Vincenzo's harsh words still echoed in my ears.

I lowered the phone. As the screen went dark, the last flicker of light in my eyes died out completely.

I quickly confirmed the appointment at the abortion clinic, one I had found long ago, far from the new dock.

This time, I would make a clean break with him and with the twelve years of obsession I had clung to.

I turned and walked away from the dock. The evening wind, carrying the smell of salt and fish, swept across my cheeks. Yet, its warmth couldn't reach the chill deep in my heart.

Instead of returning to the villa, I found a secluded guesthouse and curled up on the couch. Fragments of the past surged through my mind, only to fade into a numb silence.

I was about to nod off when my phone suddenly rang.

It was the family butler, Pietro Vecchio.

"Miss Giordano, there's been an accident at the new dock!" he said urgently in a trembling voice. "The container storing the arms exploded unexpectedly, and half the dock's cargo ships and loading zones were destroyed.

"You must return immediately to handle asset assessment and arrange care for the wounded!"

I gripped the phone tighter, feeling nothing but absurdity. No matter how deep the enmity ran, family matters still had to be dealt with.

After pulling on some clothes, I drove through the night back to the new dock.

I parked my car at the entrance to the dock and saw the devastation from afar. Charred containers lay crooked along the shoreline, some debris having fallen into the sea, spreading a slick of dark oil.

Twisted metal frames smoldered with wisps of smoke as a few Soldati crouched nearby, clearing up the debris. Their faces were etched with fear.

I took a deep breath to force down the nausea rising in my throat and had just taken a step toward the ruins when a sudden, sharp pain exploded in my back. I was kicked forward, crashing heavily onto the jagged sheet metal of a shattered container.

Sharp metal fragments sliced through my palms and knees, and blood instantly began to seep out.

"Isabella, you despicable woman! Can't you just disappear?" Ettore's furious roar exploded behind me. "I told you we were handling urgent family matters, and yet you show up here anyway?

"Are you that desperate for a man? Can't you live without Vincenzo?"

Bracing myself against the metal sheet, I slowly stood up and brushed the dust from my clothes before turning to face him.

The Ettore before me now had nothing but disgust for me in his eyes.

I suddenly laughed, the sound cold and hoarse. "Ettore, have you forgotten how Elena treated us?"

His face stiffened, a flicker of panic flashing in his eyes before they hardened into ferocity.

"Stop spouting nonsense! Elena has always treated me well. It's you who's malicious, always trying to sow discord!"

"Sow discord?" I took a step closer toward him. "Have you forgotten when you were ten years old, she locked us both in the basement for three days without food or water?

"Did you forget how you cried and screamed for Mom? Yet, now you're wearing the clothes Elena bought you and helping Sofia go against me! Have you even forgotten how Mom died?"

The death of my mother, Caterina Prodi, was no accident. Instead, Elena set her up, ruined her reputation within the family, and drove her to a point of no return.

I had told Ettore this countless times, but he had long been bewitched by Elena and Sofia, so he could no longer remember.

"Shut up!" Ettore, stung by my words, lashed out in fury.

He raised his hand to strike me, but I was prepared. Sidestepping his blow, I swung back and slapped him hard across the face.

Ettore's head snapped to the side. He covered his cheek and stared at me in disbelief. "You dare hit me?"

"That slap was for Mom," I said, my gaze icy. "From this day on, you are no longer my brother. We are finished!"

Trembling with rage, he was about to retaliate when a soft, weak cough sounded behind him.

I turned to look. Vincenzo was striding over with Sofia in his arms. She leaned into his embrace, her face pale and her brows knitted in distress. Clearly, she was shaken by what had just happened.

Vincenzo's gaze fell on my bleeding palms and knees. He paused, a fleeting flicker of guilt in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced by impatience.

"I forgot to wish you a happy birthday yesterday, Isabella," he said with a tone of perfunctory gentleness. "Once things are settled here, I'll make it up to you."

I followed Vincenzo's gaze to their intertwined hands.

His fingers were tightly clasped around Sofia's, as if fearing she might suffer even the slightest harm. As for me, I was merely an unwanted intruder.

"That won't be necessary," I said in a voice devoid of any emotion and calmly shifted my gaze away. "I cannot accept your birthday wishes."

Vincenzo was taken aback, probably not expecting such a reaction from me. In the past, no matter how much he hurt me, I would always come crawling back. But this time, I was truly exhausted and done with him.

Sofia shifted slightly in his arms. "Vincenzo, don't blame Isabella. She's just confused right now. Isabella, please don't be angry with Vincenzo. He does care for you deep down. It's just that I haven't been doing well, so he's had to look after me."

I couldn't be bothered to exchange fake pleasantries with her, so I crouched down by the rubble and helped bandage a Soldato's wound.

"Oh, spare me the righteous act." Ettore strode over and looked down at me condescendingly. "Now you suddenly care about others? Why didn't you think about how pathetic you were before?

"Do you really think that clinging to Don Rizzo for 12 years, getting pregnant, and still playing hard to get will ever make him change his mind?"

Unable to muster the energy to engage with him, I continued to wrap bandages around the Soldato's wound without so much as looking up.

"Say something!" Ettore grew even angrier when I was ignoring him. "Do you think you're the victim here? Well, I'm telling you—you're not! Sofia is a thousand times better than you.

"She's gentle, kind, and seriously ill, so it's only natural Don Rizzi chose her! Even if you're carrying his baby, you still can't compare to Sofia in the slightest. You're not even worthy of tying her shoelaces!"

Vincenzo furrowed his brows tightly. "Isabella, what exactly do you want? Why did you follow me here and make a scene like this? Can't you just behave?"

Sofia leaned weakly against Vincenzo's chest and let out a few soft coughs before saying weakly, "Vincenzo, don't be mad. Isabella is just heartbroken. Why don't I talk to her properly and have her go back to rest?"

As soon as her words fell, a deafening explosion erupted, shaking the entire dock violently.

The searchlights overhead swayed precariously. From the nearby containers that hadn't yet fully collapsed came the piercing screech of twisting metal, and a massive sheet of metal hurled straight toward the three of them.

Without a moment's hesitation, Vincenzo shoved me toward the falling metal, while he himself, holding Sofia tightly, quickly took several steps back to avoid the danger.

With a thunderous crash, the sheet metal slammed into me. Excruciating pain instantly engulfed my entire body, especially my left leg. It felt as though it had been snapped in two.

My vision went black, and I collapsed to the ground, consciousness beginning to fade.

Through the haze, I saw Vincenzo lower his head to comfort Sofia, asking if she was hurt. His eyes were filled with nothing but anxiety and worry, yet he didn't even glance my way.

Ettore also hurried over, asking Sofia anxiously if she was alright. However, he paid no attention to me lying on the ground, bleeding heavily.

So, I truly meant nothing to them at all.

When I woke up again, I found myself lying in a hospital bed. My left leg was in a thick cast, the pain searing through me. I was the only person in the room, as no one had come to visit.

A nurse walked in and removed the IV needle from my hand. "You're incredibly lucky," she said with relief. "You only suffered a fracture in your left leg and some superficial injuries. If that sheet metal had landed a little closer to your stomach, you would've lost the baby."

I stared at the ceiling. "I never intended to keep this baby anyway. Please help me arrange for an abortion as soon as possible."

The nurse paused, then nodded and left the room without another word.

Right at that moment, Vincenzo's call came through.

"Isabella, what exactly are you trying to do?" he roared angrily. "Did you deliberately cause a second explosion at the dock because you can't stand seeing me be good to Sofia?"

Instead of saying anything, I just quietly listened to his tirade.

"You've been spreading rumors all along about Sofia and Elena being involved in Caterina's death!" His tone grew increasingly mocking. "But Mr. Giordano clearly said Caterina took her own life because she was insane!

"Yet, you still refused to let it go, claiming Elena lured you and Ettore into the basement to abuse you. I already had it investigated long ago, and nothing like that ever happened.

"Ettore told me everything—how you were the one who caused him to hit his head and lose his memory, and how Sofia rescued and cared for him after he was injured. I never once intended to marry you," he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "That baby was nothing but an accident!"

He kept reprimanding and pinning all the blame on me. As I listened, I felt no ripple of emotion apart from a deep weariness.

Just then, the nurse's voice came from the doorway, "Miss Giordano, we're ready to perform the abortion now. Please come to the operating room now."

Vincenzo fell completely silent on the other end of the line. After a few seconds, he asked with disbelief, "You're going to terminate the pregnancy?"

I let out a soft sigh and replied calmly, "Yes. Once the procedure is done, we'll dissolve the engagement."