Chapter 4

The Moretti estate was lit up inside and out, buzzing with life.

In the main hall, I wore a champagne-colored gown. Enzo's arm was around my waist as we made the rounds, toasting every notable in the room with practiced grace.

To outsiders, we looked like the perfect pair.

But I noticed how his gaze kept drifting past the crowd—landing on the young woman in the little white dress, surrounded by a cluster of young heirs, laughing and flushed. Elara.

One of the men leaned in a little too close, his drunken eyes turning bold. Elara instinctively threw a pleading look in Enzo's direction.

The hand on my waist was gone—just like that. Enzo pushed through the crowd, strode to Elara's side, and pulled her against him.

"This is someone the Moretti family looks after. Gentlemen, show some respect." His tone was the same one he always used—no room for argument.

I stood where I was. The chill of the iced champagne seeped through the glass into my body. Nearby whispers pricked at my ears like needles.

"Miss Reed is so lucky. Who in all of New York can't see Mr. Moretti's favoritism toward her?"

"I'd say she's the one he actually loves, right? Look—his fiancée is standing right there!"

Enzo came back to me and said under his breath, "All right. Let's keep going."

I slowly straightened my spine and told myself: Endure it, Corinne. It's almost over.

It ended sooner than I thought.

A gunshot cracked through the cheerful hall. Before anyone could react, the floor-to-ceiling windows on the east side exploded outward!

Bullets wrapped in flame and debris tore through the hall. In an instant, screams and chaos swallowed the music.

The Moretti family's enemies had come calling—and it was time for me to go. I slipped into the panicked crowd, silent, unseen.

But suddenly I stopped dead in the middle of the surge.

A bullet grazed past my ear. A bottle shattered. Champagne sprayed. A guest screamed and shoved me. But all of it seemed to slow down.

Because by accident, I saw tonight's host—almost on instinct—dive in front of Elara and take her down to the ground with his own body.

The dizziness ended. I found myself on the floor.

I smiled bitterly, got up, and ran out the door.

Before boarding the plane, I got a text from Enzo.

[Where did you go? At an event like this, as the hostess, you're not even by my side!]

It was almost astonishing. Something that dangerous had happened, and it took him three hours to notice his fiancée was gone. And his first words were to blame her for dereliction of duty.

[The wedding's moved to the day after tomorrow. Noon sharp.]

I smiled faintly, deleted him, and blocked his number.

Before I snapped the SIM card in half, I made one anonymous call—to arrange for someone to deliver a gift to Enzo at the wedding tomorrow. A very special gift.

I had no doubt Enzo would love it.

As I boarded the plane, the flight attendant nodded at me. "Enjoy your trip."

I curved my lips at her, my eyes carrying the same calm, unhurried grace I used to have. "Thank you. I will."

From this moment on, there would be no Enzo in my life.

I was just me. Brilliant, radiant me.