"Now Dominic and his wife are deeply in love, having wandered down the wrong paths to finally find each other."
"You have to truly understand how low those gold-digging women can go to appreciate real love. I suppose there's some lesson in that after all."
The people around me mocked and belittled me without a shred of restraint. Their laughter landed a beat late, each time, after they had checked who else was laughing.
Dominic, who had once been my husband, knew I was being wronged, yet not a single word of defense came from his lips.
Instead, he pointed at me with contempt, his voice dripping with disdain. "I don't know where she heard it, but she came here hoping to meet Don Valente."
"Look at her. Pathetically begging for money."
"Absolutely shameless. It's sickening."
The crowd around me stared, their eyes filled with scorn as they tore into me. "Lady, dignity matters. It's time for you to leave."
"This is a private club, not some charity kitchen. You're making people uncomfortable. You won't get a single envelope."
"You've got arms and legs. Why don't you work for your living instead of always looking for handouts?"
I met their harsh words with cold defiance. "I didn't come here begging for money. I just happened to run into Dominic."
Dominic sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Your pitiful act of playing coy and you think I'll fall for it?
"Arthur, I once loved you, but I've long since run out of patience with you."
He pulled Adriana close, a clear show of possession, and shot me a glance. "I have someone else now and we're getting married soon."
"As for you, you're neither my first love nor my obsession. You're just a fleeting shadow."
"Seeing you here today only brings one feeling: disgust. Your methods are dirty beneath me."
He straightened both lapels before he finished, as though the performance needed a frame.
The first clap came from nowhere; then, the whole room joined in.
The associates clapped eagerly, their faces gleaming with admiration.
"Moretti is powerful."
"Moretti really knows how to protect his woman. What dominance."
The sycophantic display turned my stomach.
I couldn't bring myself to engage with these people, so I turned to leave.
But Adriana stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "Arthur, are you just going to walk away like this?"
"Don't you think you owe me an apology?"
I blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Adriana pointed to her heels, her voice dripping with pride. "These shoes? Imported tribute leather, bespoke. Worth thirty thousand."
"You stepped on me earlier and now the surface is ruined."
The corner of her mouth twitched, just barely, before her expression settled into wounded softness.
Everyone's gaze shifted to me, their eyes cold and judgmental.
A money man in a silk tie sneered, "How can this woman be so uncivilized?"
"She's not just uncivilized but vengeful, too," another added.
Dominic's eyes locked on me, his expression hardening. "Arthur, you've really sunk to new lows."
I could only offer a helpless shrug. "I didn't step on her."
Adriana's laugh was sharp and dismissive. "So now you're calling me a liar?"
"Soon, I'll be the wife of the Boss of the Moretti Outfit. What's my standing? Would I really waste my time making false accusations against you?"
Dominic's expression turned icy at her words.
He pointed at me, his voice cutting through the tension. "Arthur, did you or didn't you step on her? Stop lying and embarrassing me."
I couldn't hold back a bitter laugh. "You're out of your mind. What does it even have to do with you? Why is this your embarrassment?"
"Dominic, stop flattering yourself. I've already stopped caring about you. I didn't come here for you today."
His face turned pale with rage. "Fine. You really don't know when to stop, do you?"
"Then I won't help you anymore. Pay for the damages, or we'll get the Feds involved."
The crowd around us quickly rallied behind Dominic. "Call someone and teach her a lesson."
I glanced at the time, my heart sinking. I was about to be late picking him up again.
