LOGIN(Celeste Moretti's POV)His touch caught me completely by surprise.My heart skipped so hard that I almost forgot how to breathe. Heat crept up the back of my neck, and I quietly shifted closer to my side of the seat, hoping he wouldn't notice how flustered I had become."I wasn't upset with anyone," I said, this time making sure my voice sounded firmer.pp lp didn't argue with me.He didn't ask another question or try to make me explain myself. Instead, he reached over and gently took my hand. His fingers wrapped around mine, our palms resting together as though they belonged that way. His hand was warm, steady, and confident. He simply held it without saying another word, and somehow that quiet gesture spoke louder than anything he could have said.The car continued down the long driveway toward the estate. Only after it came to a complete stop did he finally let go of my hand.We stepped out into the cool night air and walked inside together.The moment we entered the house, I quie
(Celeste Moretti's POV)"Yes." I smiled at them. "The two of you go ahead. I'll wait here."I stood there until they disappeared through the door and were completely out of sight. Only then did I turn around, walk quickly to the car, open the passenger door, and slide inside.Vincenzo glanced at me before starting the engine. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly."That was quite the performance.""Don't start.""You looked like you were hiding something.""I said don't start." I pulled my seat belt across my chest and fastened it. "Can we just go?"He said nothing after that. Instead, he started the car and drove away. Through the reflection in the window, I caught the faint look on his face. He looked strangely pleased with himself, as though he had figured something out. The silence was almost worse than if he had kept teasing me.About twenty minutes later, I noticed we were not taking the road home.I turned to him. "Where are we going?""You'll see."A few minutes later, the c
(Author's POV)"I'll check my schedule."Carmelita said it the way people did when they had already decided to say no. She was already walking toward the exit before Sebastian could reply, and she never looked back.Sebastian remained at the table, staring at the empty chair across from him. After a long moment, he let out a quiet, bitter laugh. He had handled stubborn witnesses in court with far more success than he had just managed with Carmelita.He pulled out his phone and called Vincenzo."Come have a drink with me," he said. "I need to clear my head.""Some of us have wives waiting at home," Vincenzo replied.Sebastian rolled his eyes. Just two months ago, Vincenzo had been the most ruthless and efficient man he knew. Now he acted as if being a husband was the most important part of his life.A soft female voice spoke somewhere in the background. Sebastian could not make out the words, but he knew it was Celeste.A second later, Vincenzo spoke again."Send me the address."Sebas
(Author's POV)Lavinia stood alone in the hallway, thinking about everything Luca had said. His words refused to leave her mind. He had said that Celeste's husband took very good care of her, and she kept wondering about it. A man like Vincenzo Vitale had chosen Celeste. Not Tiziana, who was beautiful, graceful, and had spent years making herself look like the perfect woman for a powerful family.The thought left a bitter feeling inside her. She hated admitting it, but she could not understand why Celeste had been the one Vincenzo wanted.Then she remembered something else. She still had a secret that nobody knew about. She was still holding information that could change everything. At the same time, she knew she was surrounded by powerful people who could ruin her life if she made the wrong move. After thinking about it for a long moment, she let out a slow breath and returned to the kitchen.She decided she would not contact Celeste. Not now. She would wait and hope that time healed
(Author's POV)Lavinia stood alone in the hallway after everyone had gone their separate ways. Luca's words kept playing over and over in her mind. He had said that Vincenzo treated Celeste well, and that thought refused to leave her. She could not understand it. A man like Vincenzo Vitale had chosen Celeste. Not Tiziana, who was elegant, beautiful, and had spent years making herself look like the perfect woman in every situation.The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth. It made her chest tighten with jealousy. She could not stop wondering why Celeste had been the one to win when Tiziana had seemed like the obvious choice.Then another thought came to her, and her expression slowly changed. She still had a secret. She still knew something that nobody else knew, and that secret gave her a little comfort. At the same time, she understood that everyone caught up in this situation had enough power to make her life miserable if they wanted to. Thinking about that made her uneasy. She
(Author's POV)Tiziana lowered her eyes and looked at their hands resting together. Her father's words kept repeating in her mind.You chose this path. You made your decisions. Now you have to make this marriage work.But beneath those words was the secret that frightened her more than anything else. She was not Giorgio Argentieri's biological daughter. If that truth ever came out, everything she had worked so hard to build could disappear overnight. She needed Stefano. She needed this marriage to survive.She looked up at him, her voice quieter than she intended."Are you still angry with me?"Stefano gently lifted her hand and pressed a soft kiss against her knuckles."No," he said. "I'm not angry with you. It's just... today wasn't the wedding either of us dreamed of. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a better day.""It wasn't your fault."He slowly shook his head."Part of it was my fault. There were things I should have handled differently."Tiziana leaned against him and rested her
(Author's POV) The Matriarch of the Conti family leaned toward Vincenzo, her voice lowered to a near whisper. āAre these people descendants of that illegitimate branch?ā Vincenzo gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. The Matriarchās expression tightened, a flicker of confusion crossing her f
(Celeste Morettiās POV) Stefano didnāt come home last night. Neither did Bianca. After her husbandās death, Tiziana had claimed that staying at the Conti estate brought back too many painful memories, so sheād moved into a luxury penthouse downtown. Where Stefano and Bianca had spent the night,
(Celeste Morettiās POV) The video showed Cerviniaās snow-covered mountains in the background, picture-perfect and postcard-pretty. Bianca stood between Stefano and Tiziana, bundled in an expensive pink ski jacket I didnāt recognize. She was holding a half-eaten gelato cone, her face bright with h
(Celeste Morettiās POV) I woke to the steady, mechanical beeping of the hospital monitors and the sharp scent of disinfectant that made my stomach twist. My head throbbed violently, every pulse reminding me of the fall. For a fleeting moment, I tried to place myself, but my mind was a haze until







