Chapter 1

"Marriage is not a joke, Isabella. You don't get to play with something like this."

Isabella only smoothed the veil on her head, ignoring the warning.

Outside, the sound of cheering rolled through the estate before the cars even came into view. Then the gates opened, and a line of black cars slowly entered the grounds.

Luca stepped out of the first car, adjusting his tie with a grin on his face. His men followed behind him, laughing and calling out as they made their way toward the villa.

He had spent three months planning every detail of this day. He had personally chosen the venue, sat through every tasting, approved every arrangement of flowers down to the last white rose.

The gown alone had taken a seamstress in Paris six weeks to finish. Every part of it had been made for me, from the lace to the smallest stitch.

Despite what was happening, I refused to let a moment of anger destroy what Luca had built.

Isabella's eyes narrowed at my refusal to move. Her lips curled, and her fingers went straight to the bodice of the gown she was still wearing.

"Did you even look at this dress properly, Camilla?"

Before I could answer, she pulled back the inner layer of silk, exposing the hidden lining stitched beneath the lace.

Right over the heart, embroidered in the same pale gold thread as the rest of the gown, was a single word.

"Tesoro."

Treasure.

The nickname Luca had always used for Isabella.

He'd never called me that. Not once.

The gown I had waited three months for carried my sister's name against its heart.

If Isabella had not shown me, I might never have known.

"Luca commissioned it himself. He said he wanted my face close to his heart while he took his vows."

The wedding I had believed was built around me suddenly felt like it had been carrying another woman at its center all along.

The noise outside grew louder. Car doors slammed, and the sound of footsteps on gravel signaled that the groom's party was almost at the villa. .

The groom's party was almost at the door.

Before I could react, Mother stepped in front of me. She pressed a hand to her forehead and let out a tired sigh.

"Give the dress to her now. Do you want to start a war over a piece of cloth, Camilla? Isabella is fragile, while you're the strong one. You can bear this for the family."

She reached for my hand, her voice softening. "Sacrifice your pride today. I'll deal with the consequences after the wedding."

For as long as I could remember, it had always been this way. My stolen inheritance. My ignored achievements. My endless sacrifices. They always prioritized Isabella. Even on my wedding day, they were willing to strip me of my dignity to protect her comfort.

I unclasped the diamond necklace Luca gave me and set it on the vanity.

"Then she can have the audience."

I unhooked the back of my gown and let it fall to my feet.

Mother immediately picked up the white gown, handing it to the maid before thrusting a burgundy bridesmaid dress into my arms.

The careful makeup, the styled hair, the hours I had spent preparing to look like a bride—all of it rendered meaningless in a single moment.

Fine. Let them have their little show. I would stay and see how far their lies would go.

"Camilla."

Luca's voice carried from the hallway, warm and eager, completely unaware that the woman he was calling for was no longer the bride.

Isabella took her place by the doors, the white skirt of the gown flowing behind her.

The doors burst open.

Luca and his capos flooded inside, the deafening cheers and the pop of champagne corks drowning out everything else.

I moved into the cluster of bridesmaids, joining the fringe of the celebration.

One of the older capos, carrying a tray of crystal glasses, didn't even glance my way. He shoved past me, the sharp edge of the tray catching my arm and tearing the thin bridesmaid fabric. Wine splashed across my skirt.

"Out of the way, girl. The Don is making his toast."

The moment the words left his mouth, Luca's hand snapped out, grabbing the capo by the collar.

"Apologize to her. Now."

The room went dead silent. The capo paled, immediately bowing his head toward me.

"My apologies."

Luca pulled me away from the crowd, stepping between me and his men.

"No one touches her. She is off-limits to all of you. Do I make myself clear!?"

Another capo laughed nervously, trying to ease the sudden tension.

"If the bridesmaid gets the Don's personal protection, I guess we don't have to bow to the bride!"

The teasing shifted instantly. The men turned toward the bed where Isabella sat, surrounding her with loud laughter. One of them made a crude joke about the family dowry, while another reached out to snatch a piece of her bridal candy.

"Why aren't you stopping them?"

Luca looked at me, his brow furrowing slightly. His gaze dropped to my hand, where I was unconsciously twisting the silver chain around my neck.

"Stop fidgeting with that chain. You're picking up her anxious habits. Relax."

"They know where the limits are."

The same words he had once said to me when I asked how he could trust his own men. Now, they meant something entirely different.

The man standing beside me no longer felt like the one I knew.

When the jokes grew louder and the men pressed closer to Isabella, Father stepped forward. Mother moved immediately to Isabella's side, both of them positioning themselves between her and the crowd.

The chaos slowly settled, and the ceremony resumed. I retreated into the background among the bridesmaids, watching from the place I had been pushed into.

Luca dropped to one knee in front of Isabella.

He lifted her foot with careful hands and slid the wedding shoes onto her feet, one by one.

Rising, Luca's gaze found mine through the crowd.

He winked at me.

The same gesture he always made when he wanted me to know he was thinking of me, even in a crowded room.

I could not even force my lips to curve.

Passing by my side, he pressed a small key into my palm.

"The crowd will be suffocating later. This opens the penthouse. Tonight, I want you all to myself.”