---- Don, and colluded with our enemies. By the old laws, your crimes are punishable by a thousand cuts." "Godfather, please! I know I was wrong!" she begged, slamming her head on the marble floor. "Thereby declare," Antonio announced, "that Sophia Martinez is excommunicated! From this day forward, she is nothing to us!" As the family murmured in agreement, I felt a new wave of rage. It wasn't over. "There's one more," I said. All eyes turned to me. "Marcus Torrino." The color drained from my cousin's face. "As my own blood, you helped her frame my wife." I walked toward him. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?" ---- I played the recording of him telling the doctor to sabotage Isabella's treatment. "Vincent, I just..." I didn't let him finish. My fist connected with his jaw, and he flew backward. "You 'just' what?" I hauled him up by his collar. " Helped that snake poison the only good thing in my life?" "She wasn't my woman!" he spat blood. "I just... I didn't think Isabella was good enough for you!" "Not good enough?" I beat him savagely, punch after punch landing with a sickening thud. "I WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR HER!" "Vincent, that's enough!" Antonio shouted. "Do not commit murder at her memorial!" I let Marcus drop, a broken heap on the floor. "Marcus Torrino," Antonio declared, his voice final. " ---- You are also banished. Forever." After everyone had left, only Sophia and I remained. "Vincent, please..." She grabbed my pant leg. "For what we had..." "What we had?" I crouched, my face inches from hers. "You mean the lie you built on my wife's pain? Or the part where you put my child's body in the ground before it ever drew a breath?" Her eyes widened in terror. "Tt was our first baby," I said, my voice a dead whisper. "And because of you, it died with her. So tell me," I caressed her cheek, a gesture that made her flinch. "What could possibly make up for that? Money? Your worthless life?" She trembled uncontrollably. Istood. ---- "You're going to pay for every second of her pain."