Chapter 1

I glanced at the old family crest on the gatepost and wondered for a second if I had come to the wrong estate.

I'd been away on business for five days. Now some woman I'd never seen before was standing in my home, wearing my nightgown and yelling at me like I was the intruder.

I pushed past her and walked toward the front door.

She stumbled back. "What, now you're trying to break in?"

She waved her hand, and four men in black suits stepped forward and surrounded me.

They had even replaced my guards.

I looked at her coldly. "Move. This is my property."

Something in my voice made them hesitate. They exchanged uncertain looks.

The woman looked me up and down, then laughed like I'd said something ridiculous.

"Your property? The only reason you were ever allowed through these gates was because you were dating Luca. Now that he dumped you, you don't belong here anymore.

"Actually, let me correct myself. You never belonged here."

She stepped aside and waved the guards toward my car. "Search her car. Some valuables have gone missing from the estate recently."

I took a step toward them. "Touch my car, and you'll regret it."

Before anyone could move, Luca's voice came from inside. "Bianca, who's out there?"

He walked outside and stopped dead when he saw me.

"What are you doing here?"

I almost laughed. "This is my property. Why wouldn't I be here?"

Luca frowned, clearly annoyed. "I told you I'd be staying here for a while. Why did you come here and start causing a scene?"

I stared at him. He was staying in my house. He had changed the passcode and locked me out. Yet somehow, I was the one causing trouble.

I wasn't going to waste time arguing with him. I pulled out my phone and opened our messages.

The agreement was right there: five days. No guests. No changes to the estate. And absolutely no entering the study in the main house.

I held up the screen. "You changed my passcode. You replaced my guards. And you even brought another woman into my house. Who gave you the right?"

Luca avoided my eyes. He clearly knew he'd crossed the line.

Bianca rolled her eyes. "You're seriously upset over something this small? No wonder Luca dumped you."

Something this small? Was she serious?

I shoved the phone toward them. "Are you blind?"

Bianca slapped my phone away. "Those messages don't prove anything. I could fake a dozen of those in a minute. Do you really expect me to believe you?

"You're nothing but a junior clerk who runs errands for the Moretti family. You were only allowed on this estate because you were Luca's girlfriend."

She raised her right hand, showing off the diamond ring on her finger.

"I'm the lady of this house now. So stay away from Luca, and don't come back here again."

I ignored her and looked straight at Luca.

"When exactly did my estate become yours?"

Luca shifted awkwardly, unable to give me a straight answer.

"Alessia, it's complicated. Just leave. We can talk another day."

I stared at the two of them in disbelief, then called the Council's neutral officer.

"The access code to my family's estate has been changed. I need you to come here and confirm who is officially registered to manage the property."

Bianca snickered. "Still pretending? This is going to be embarrassing when it blows up in your face."

Luca remained on the steps, silent as ever.

About fifteen minutes later, footsteps sounded outside the estate.

Daniel Ferraro, the Council's neutral officer, walked toward us in his long black robe with a tablet tucked under his arm. He gave us a small nod.

"I've checked the records. Mr. Romano currently has valid management access to the estate."

Of course he did. I was the one who had given him temporary access for five days.

I stepped forward. "What about me?"

Daniel tapped his tablet a few times. "Ms. Alessia Moretti does not currently have a valid identity record linked to this estate in the standard system.

"The family registry hasn't been updated yet. We won't be able to confirm your status until tomorrow morning."

I silently cursed myself. Of course. Members of the Moretti family's inner circle were never listed in the standard database. Their identities required higher clearance. How had I forgotten that?

The courtyard went completely silent.

Then Bianca burst out laughing. "Oh, this is priceless! You're not even listed in the system, and you still have the nerve to claim this estate belongs to you?

"And you actually called a neutral officer all the way out here!" She flicked a finger at the guards. "Look at her carefully. She doesn't even have permission to enter this estate. If she comes back, don't let her through the gates."

I looked at Luca one last time. "Fine. Just remember you chose this."

One of the guards stepped toward me, making it clear I was being thrown out of my own estate.

I tightened my grip on my phone. Luca was still standing on the steps, watching everything happen without saying a word. I turned, opened my car door, and got in.

Bianca smugly called after me. "If I ever see you within fifty yards of these gates again, I'll have you tossed into the ocean for the sharks!"

I held back my anger and shut the door. In my rearview mirror, the wrought-iron gates slowly closed behind me.

A second later, my estate security app sent me an alert. "Administrator access changed. Current administrator: Bianca Orsini."

I set my phone face-down on the dashboard and sat there for a moment. Then I remembered the Orsini family crest I'd seen on the guards' suits.

I picked up my phone again and called the family steward.

"Find out what you can about the Orsini family."

I heard the sound of typing on the other end. "Ms. Moretti, the Orsinis are a regional family that operates under the protection of the Five Families. Their casino equipment, protection routes, and part of their funding are all controlled by the Moretti network."

I frowned. "A regional family? Then why have I never heard of them?"

"They're too far below the Morettis. There's no reason you would've heard of them."

Interesting. Bianca certainly didn't act like someone from a family that answered to mine.

I changed the subject. "Have Marco meet me at the estate tomorrow morning. Tell him to bring all the documents for the property.

"And find out which Moretti is closest to the area. I want someone with me tomorrow."

After what happened tonight, I wasn't about to face these people alone again.

He answered immediately. "Of course, Ms. Moretti."