voice turned razor-cold. “Do you

have any idea how many men died because of you, Gambini? What gives you the right to fail?”

Vincent opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

In the past. I had mapped out every step and he only had to carry out my strategy, but now, forced to command and

plan alone, he’d been crushed.

Only now did he understand what he’d lost.

Cornered by desperation, he went all in. “Don Moretti, I accept the loss, but I have one request. Tell Lorenzo to give

Serena back to me.”

Don Moretti let out a cold laugh. “It’s time you faced reality.”

“Go enjoy your retirement,” he said, waving Vincent away.

Vincent stumbled out into the weak morning light, dazed. What was Don going to do? Could he really mean it?

He slammed his fist into the gate.

An older retainer stepped forward and shook his head sadly. “Sir, if you’d followed the plan and married the Rossi heiress,

Don would have had to tread carefully.”

“But you chose a road with no safety net,” the man continued. “Today’s ending was inevitable either way, whether you

won or you lost.”

“Sir, you never saw the whole picture,” the retainer finished, then walked away.

Vincent started shaking violently, then spat a mouthful of blood onto the white cobblestones.

Back at the Gambini estate, Isabella was waiting, frantic. “Vincent! Did you win? Did Don give Serena back?” she demanded, clutching his sleeve, and then the real question slipped out. “What about me? Did he say anything about

me?”

Vincent’s mind flashed with field reports from the border and the polson vial he’d found hidden in Isabella’s pillow.

His gaze went flat and dark. “Bring me the poison,” he said. “I want her to taste it herself.”

Isabella’s eyes went wide with terror. “Vincent, what are you doing?”

Chapter 9

6.87%

He didn’t answer.

He didn’t answer. He forced the vial to her lips and poured it down her throat, and she collapsed, twisting on the floor as she clawed at her stomach. “Vincent, help me. It hurts. It’s burning.”

He planted his boot on her abdomen. “Help you?” he said. “When you poisoned my knife, did you ever think about Serena’s pain?”

“You play innocent, but you’re a snake,” he snarled. “I was blind before, but I see you now.”

Her screams faded into thin, broken whimpers.

Not long after that, Lorenzo and I got married.

On our wedding night, I was sitting in our room when the door creaked open.

Chapter a