Chapter One - The Toast

My sister raised her glass to my future while my boyfriend held my waist.

“I’m so proud of you, Alessia,” Bianca said sweetly. “You deserve everything that’s coming.”

Lorenzo kissed my temple. “Three years together,” he whispered. “And soon you’ll officially be part of the De Luca family.”

My heart swelled.

I had saved myself for him.

Defended him.

Chosen him over every other man who had ever shown interest in me.

For three years, Lorenzo had been my world. My first love. My future husband. I believed every promise he had ever made to me.

Tonight was supposed to be the beginning of that future.

The De Luca estate glittered with wealth and power. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, casting warm golden light across the massive hall. Expensive suits and designer gowns filled the room. Politicians, business tycoons, and powerful men whose names often appeared in the news all stood in small groups, laughing and drinking.

This was Lorenzo’s world.

A world I was still trying to get used to.

My fingers rested lightly on his arm as we stood among the guests. I could feel the confidence in his posture, the ease with which he belonged here. Everyone knew him. Everyone respected the De Luca name.

But above all of them…

There was one man who commanded the entire room without even speaking.

Don Marcello De Luca.

Lorenzo’s father.

Forty-five. Cold. Untouchable.

A man people feared without ever openly saying so.

He stood across the hall, speaking quietly with two older men in dark suits. Even from a distance, his presence felt overwhelming. His expression was calm, controlled, but his dark eyes missed nothing happening around him.

Watching everything.

Judging everything.

For a brief moment, his gaze lifted and met mine.

Something unreadable flickered in his expression.

My breath caught.

There was something unsettling about the way he looked at people, as if he could see through every lie they tried to hide.

I looked away first.

Bianca suddenly appeared beside me, smiling brightly as if nothing in the world could trouble her.

She linked her arm through mine.

“You look nervous,” she teased softly.

“Do I?” I tried to laugh.

“A little,” she said. “But don’t worry. Tonight is special.”

She reached for a glass from a passing waiter and handed it to me.

The red wine shimmered under the chandelier lights.

“To loyalty,” Bianca said with a smile, raising her own glass.

Lorenzo lifted his too.

“To us,” he added.

I smiled, feeling warmth spread through my chest.

“To us.”

The wine slid down my throat.

The taste was strange.

Bitter.

I frowned slightly but said nothing. Expensive wines always tasted different from the ones I was used to.

Around us, music played softly and conversations continued as if nothing had changed.

But within minutes, something felt… wrong.

The room tilted slightly.

At first, I thought I was imagining it.

Then my vision blurred.

My fingers tightened around Lorenzo’s arm.

“Lorenzo…” I whispered.

My voice sounded weak.

Distant.

But he wasn’t holding me anymore.

Instead, he was stepping back.

Confusion filled my chest.

Why was he moving away?

My legs suddenly felt like they couldn’t hold my weight.

The floor seemed to shift beneath me.

Bianca caught me before I fell.

Her hands gripped my arms firmly.

“Careful,” she murmured.

My heart was pounding now.

Something was terribly wrong.

“Bianca…” I whispered weakly.

The room around me spun faster.

Laughter echoed strangely in my ears.

People were still talking, drinking, enjoying the party… completely unaware of what was happening to me.

Bianca leaned closer to my ear.

Her voice dropped into a whisper.

“Don’t blame me.”

My heart stopped.

“You were always in the way.”

Shock shot through my body.

But before I could understand what she meant… the darkness closed in.

My body grew heavy.

My vision faded.

The last thing I saw before everything went black…

Was Lorenzo turning his back on me.

And across the room—

Don Marcello De Luca watching everything.

His expression had gone completely cold.

Then darkness swallowed me.