Chapter 1

Valentina's POV

There were only a handful of people seated in the vast, lavish ballroom. Antonio Leone had said that, for my safety, he only invited my close relatives.

I clutched my phone tightly. The photos of Antonio and Isabella together kept flashing through my mind. My fingers trembled uncontrollably, and my eyes stung.

Antonio walked over to me and held out a red velvet box, his voice as steady as ever. "The ceremony is about to start. Have a look at the ring first. I had it custom-made according to your preferences."

I didn't reach for the box. Instead, I turned my phone screen toward him. "Antonio, how do you explain these photos of you two together?"

The moment Antonio saw what was on the screen, his expression darkened. He reached out and snatched the phone from my hand.

"It's just a bunch of old photos," he said coolly. "Isabella has been gone for a long time. These are just some records of the past. I only kept them for sentimental reasons."

The emotions that had been brewing in my chest surged at once, and my voice rose despite my efforts to keep it under control.

"We've been together for five years, and you won't even let me share any of the most insignificant things from our daily lives. You refuse to even take a picture with me!

"Meanwhile, you and Isabella Bianchi traveled everywhere together. You two attended events side by side and took countless intimate photos. You didn't seem to care at all about the risk of leaving traces of your relationship. But when it comes to me, you can't accept even the slightest hint of it?"

Antonio's brows drew tightly together, and the air around him turned cold. "Do you really have to compare yourself to someone who's already dead?

"Back then, I failed to protect her, and that's why she came into harm's way at such a young age. I'm constantly living with the guilt of having lost her. I only keep you away from the public eye to protect you—to stop history from repeating itself!

"Everything I do is for the sake of keeping you safe. Why must you insist on misconstruing my intentions? Stop making a fuss over something and someone who's already in the past. It's our engagement day today."

Antonio tried to steer the conversation back to the ceremony and reached for my wrist in an attempt to placate me.

Just then, his phone suddenly rang, and he answered the call. I didn't know what was said on the other end of the line, but his entire body abruptly stiffened.

Within seconds, he had completely forgotten about the yet-to-be-completed engagement ceremony. He didn't even spare me another glance.

"There's an emergency with the family. I have to go right now. Just use this time to calm down and get a hold of yourself," he said indifferently before hurrying off.

Now the only people left in the massive ballroom were my parents, my friend, Carlotta Moretti, and me. The light from the crystal chandelier spilled across the floor, its splendor an utter mockery to me.

Carlotta was the first to walk over. She sounded impatient as she immediately began trying to talk some sense into me.

"What's causing your argument with Don Antonio this time? He's doing everything he can to protect you. Hasn't he given you all manner of luxury and resources? Why are you so hung up on a few photos with someone he once knew? What's the big deal? Why must you insist on confronting him about it and refusing to drop the matter? Will you only be satisfied if you ruin the engagement altogether?"

My parents jumped in immediately after, their expressions furious.

"Look what you've done! You've completely ruined a perfectly good engagement party! Don Antonio is the Don of the Leone family, yet someone as powerful as him was willing to humble himself and get engaged to you! You should be counting your lucky stars already!

"He has enemies and needs to avoid putting himself at risk. What's wrong with being cautious? Why must you be such a vain attention-seeker?"

For the past five years, this scene played out every time Antonio and I argued about something. This whole time, Carlotta and my parents readily enjoyed the connections and benefits that came from being associated with Antonio. Therefore, they would always demand that I be the one who compromised and gave in no matter what the situation was.

In the past, their words would sway me, forcing me to suppress the grievances in my heart.

But now, following the collapse of five years of trust, I no longer intended to keep pushing away my feelings and giving in.

I looked right at them and declared in a calm, clear voice, "Yet his so-called protection from danger only applies to me. The three of you have been happily using his status as the Don to network with other people and close business deals for yourselves. Why must I be the only one hiding in the shadows?

"You're only telling me I should be accepting and understanding because you don't want to lose the connections and resources you get from being associated with Antonio. None of you have bothered to even consider what's best for me!"

Carlotta and my parents froze, their expressions faltering. For a moment, none of them could find the words to refute me.

Before they could continue lecturing me, I pulled out my phone and pulled up an old chat with Enzo Fontana.

He ran a private antique auction business spanning multiple countries. He had also been at odds with the Leone family for years now.

Some time ago, he had invited me to run a new elite private auction house he was launching, but I'd been hesitant about taking up the offer.

Right now, I finally tapped out my reply. "I've given it enough thought, and I've decided to join your auction house."