Finn's disbelieving laughter was sharp, sudden, and entirely devoid of warmth.
It cut through the quiet of the room like the snap of a leather whip.
Giulia flinched imperceptibly.
Her brain immediately thought that she was in danger, her body answering its instructions to get herself out of danger by fighting or fleeing.
Fist clenched, face turned pale, and she hunched forward, ready to launch into a run.
Then, she felt it. A warmth radiated from Beau's hand that had settled flat against the small of her back. Heavy. Unshakable.
She hated how instantly that simple touch grounded her, hated the traitorous relief that washed over her frayed nerves.
His action made Giulia fear that he had noticed her reaction. At this point, she was deeply regretting trying to play games with Beau. She had underestimated how perceptive he was.
"That's a joke, right?" Finn's voice broke through her thoughts, his laughter dying as abruptly as it had flared up.
He looked from Beau's smug face to Giulia's wide eyes, clearly waiting for someone to join in on the punchline.
No one did. The silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating, until every trace of unsure amusement vanished from Finn's features, leaving behind a hard, ugly mask.
"What did you do?" Finn rasped, taking a half-step forward.
Beau's expression remained unreadable, his eyes as cold as black glass.
Giulia swallowed, her throat feeling like dry paper. The colossal diamond ring on her left hand suddenly felt exponentially heavier, pulsing against her skin like a hot iron.
Finn's gaze dropped.
The massive oval stone caught the overhead light, scattering brilliant prisms across the marble floor. Something dark and possessive flared in his eyes. Without warning, he lunged forward, his fingers clamping violently around Giulia's left wrist.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, his grip tightening until her bones ached.
Giulia gasped as a sharp pain shot up her arm, and she immediately tried to wrench herself backward. "Finn, let me go!"
He didn't budge. His knuckles turned white around her arm, his eyes burning into the ring. "You've been gone all day with him, and you come back wearing this?"
"Finn!"
"I asked you a damn question!"
Giulia's heart hammered frantically against her ribs, panic flaring as the room seemed to shrink around her. She tugged harder, her voice cracking. "You're hurting me!"
That was the absolute limit.
Beau moved.
He didn't just step in. His every movement was slick with smooth precision.
His long fingers clamped around Finn's wrist, and with a single twist, he peeled his older brother's hand off Giulia's arm.
"Stop it, brother," Beau said quietly.
Finn glared at him, his face twisting with rage. "You stay out of this!"
Beau didn't bother answering. He pulled Giulia back, stepping seamlessly into her space and placing his broad frame directly between her and Finn. His shoulders were rigid, his dark eyes locked onto his brother with lethal focus.
"If you have any questions," Beau murmured, his low voice dripping with danger, "direct them to me."
Finn stared at him, breathing heavily. Then his gaze darted past Beau's shoulder, trying to catch Giulia's eyes. Something inside him seemed to snap completely.
"You are going to regret this," Finn spat.
Beau's eyes narrowed into slits.
Finn took a furious step forward, his voice escalating into a roar. "How dare you?! How dare you get engaged to my girlfriend?!"
The word exploded through the room like a concussive blast.
"What does he mean by ' his girlfriend '?" Giulia's soft voice broke the silence.
"Why don't you tell her what I mean?" Finn demanded, his chest heaving. "You knew she was mine! You knew exactly what she meant to me!"
Beau's jaw tightened, the muscle ticking under his skin. "You don't get to call someone yours after throwing her away like trash."
"You dare?!"
Finn charged.
Beau reacted instantly. The first blow landed with a sickening, heavy thud. Giulia screamed, bringing her hands up to her mouth.
"Stop!"
Neither man listened. Finn swung a wild right hook. Beau ducked effortlessly, driving his shoulder straight into Finn's sternum. The force of the impact sent both men crashing violently into the long dining table.
A high-backed chair overturned with a splintering crack. A crystal glass shattered against the floor, raining shards across the rug. Abby screamed, stumbling backward toward the kitchen counter with her hands over her ears. "What are you doing?! Stop it!"
The two brothers were deaf to the world, locked in a brutal, chaotic brawl.
Finn grabbed Beau by the lapels of his coat, driving him backward and slamming him hard against the oak wall paneling. "You've always wanted what I had!"
Beau's expression turned vicious. He brought his arms up, shattering Finn's grip, and shoved him back with enough force to send him stumbling over a footrest. "And you've always operated under the pathetic delusion that everything belongs to you!"
Finn lunged again. Beau blocked the incoming strike, ducked a second, and drove a brutal right hook straight into Finn's midsection.
This was no longer a harmless brotherly scuffle.
Years of unspoken rivalry, family dynamic bitterness, and deep-seated resentment erupted into open violence. Giulia stood rooted to the spot, watching the two men tear each other apart over her.
"Stop it! Please!" Her voice was completely swallowed by the sound of breaking wood and heavy impacts and afraid they would just kill each other.
Beau slipped another punch, but Finn managed to kick out, catching the leg of the marble dining table. The massive table tipped sideways, sending an imported porcelain vase crashing onto the tiles.
The deafening noise finally rattled the entire estate.
Hurried, thunderous footsteps echoed down the hallway. Within seconds, Beau's head of security burst through the double doors, followed closely by Finn's personal assistant and two uniformed staff members.
"Somebody! Get them apart!"
"Hold Mr. Finn!"
It took four fully grown men to finally pry the two brothers apart.
Finn wrestled violently against the two guards holding his arms back, a deep cut bleeding profusely near his left eyebrow. Beau remained surprisingly still, though his suit was torn, his hair disheveled, and a line of dark blood was trickling from his split lower lip.
"Let me go!" Finn snarled, straining against his handlers. He glared past the guards, locking eyes with his older brother. "My mother warned me about you!" he spat, his voice rough and rasping. "Offering a bastard even an inch of kindness was a complete waste of time!"