The Principessa Bought a Genius Boyfriend Chapter 05

The Principessa Bought a Genius Boyfriend Chapter 05

There was a chain on my wrist, which had long faded with time.

This was the first gift Vincent ever gave me.

It was when I was 19.

For an entire week, I barely saw him outside of class.

He was rushing between all kinds of part-time jobs, working harder than he ever had before.

On my birthday, my parents threw me a huge party at our family estate. Everyone in New York’s high society showed up.

I’d told Vincent about it, but he didn’t come.

I waited and waited, until late at night, when I finally got his call.

He said he was waiting for me at the gate.

Standing in the heavy snow, my boy was as straight and tall as a pine tree.

He looked exhausted, just like I did that day. His gray delivery uniform was caked in mud.

Back then, I didn’t know any better. I only complained that he was late.

Vincent ruffled my hair and said he’d brought me a birthday present.

The bracelet was a basic design, not expensive, but it was still way beyond what he could afford at the time.

I loved it. I put it on right then and there, and never took it off.

Later my parents called for me, asking who I was talking to.

They didn’t like Vincent. They thought he wasn’t good enough for me.

When I turned back around, Vincent was already gone, vanished into the snow and wind.

Now, thinking about it out of the blue—

At least back when I was 19, Vincent must have loved me, right?

That bracelet was earned with all his days and nights of work.

Did he also run around in the snow, trip and fall, just like I did that night, but still keep going, no fear, all for this bracelet?

But what about now?

He’d got me pinned down, forcing me.

He had the luxury goods I used to love back in the day displayed in his house.

Was it that he never got over me, or was he just humiliating me?

I couldn’t figure it out, and my eyes unconsciously filled with tears.

Vincent froze, and instantly panicked. He’d never known how to handle me crying.

That part was exactly the same as it used to be.

He fumbled to wipe the tears from the corners of my eyes. “Don’t cry, please. It’s my fault, I was just messing with you. Today’s your 26th birthday, I bought you a new bracelet.”

“What?”

I’d even forgotten it was my birthday today.

Vincent pulled out a new gift box.

“Go on, see if you like it.”

He reached to help me change the bracelet.

“Isabella, can we just—”

Before he could finish, the doorbell rang.

Marcus Romano stood in the doorway, a cigarette dangling between his lips.

“Where’s Isabella? I’m here to pick her up.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m her fiancé. She didn’t tell you?”

Vincent froze. The bracelet slipped out of his hand and fell onto the carpet.

I left with Marcus.

He didn’t roll down the window, just lit one cigarette after another.

The smoke was so thick I couldn’t stop coughing.

Marcus and I had known each other for a long time. Back before my family fell from grace, he’d confessed to me, but I was head over heels for Vincent back then, and I turned him down more than once.

It wasn’t until last week that he suddenly showed up at my place.

Marcus said if I married him, he’d pay off my debts for me.

I asked him why.

He said smugly, “I want to prove you picked the wrong guy back then. I’m the only one who can save you. That poor boy will only drag you down.”

Oh. So he wanted to marry me just for his own stupid hero complex. Just to checkmate me.

How ridiculous.

Today I’d asked him to do me a favor as a last resort. I just wanted him to call, to give me an excuse to get out of the situation. I had no idea how he’d ended up showing up in person.

I said coldly, “Why are you pretending to be my fiancé?”

“What difference does it make? We’re getting married soon anyway.”

“I haven’t said yes to you yet.”

“Do you have any other choice? Ms. Moretti, do you really think you’re still the

family princess you used to be?

“Wake up. You’re drowning in debt. Any guy who marries you is an idiot.

“Who else would want you besides me? That guy you were just with?”