Chapter 2

"Asset verification's fine. But this is your Vesper auction, and I don't trust your people."

I pulled the Donna Moretti badge from my bag and pinned it to my chest, my voice cold. "I'm requesting a neutral notary on-site."

Before the words even settled, Damon's scoff reached my ears.

"Can't keep up the act anymore, so now you're making excuses?"

I didn't want to bother with him.

But looking at that insufferable face of his, the fire in my chest started burning, slow and steady.

"Look closely. This is the unlimited black card."

I held it up, my tone flat. "Cut the crap. Either get a neutral notary here, or we keep bidding."

A flicker of mockery crossed Damon's eyes.

"Don Moretti would waste his time on someone like you?"

Someone nearby chimed in with a laugh:

"Probably bought it off some knockoff site. Slap it on and suddenly she thinks she's a real Donna Moretti."

"She wasn't this good at spinning stories when she ran off five years ago."

"Bet she couldn't make it overseas. Crawling back to save face."

I clenched the black card in my hand, about to fire back—

A shrill voice cut through.

"Eileen!"

The sharp click of heels on marble grew closer.

Then, a slap cracked across my face.

The sound echoed.

The entire auction hall went silent for a beat.

Serena stood in front of me, eyes red, looking like she was the one who'd been wronged.

"If I hadn't rushed over, I wouldn't even know you had the nerve to come back!"

"Is it because you heard he proposed to me? That's why you're here clinging to Damon again?"

My head was turned to the side, ears ringing.

The moment I snapped back, I raised my hand to return the favor—

But my wrist was seized mid-air.

Damon's low voice came from beside my ear. "Eileen. Don't make this worse."

I stared at him in disbelief.

I was the one who got hit.

And yet he stopped me.

A flicker of triumph lit up Serena's eyes.

The next second, she lunged forward and yanked my hair hard.

"Don't you have any shame left?"

"You chased after Damon back then and made everyone think I was the other woman!"

"Now five years later, you're back here using some fake Moretti Donna act to fool people!"

Her sharp nails raked across my cheek.

More slaps followed.

The Donna badge was ripped from my chest in the chaos.

"This needs to be authenticated," she announced loudly. "If this is a forged Moretti crest, everyone here could be implicated."

The crowd erupted.

"Oh my God, she actually dared to forge a Moretti badge?"

"Not being able to pay the bid is one thing—but impersonating someone's Donna?"

Someone even lifted a phone, aimed at my battered face.

"Film this. Put it on the dark web."

"Let everyone see what the DeLacroix heiress has become."

My scalp stung as she yanked my hair. My shoulders pinned down by two security guards. I could barely stay upright.

And Damon stood there the whole time, just watching.

Serena, as if exhausted from the beating, turned and buried herself in Damon's arms, sobbing violently.

"Damon, why does she always try to tear us apart?"

The guests murmured in comfort.

"Don't worry, Miss Serena. There's no way Don Vesper would fall for her."

"She broke off the engagement back then, and now she's back to embarrass herself again."

I almost laughed.

It was the same five years ago.

My mother lay in her hospital bed, never to wake again.

But all Serena had to do was shed a few tears, and Damon would stand by her side.

Like I was the aggressive one. The unreasonable one.

Damon pulled Serena closer, looking down at me from his high horse.

"Eileen. Apologize now."

"Admit you faked the identity and renounce this brooch. I'll forgive you, and we'll call it done."

I was shaking with rage.

Five years, and he hadn't changed one bit.

—Arrogant enough to make you sick.

I smiled, but my eyes burned fiercely.

"Damon, you don't get to forgive me."

The words fell. I broke free from the guards, swung my arm, and slapped Damon clean across the face.