Chapter 1

The party wasn’t over yet when Leonardo grabbed me and dragged me upstairs, shutting the bedroom door behind us.

He pushed me hard against the heavy oak door and kissed me hard. His lips carried the scent of tobacco and whiskey as he bit at my lips in a punishing way.

“What do you mean, ‘well-matched’?” he growled hoarsely in my ear.

I finally managed to catch my breath. Blinking with damp eyes, I said, “Well, you are well-matched.”

One was the most outstanding heir of the Vitale family. The other was the most favored only daughter of the Castellano family.

They were well-matched. If their families form a marriage alliance, it would be the strong joining forces.

After hearing that, Leonardo didn’t kiss me again.

He looked at me, surprised. “Violet, didn’t you use to hate hearing Katrina’s name? What’s wrong with you today?”

Actually, nothing was wrong.

I just didn’t care anymore.

Leonardo and I grew up together. We were childhood friends.

The summer after we graduated high school, our families went on a trip to Vice City.

While our parents were chatting, we were playing in a private pool.

As we played, he suddenly leaned in and kissed me.

That was the third year I had a crush on Leonardo.

That day, the ambiguous line between us broke, and our friendship turned into love.

After the kiss, he pulled away, breathing hard.

“Violet, let’s wait until we decide to get married to tell our parents.

“Otherwise, if you don’t want me anymore in the future, it’ll be too embarrassing for me.”

So we started dating in secret from our families.

Later, Leonardo went to Columbine University to expand his family’s business. I didn’t want to leave my parents, so I stayed in Hill Valley for college.

In the third year of our long-distance relationship, I secretly bought a ticket to Mayruelle on Valentine’s Day.

I carried a cake I had made myself, planning to surprise Leonardo.

That was the first time I saw Katrina.

She wore a backless dress. Standing outside Leonardo’s apartment building, she stopped me.

“Miss, Leonardo doesn’t accept gifts. You should go back.”

Fortunately, Leonardo saw me at that moment.

“Violet, what are you doing here?”

“Is she your girlfriend?” She looked me up and down, then smiled playfully. “Oh, sorry. I thought she was one of your admirers.”

Katrina was very familiar with me from the start. When she added my contact, she complained, “On days like this, so many women come to give Leonardo things. You have no idea how popular he is.

“By the way, I’ve never seen you before. Which family are you from?”

After I told her, I caught the flash of disdain in her eyes.

Leonardo had mentioned Katrina to me before.

Over the past three years, they’ve had frequent contact because of family matters. Leonardo didn’t hide his appreciation for her and often mentioned her.

However, I didn’t expect their relationship to be so close.

“Why didn’t you tell me Katrina is so beautiful?”

He laughed. “You never asked. Besides, she’s not as beautiful as you.”

Leonardo cut my steak as he asked, “What, are you jealous?”

Bluntly, I said, “I don’t like Katrina. She offended me.”

“That’s just how she is. She speaks very directly.”

He poured me a glass of wine. “Once you spend more time with her, you’ll see she doesn’t have any bad intentions.”

Leonardo said this with bright eyes, his tone tinged with admiration for Katrina.

From then on, Katrina’s name was like a fishbone stuck in my throat.

I couldn’t swallow it, nor could I pull it out.

That meal was very uncomfortable.

Even after I got home, I stayed sulky towards Leonardo.