Chapter 1

The 99th time my fiancé, Draven, hung up on me, I dragged myself to the family's church, my diagnosis of end-stage renal disease clutched in my hand.

"Father, I wish to renounce the Rocci family and break off my engagement to Draven Frost."

The words had barely left my lips when my parents burst in with my adopted sister, Bianca.

My father, the family's Consigliere, didn't hesitate. He slapped me across the face, right there in front of the priest.

"Your fiancé is a respected Capo in our world, and you choose to insult him like this!"

"You're dragging our family's name through the mud in front of the whole organization!"

My mother snatched the diagnosis from my hand, sneering after a brief glance. "Playing sick for attention again, are you? What is it you want this time?"

My adopted sister, Bianca, clung to our parents' arms, her voice choked with tears. "I'm so sorry, sister. You can have my place at the gala. Please, just stop making trouble for Mom and Dad!"

I wiped the blood trickling from my nose and calmly repeated my words to the priest.

"I am no longer a daughter of the Rocci family. I am not worthy of an alliance with the Frosts."

"I will be dead in three days. I want this engagement broken before then."

...

Three days to live.

Diagnosed with end-stage renal disease, I was alone in the church, begging to break my family's arranged marriage.

Meanwhile, my parents were helping my adopted sister prepare for her formal debut to the Families.

It had been three months since my diagnosis. My doctor was adamant that I be hospitalized immediately for a kidney transplant.

But my bank accounts were frozen. With only a few hundred dollars in cash to my name, I had no choice but to turn to my family for help.

When my fiancé, Draven, hung up on me for the 99th time, I took my diagnosis papers and walked to the family's church.

My body felt ready to collapse. I forced the words out.

"Father, I wish to sever all ties with the Rocci family and break off my engagement to Draven Frost."

The old priest looked at my pallid face with pity. "My child, this requires your family's consent."

Before I could explain, my parents stormed in with my adopted sister, Bianca.

Without a word, my father, Marco, struck me across the face.

The blow left me stunned, my mind reeling as I tried to comprehend what I had done to provoke his rage.

"What is it this time? What are you jealous of now?"

"Just because Bianca is making her debut to the city's most powerful families, you have to find a way to ruin it?"

Stars exploded in my vision from the force of the slap.

It took me a moment to remember. Tonight was Bianca's debutante ball, her first formal introduction to the major Families.

I suddenly recalled my own coming of age three years ago.

Only my maternal grandfather had been there to share a small cake with me. There were no other well wishes.

After my grandfather passed away, I never ate a birthday cake again.

Yet today, my father had canceled two important meetings just to be with her.

And I, their biological daughter with end-stage renal disease, had no money to save my own life.

All I could do while dying was try to hold on to a final shred of dignity.

But to them, I was just being petty and disgracing the family.

My eyes stung with bitter tears.

I clutched my swelling cheek and tried to explain. "Father, I wasn't..."

"You dare talk back!"

My mother, Jane, saw the report in my hand and ripped it away.

I had hoped she would see my condition, but instead, she let out a cold laugh after barely glancing at it.

"Now you're forging medical records? All to ruin your sister's debut?"

"You've been a pathological liar since you were a child. Did you really expect us to believe you?"

She moved to strike me too, but Bianca threw herself between us, holding her back.

Bianca's face immediately took on that familiar, tear-streaked mask of innocence as she pleaded with me, her voice soft.

"I'm sorry, sister. I shouldn't be making a debut in the Family at all. Please, stop lying to Father and Draven!"

"They've already been so worried about you. If you just apologize, I promise I'll cancel my debut and let you go instead!"

My mother pulled Bianca into a protective embrace, tenderly wiping her tears.

The display of motherly devotion was a dagger twisting in my heart.

My head spun. The metallic tang of blood filled my nose, and a thin stream of it began to drip.

I wiped it away with the back of my hand and turned again to the priest.

"I am no longer a daughter of the Rocci family. Please, bear witness for me. I have no family."

"In my own name, I ask that this engagement be broken."

My father's voice dripped with scorn.

"To ruin your sister's debut, you'd drag a priest into this farce? You're spitting on our family's honor!"

"From this day forward, don't you dare call me your father!"

I turned to leave but ran straight into Draven. He stared at me, his gaze like ice.

"Eleanor. I hear you want to call off our engagement."

"What pathetic game are you playing now? Trying to get my attention?"

"You think I'd actually break our engagement? Don't flatter yourself. This is just another one of your desperate little schemes."

"Today is an important day for Bianca. Stop this embarrassing display and get out of everyone's way."

With that, they led Bianca away, leaving the church without a backward glance.