“Cheating on you? With who?”
“One of my investors,” Milan said, his voice tightening like a cord pulled too taut. “A man named Victor Grant. He wasn’t just an investor—he was also a rival of Enzo’s. I trusted him completely, but he used that trust to worm his way into Vivienne’s life. When I found out, I severed ties with both of them.”
Enzo leaned back, his posture sharp and deliberate, his expression as cold as a winter storm. “And by ‘cut ties,’ he means he systematically dismantled Victor’s career. The man hasn’t recovered since.”
Jade’s eyes widened, her gaze flitting between them like a bird trapped in a turbulent wind. “You ruined him?”
Milan’s lips curved into a humorless smile, a razor-thin line of disdain. “I don’t tolerate betrayal, Jade. Victor thought he could stab me in the back and walk away unscathed. He was sorely mistaken.”
Jade swallowed hard, the weight of Milan’s words pressing down on her like an iron cloak. “And Vivienne? What happened to her?”
“She tried to spin the situation to her advantage,” Milan continued, his tone laced with a bitterness that seemed to seep from an old wound. “Claimed she had been instrumental in my success and deserved a significant portion of my empire. It was laughable, but she’s nothing if not persistent. She’s spent years trying to make my life a living hell—spreading venomous rumors, sabotaging deals, and now, coming after you.”
Jade sat back, her mind reeling as she pieced together the intricate web of lies and manipulation. “So, this isn’t just about me. This is about her trying to get back at you.”
“Yes,” Milan said simply, his voice heavy with unspoken burdens. “But you’ve become part of her twisted game now. She knows you’re important to me—to us.” His gaze softened slightly, a rare flicker of vulnerability in his steel-gray eyes as they met hers. “And that makes you a target.”
Thiago broke the tense silence, his voice low and laced with simmering anger. “She’s like a parasite. She can’t let go because she thrives on chaos. But we’re not going to let her win.”
Enzo nodded, his jaw clenched tightly, a storm of determination brewing behind his dark eyes. “She’s trying to rattle you, Jade. Don’t let her.”
Jade exhaled slowly, the knot of anxiety in her chest twisting tighter. “It’s hard not to let her get to me when she’s calling and sending threatening messages.”
Milan straightened, his expression hardening like granite. “She’s desperate, Jade. And desperation makes people dangerous. But you’re not alone in this. We’ll handle Vivienne. You just need to trust us.”
Jade hesitated, her mind replaying Vivienne’s chilling words: “You don’t belong in their world.” She looked at Milan, then at Enzo and Thiago. They seemed so sure, so unwavering in their resolve, but the thought of being caught in the middle of their war with Vivienne made her stomach churn.
“Okay,” she said finally, her voice soft but steady like a fragile leaf clinging to a branch in the wind. “I trust you. But if she comes after me again, I want to know everything. No more secrets.”
Milan nodded, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that was almost tangible. “You have my word.”