Page 76 of The Bonventi Secret

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Mr. Bonventi was clear, he won't interfere with your studies as promised, but all other outings are restricted."

I want to scream. To break something. To make Enzo feel as trapped as I do. Instead, I rub my skull pendant.

"Fine," I say defiantly. "The library then. Let me get my bag."

ENZO - 27

Sitting at my desk while my two brothers laugh and smoke cigars, all I can think about is my order to Marcella to have someone pack up Livia's things. I've been wrestling with my decision and thoughts over the last few days.

While I care for her like I have never cared for anyone else, she still lied, she still broke my trust.

And how can I start a relationship without trust?

"Zo, look, I feel I'm going to regret fucking asking, but," Gio says, taking a big puff from his cigar, "Livia. We haven't seen her, and you haven't run your mouth about her in days."

I clench my jaw, feeling the muscle twitch. "It's complicated."

Marco leans forward, biting on his cigar. "Complicated how? Last I checked, you two were all lovey-dovey. What happened?"

"She did something. Something that disobeyed my direct orders and violated my trust."

Gio's eyebrows shoot up. "Shit, Zo. What'd she do? Fuck someone else?"

"Jesus, Gio, come on," Marco says.

"First, fuck you, and secondly, no, nothing like that," I say, more serious than intended. "I asked her not to do something, and she went behind my back and did it anyway."

"Don't be cryptic, what the fuck did she do?" Gio asks.

And this here is the crux of everything. Normally, I'd be able to confide in my brothers, but the truth is, they don't know about the diary. They don't know what our grandmother wrote, they don't know the full story.

"Look, I don't want to get into the details," I say. "But it's made me question everything. The marriage, our future, all of it."

The room falls silent. I can feel their eyes on me, waiting for more. But I don't have more to give. The truth is, I'm lost, and I don't know what to do.

"You love her," Marco says rhetorically. It's not a question.

I nod, feeling a lump form in my throat. "Yeah, sure I do. But love isn't always enough, is it? What about loyalty?"

Marco leans back in his chair, blowing out a stream of smoke. "Sometimes it is. Sometimes it's the only thing that matters."

Gio scoffs. "Since when did you become such a romantic?"

"Shut up, and Enzo, think how happy she made you. Whatever she did, is it worth throwing away everything you two have built?"

I stand up abruptly, pacing behind my desk. "You don't understand. It's not just about what she did. It's about trust. How can I trust her now? How can I build a life with someone I can't trust?"

Marco watches me carefully. "Have you talked to her about it? Like really talked to her about it. Not mad, not upset, just listened to what she has to say?"

I stop pacing, feeling a wave of guilt wash over me. "No," I sigh, "I've been avoiding her."

"Jesus Christ, Zo," Gio exclaims. "You're acting like a fucking teenager. Talk to her. Hear her out."

I shake my head. "It's not that simple."

"It is that simple," Marco interjects. "You're making it complicated because you're scared."