Chapter 2

"Believe me, it was never my intention, I wanted to tell you so many times, but I couldn't." Daisy pleaded, tears threatening to fall down her eyes.

"Because you're a liar," Sofia interjected smoothly. "Just like your mother." 

"Please, she's always been jealous and always tried to ruin things for me. This is what she wants." Daisy’s voice cracked. 

"Oh, am I?" Sofia's eyes glittered dangerously. "Should we talk about the men you've been seeing behind Antonio's back? Like mother, like daughter, right?"

"That's not true!" Daisy shouted. "Antonio, you know me. You know I would never..."

Antonio raised his hand, silencing her. He stared coldly at her, as though he was seeing her for the first time. "Do I know you, Daisy? Do I?"

"Yes," she whispered, reaching for him again. "Are you gonna throw everything away just because of her?"

He caught her wrist before she could touch him, his grip tight enough to make her wince. "How many more lies have you fed me?"

"I'm not lying," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Why don’t you trust me?"

His laugh was hollow. "Trust? Do you want to talk about trust? When were you planning to tell me about your real father? Or should I have waited until after the wedding to discover I'd married someone with no valuable connections?"

From his corner, Vincenzo’s gaze hardened. He set his champagne glass down, his fingers tapping against the table. His stare was unwavering as if he could read every unspoken word passing between Daisy and Antonio. 

Antonio’s lips curled into a sneer. "I can't marry you, Daisy."

The words hit her like a physical blow. 

"What?"

"There's nothing to gain from our marriage," he said, his tone detached. 

The truth finally dawned on Daisy. "This... this isn't about trust at all, is it? It's about power. About connections."

"What else would it be about?" His voice was clinical, detached. "Love? Don't be naive, Daisy. How many mafia dons do you know who married for love? It’s just a weakness."

As Antonio spoke, Daisy’s mind flashed back to when they first started dating a year ago. He would show up in front of her with roses, promising her the world. "You're different," he had said then, his charm seemingly genuine. "You see past all this." Now, watching his mask crack, she realized she'd been seeing what she wanted to see all along.

She took a step back, her heart shattering with every word. "Y... you don't love me?"

Antonio’s smirk deepened. "I never loved you. I only wanted our families to merge. You were just a means to an end."

Daisy’s vision blurred as tears spilt down her cheeks. The crowd’s murmurs felt like daggers piercing her skin. Antonio turned back to the room, his voice steady and commanding once more. 

"I apologize for the interruption. Allow me to introduce my fiancée, Ms Sofia Fontana."

The room erupted into cheers and murmurs as Sofia ascended the platform, her radiant smile piercing Daisy’s chest like a blade. She took Antonio’s hand, and together they faced the crowd like a royal couple. 

In the corner, Vincenzo’s lips thinned. He watched Sofia with a flicker of distaste before his gaze returned to Daisy, now trembling at the edge of the platform. 

"I'll make you regret this, Antonio. Even if it’s the last thing I do." Daisy thought, her nails digging into her palms. 

As she turned to leave, her eyes locked with Vincenzo’s. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. His piercing gaze was unreadable, but it held an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. Was it pity? Curiosity? Or something more? Daisy broke the gaze and marched toward the exit, her heart pounding. Just as she stepped out into the cool night air, a plan began to form in her mind. 

"I think it's high time I take that job offer," she muttered, remembering Vincenzo’s proposal from last week: 'I heard you require a job. Why don’t you come to work for me? I need a new assistant.' At the time, she had thought it would be inappropriate if she accepted. But now... her lips curved into a grim smile. "I just hope his offer still stands."

Vincenzo’s sharp eyes caught what others missed... the slight straightening of Daisy’s spine even as tears fell, the calculated pause before each step toward the exit. Unlike the trembling victim others saw, he recognized a predator awakening. In his eyes, she looked like a lioness retreating to plan her hunt.

His son had just made a grave mistake, but Vincenzo wasn't sure whether to be concerned or intrigued. 

From the ballroom, Vincenzo watched her retreating form through the glass doors. For the first time that evening, his lips curved into a faint smile.