Chapter 1

"What are you still standing there for? When I tell you to do something, you do it!" the woman snapped before I could say something.

She lifted her chin and continued berating me. "The Rizzo family hired you to work, not stand around doing nothing. Every other server is busy, and you're the only one wandering around!

"Who gave you permission to slack off at my brother's engagement party? And you actually think you can seduce some wealthy heir dressed like that? Keep dreaming."

The woman looked me up and down, her eyes filled with contempt.

Her vicious remarks caught me completely off guard. For several seconds, I didn't even know how to respond.

Yesterday, while I was on vacation, my father had suddenly called to tell me that he had arranged a marriage between me and the Rizzo family's only son. Our engagement party was today.

According to my father, he had chosen the man carefully and believed he was capable enough to be my match. It might have been an arranged marriage between our families, but that didn't mean I had no say in it.

Before agreeing to anything, I wanted to at least see what the man looked like. So after leaving the airport, I'd come straight to the hotel without even stopping to change, still dressed in the simple, comfortable outfit I'd worn for the flight.

"She had it coming. I can't believe she dared to wander around in front of Juliet Kane."

"Everyone in Bellmont knows Juliet is Dante's godsister. But the truth is… she's always had feelings for him. Now he's getting engaged to another woman today. She must be furious…"

"That idiot just had to provoke Juliet today. She's finished. Someone who doesn't know her place deserves whatever happens to her."

The guests around us were dressed in designer gowns and tailored suits, dripping in expensive jewelry as they gathered around Juliet Kane.

His godsister? From the way they were talking, she sounded more like a jealous lover.

Dante Rizzo was the man my father had chosen for me. I'd never met him before.

According to the information I'd been given, he was tall, handsome, and had been groomed from a young age to inherit the Rizzo family business.

My father had also told me that the Rizzos were the ones who approached him about the marriage in the first place. But judging by what I was seeing now, Dante already had a girlfriend. And he'd still asked to marry me.

"What are you staring at?" Juliet glared at me, her face twisted with anger. "Upset because I saw right through your little scheme? You really thought you could show up dressed like that, live out your little fairy tale, and snag yourself a wealthy heir?

"Let me tell you something. Someone like you can only dream of getting into our world. One phone call from me, and I could crush you like an ant. Do you really want to find out?"

Her insults grew nastier with every word. More and more guests turned to look at us, and the whispers around the room grew louder.

I met her gaze calmly. "First, I'm not a server, so you have no authority to throw me out."

I paused. "Second, today's engagement party is canceled."