2

When our tense conversation ended, Matteo and I returned to the ballroom.

I was about to leave when he suddenly gripped my shoulder and pulled two amusement-park tickets from his pocket.

"I'm free this weekend. I'll take you to the amusement park."

A while ago, I'd told him I wanted to go to an amusement park and be a little kid for a day. I never thought he'd remember.

I tried to smile but couldn't. I pushed the tickets back toward him. "You should take Claire instead."

With that, I turned to leave.

Matteo frowned in disbelief, as if he hadn't heard me right.

He was about to say something else when a wave of gasps from the crowd cut him off.

"Oh my God, what's wrong with her face? That rash is horrible."

Matteo turned toward the commotion and saw a huge red rash spreading across Claire's face and exposed skin.

She stumbled through the crowd of guests in a panic, her face full of fear.

The moment she saw Matteo, she looked as if she'd finally found someone who could protect her. She threw herself into his arms, sobbing. "I drank the water Vivian gave me, and then I broke out in this rash..."

Matteo pressed his lips into a hard line and fixed his eyes on me. His voice dropped low. "Vivian! You act sweet and understanding to my face, then pull a filthy trick behind my back? You're a disgrace to this family!"

Without asking a single question, he decided I was to blame.

I clutched the hem of my dress, my knuckles white, my eyes already red. "I never handed her any water. You know me. If I hated someone, I'd just pull a gun."

Matteo hesitated, almost convinced. But then Claire began sobbing even harder in his arms, her face full of hurt and guilt. "I'm sorry, Vivian. Someone else must have used your name when they gave me the water. I'm so stupid..."

She pulled my gift from her bag and began opening it. "I'm sorry. You went to so much trouble to get me a gift, and I still got you all wrong..."

Before she could finish, she let out a scream and flung the gift box away like she'd lost her mind.

A huge spider crawled out of the box. Claire's eyes rolled back, and she passed out in Matteo's arms.

Matteo crushed the spider under his shoe. His expression went dark, a vein twitching at his temple as he roared, "What else do you have to say for yourself? Claire is terrified of spiders. Do you really think she'd risk her life to frame you?

"You're completely out of control! Guards, lock Vivian in the cell for the night. Maybe that'll teach her a lesson!"

Matteo carried Claire out.

I tried to go after him and explain. "I didn't put that spider in there. The gift I got her was jewelry..."

Matteo didn't listen to a word. After he put Claire in the back seat of the car, he shoved me away with one hand.

He'd pushed me harder than he meant to. I fell backward, and my still-healing gunshot wound struck the edge of a step. The pain nearly made me black out.

Several bodyguards noticed how pale I was and saw blood spreading across the back of my dress. One of them quickly called out to Matteo, "Don, Ms. Vivian is bleeding..."

I gritted my teeth against the pain and raised a hand to stop them. "No. Take me to the cell."

Matteo knew I was afraid of the dark. If locking me in the cell was the punishment he had chosen, I would accept it.

After this, I'd never long for Matteo's warmth again.

In the dark, freezing cell, my wound became infected, and I developed a high fever in the middle of the night.

Half-conscious, I felt like I was reliving the days after my parents died.

At ten years old, I'd been passed from one relative's house to another. I'd slept in storage rooms and eaten scraps.

Then Matteo appeared. He crouched and held out his hand, his voice gentle. "You must be little Vivian. Would you like to come home with me?

"Don't be afraid. As long as I'm here, no one in Sicily will dare bully you. I'll make anyone who ever hurt you pay tenfold!"

Back then, I took his hand and thought I'd found salvation and happiness.