Chapter 3

The next morning, three black SUVs entered the Bellini estate. The Romano family’s security chief came into the drawing room with several guards, and Carlo received them himself.

“Don Romano is out of danger,” he said. “He remembers a young woman pulling him onto the riverbank and speaking to him before he lost consciousness. His family wants to find her and thank her in person.”

The voices downstairs woke me. The cold medicine our family doctor had left the night before had pulled me into an unnaturally deep sleep, and I heard nothing until the vehicles arrived.

By the time I reached the drawing room, Bianca was already seated beside Carlo.

“I saved Don Romano that night,” she said softly. “I was driving past the river when I saw him in the water. I’m a poor swimmer, but I couldn’t leave him to die, so I dragged him ashore.”

A neat bandage encircled her wrist, clearly prepared for this meeting.

“She’s lying,” I said from the doorway. “I saved Dante.”

Everyone turned toward me. Bianca’s expression froze, and Carlo quickly crossed the room to block my path.

“Elena still has a fever,” he told the Romano men. “She heard about the accident and woke believing she was the rescuer.”

“Yesterday morning, I told you I pulled Dante from the river,” I said. “You slapped me for it.”

The security chief noticed the swelling on my cheek, and Carlo’s expression darkened.

Bianca came toward me. “Elena, I know you’re angry that Father chose me to receive the Romanos, but you can’t claim this out of jealousy. You know what happens to people who lie to this family.”

“When I came home, you were waiting outside my room in dry pajamas, with dry hair,” I replied. “If you had just dragged a man from the Hudson, how did you get home first and leave no trace?”

Bianca curled her fingers but gave no answer.

The security chief cut through the silence. “The Don was disoriented and never saw his rescuer clearly. Since you both claim it was you, does either of you have proof?”

“I do. Dante wore an obsidian family crest that night. It’s in my room.”

His expression changed.

I hurried upstairs and opened the suitcase in my wardrobe. The hidden seam looked untouched, but the pocket was empty. Someone had sewn it closed again with thread a shade lighter than the original.

Someone had entered my locked room while I slept.

When I returned, Bianca was holding a black velvet pouch.

“Perhaps this is what you’re looking for.”

She placed the crest on the table. The security chief checked the number, compared it with a record on his phone, and nodded.

“This is Don Romano’s personal crest.”

Carlo immediately smiled. “Bianca saving Don Romano is an honor for the entire Bellini family.”

The security chief gave him no answer. His gaze settled on me. “You named the crest before she produced it. That matters.”

He placed the crest back inside the pouch. “Possession proves only that someone came into contact with the Don. Until he hears both accounts, neither claim is settled.”

His gaze moved between Bianca and me. “Against his doctor’s orders, Don Romano intends to come here tomorrow afternoon. The Romano family will reward the woman who saved his life. Anyone trying to deceive him will answer for it.”

After the convoy left, Carlo seized my arm and dragged me to the far end of the hall.

“When Dante comes tomorrow, you will stay in your room. You are not to come downstairs.”

“You know I saved him.”

“I know Bianca has what the Romanos will believe.”

He ordered a guard to watch my door the next day, then went to discuss Dante’s visit with Bianca.

She waited until he was gone before approaching me.

“I added something to your medicine and used the housekeeper’s key,” she murmured. “You hid the crest well. Just not well enough.”

Her gaze dropped to my empty hands as she smiled. “Tomorrow, Dante will see only me. By the time that door opens, it will already be over.”

The crest had already left with the Romano convoy, so I held her gaze and asked, “You think stealing it means you’ve won?”