HER CONTRACT HUSBAND IS THE COMMANDER KING

Chapter 4:

The sound of heels clicking sharply against marble echoed through the villa as Isabella Moretti swept through the front doors like a storm cloud. Her designer dress and perfectly styled hair did nothing to soften the fury radiating from her every movement.

"Gianna!" Isabella's voice cut through the morning air like a blade. "Get down here this instant!"

Gianna appeared at the top of the staircase, her expression immediately guarded. "Mama, you're early."

"Early? Early?" Isabella's voice rose to a near shriek. "I had to hear about your ridiculous marriage from the neighbors! How dare you humiliate this family!"

Vincent emerged from the kitchen, still wearing his apron from cleaning up after breakfast. Isabella's eyes immediately fixed on him with undisguised contempt.

"So this is him," Isabella sneered. "The nobody who ruined everything."

"Mama, please—" Gianna began.

"Don't you 'Mama please' me!" Isabella cut her off. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Kevin Romano was perfect for you! His family owns half the shipping industry!"

Gianna descended the stairs slowly. "I told you I would never marry Kevin."

"And instead you chose this?" Isabella gestured dismissively at Vincent. "What is he, some kind of security guard? A janitor?"

Vincent removed his apron calmly. "I'm Vincent, Mrs. Moretti. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Isabella laughed harshly. "Oh, it speaks! Tell me, Vincent, what exactly do you do for a living? Besides destroying young women's futures?"

"I have various business interests," Vincent replied evenly.

"Business interests?" Isabella's voice dripped with sarcasm. "What kind of business? Mopping floors? Washing dishes?"

"Mama, stop," Gianna said quietly.

"I will not stop! This man has ruined years of careful planning! The Romano Family is furious! Do you know how hard your father worked to arrange that marriage?"

Vincent remained perfectly still, his military training allowing him to absorb insults without flinching.

"Look at him!" Isabella continued her verbal assault. "He doesn't even defend himself! What kind of man are you?"

"The kind who doesn't need to prove himself to strangers," Vincent replied calmly.

Isabella's eyes flashed dangerously. "Strangers? I'm your mother-in-law, you pathetic creature!"

"Mama, enough!" Gianna snapped.

"No, not enough! Not nearly enough!" Isabella opened her purse and pulled out a checkbook. "How much do you want?"

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"How much will it take for you to divorce my daughter and disappear forever? Ten million? That should be more money than a man like you has ever seen."

The silence that followed was deafening. Ten million dollars—an amount that wouldn't cover the interest on Vincent's smallest investment account for a single day.

"Ten million," Vincent repeated thoughtfully.

"Yes! Cash! Think about it—you could live like a king for the rest of your miserable life!"

Vincent's slight smile held secrets that could reshape empires. "Mrs. Moretti, I appreciate the offer, but I'm afraid ten million wouldn't even cover my monthly expenses."

Isabella burst into hysterical laughter. "Monthly expenses? You? What could you possibly spend money on? Ramen noodles and bus fare?"

"Well, there are the global properties to maintain. Multiple bank accounts across different countries require attention. Then there's the operational costs of my private military companies..."

"Private military companies!" Isabella gasped between fits of laughter. "Oh, this is rich! Next you'll tell me you own the moon!"

"I don't own the moon," Vincent said seriously. "Though I do have several satellite contracts that might interest you."

Gianna stared at Vincent, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. Was he joking? Delusional? Or was there something she didn't know?

"Satellite contracts!" Isabella wiped tears from her eyes. "Gianna, where did you find this comedian? He's absolutely delusional!"

"Mama, maybe you should—"

"Should what? Listen to his fantasies? This man is clearly unstable! Claiming to have zillions in wealth when he can't even afford a decent suit!"

Vincent looked down at his modest clothing. "Appearances can be deceiving, Mrs. Moretti."

"Can they? Can they really? Because from where I stand, you look exactly like what you are—a desperate nobody who answered a newspaper ad!"

The front door opened again, and Giuseppe Moretti entered, his face already showing signs of stress.

"Isabella, what's all this shouting about?" Giuseppe asked wearily.

"Your daughter has lost her mind, Giuseppe! She married this delusional beggar instead of Kevin Romano!"

Giuseppe looked between Vincent and Isabella, clearly wanting to avoid another family war. "Isabella, please. Today is Nonna Elisabetta's birthday. Can we at least pretend to be civilized?"

"Civilized? How can I be civilized when this fortune-telling fraud claims to own military companies?"

"I never claimed to tell fortunes," Vincent pointed out mildly.

"Oh, shut up!" Isabella snapped. "Giuseppe, talk sense into your daughter before it's too late!"

Giuseppe sighed heavily. "What's done is done, Isabella. They're married now."

"Then they can get unmarried! I'm offering this golddigger ten million to disappear!"

"And I politely declined," Vincent added.

"Because you want more money! How much? Twenty million? Fifty?"

Vincent's expression remained unchanged. "Money isn't the issue, Mrs. Moretti."

"Then what is? Because a man like you doesn't turn down millions without a reason!"

"Maybe I actually care about your daughter," Vincent suggested quietly.

Isabella's laughter turned cruel. "Care about her? You don't even know her! This is all about getting your hands on our family's wealth!"

"What wealth would that be?" Vincent asked innocently.

"Don't play dumb with me! The villa, the investments, the business connections!"

"Isabella," Giuseppe interrupted, "we need to leave for the birthday party. Nonna is expecting us."

Isabella glared at Vincent one last time. "This conversation isn't over, you pathetic little man."

The drive to the Benedetti estate was tense and silent. Vincent sat beside Gianna in the back seat while Isabella muttered angry comments from the front passenger seat.

The Benedetti mansion loomed before them like a fortress, its grounds filled with expensive cars and well-dressed guests. The 90th birthday celebration of Nonna Elisabetta Benedetti was clearly a major social event.

As they stepped out of the car, Vincent noticed the immediate shift in atmosphere. Conversations stopped as people turned to stare at Gianna's mysterious new husband.

"Well, well," came a familiar voice. Rocco Benedetti approached, his broken finger still splinted and bandaged. "If it isn't the happy couple."

"Rocco," Gianna acknowledged coldly.

"And the man of the hour," Rocco's eyes fixed on Vincent with undisguised hatred. "How's married life treating you, nobody?"

"Quite well, thank you for asking," Vincent replied calmly.

Isabella stepped forward eagerly. "Rocco, you need to talk sense into these two. This marriage is a disaster!"

"Oh, I completely agree, Mrs. Moretti," Rocco smiled viciously. "Gianna could have had everything with Kevin. Instead, she chose... this."

More relatives began to gather, drawn by the promise of drama. Vincent could feel their mocking stares and whispered comments, but his military discipline kept him perfectly composed.

"I heard he answered a newspaper ad," someone whispered loudly.

"Like a desperate mail-order husband," another voice added with cruel laughter.

"Gianna always was the rebellious one," came another comment. "But this is pathetic even for her."

Vincent stood perfectly still in the center of the growing circle of hostile faces, his mind already calculating threats and planning responses.

These people had no idea they were mocking a man who could end their lives with a single phone call, who commanded armies and controlled wealth beyond their comprehension.