Chapter 3

Every pair of eyes in the room turned to me, waiting for my answer.

Just then, a figure stepped out of the shadows on the second-floor landing and came down the stairs.

He wore a silver mask that hid half his face. He was tall, and his shoulders were squared. He had a quiet but commanding presence.

It was the eldest Guerra heir, Cesare Guerra.

The crowd stirred again. A low murmur of curiosity rippled through the room.

I was about to say I'd chosen to marry Cesare when Don Guerra's warning rang in my head.

"I'll back you if that's what you want, but keep it quiet for now. The Guerras run deep. Tip your hand too soon, and you'll only invite trouble."

I hesitated and held my tongue.

Cesare's steps faltered. Behind the mask, a shadow flickered in his eyes.

I understood Don Guerra's concern. Inside the Guerras, factions filled every corner. Everyone kept their eyes on the family fortune that would shape the future.

I stopped trading barbs with Aurelio and let the harsh chatter swallow me. I turned and walked the other way.

…

On the way back, Maeve rode with me.

She pulled out the bottle of "Enthrall" with a flourish. "Don't you like this scent, Wanda? I think it's special. Lio says it's all about passion and a wild streak."

Then she gave it a deliberate spritz in the cramped space, and a cloying, synthetic sweetness filled the air immediately.

"So what if you marry Lio? You'll never have his heart," Maeve said.

In public, she always played the fragile innocent one, but the second we were alone, she dropped the act and showed her malice.

I looked at her, and all I could think about was the fire from my past life. She had stood outside the flames while holding Aurelio's arm, and she'd been wearing a smug smile I'd never seen before.

Aurelio calmly dialed the police and, in a flat voice, reported an "accidental lab fire".

The smoke filled my lungs until I couldn't breathe. The last thing I saw was their backs as they turned away.

In this life, I was going to let them have each other. I wanted to see how far they'd get without the Santoros' intel network holding them up.

With that, I rolled the window down.

"Your perfume says who you are. You can't fake taste. Do yourself a favor, learn a thing or two, and quit waving around bargain-bin junk and embarrassing yourself. I wish you both a lifetime together."

Maeve's smug look faltered. She shot me a taunting little smile. "I know you're saying this because you're crazy jealous, but it doesn't matter. Lio loves me. That's all that counts."

…

Not long after, the Guerras held their annual launch event. Dad sent me to represent the Santoros again.

I'd barely walked in when I spotted Maeve. We hadn't seen each other in a few days. She wore haute couture from a luxury label, and she was draped in a full sapphire set. She practically glowed.

When she saw me, a triumphant smile tugged at her lips.

"Wanda, what do you think of my jewelry and perfume? Lio had both custom-made for me. I told him not to go overboard, but he said I'm the only one who deserves something one of a kind."

I frowned, running out of patience, and tried to step around her.

But she slid in front of me again. "Wanda, I just wanted to share my happiness with you. Why do you always keep people at arm's length? I know you're jealous of me and Lio, but you can't make someone love you."

As she spoke, her eyes welled up and her breathing quickened.

I instinctively took a step back.

She suddenly clutched her chest and collapsed. Her breathing turned ragged as if she were in pain. "Wanda, how could you use pollen to trigger me... You know I... I can't be around that..."

That was when Aurelio showed up.

He stormed over, scooped Maeve up, and leveled me with a hard glare. "Wanda! What the hell are you doing? You can't even tolerate your own sister? How cruel can you get?"

I looked at him, then at Maeve hamming it up on the floor, and let out a harsh laugh. "Maeve, I never thought you'd still be pulling cheap tricks."

"Shut up!"

Aurelio grabbed my wrist, squeezing so hard I thought he might crush the bones.