Chapter 3

Staring at the line in Lucian's private message, my fingertips trembled slightly.

Before I could even reply, my phone vibrated violently again.

An unlisted, encrypted number was calling.

I swiped to answer, and Julian's mocking, malicious voice instantly bled through the speaker.

"Chloe, you think just because Lucian sent one message, he's actually into you? Keep dreaming!"

I let out a cold scoff, stepping out of the arrival hall and pulling open the door of my town car. "Julian Vance, I blocked you, didn't I? You went through all this trouble just to call and act crazy?"

"I'm doing you a favor!" His tone was sharp, dripping with condescension. "You think blocking me changes anything? Lucian was just being polite. You really think you deserve a man at the absolute top of the pyramid? A year in Europe—did all that food rot your brain?!"

Listening to his shameless taunts, memories of the last three years flashed before my eyes like a bad movie.

He was the guy who drove through the night after a gang meeting just to watch the sunrise with me, simply because I said I wanted to.

He was the guy who spent half a month learning to make artisan chocolate from an Italian chef, just because I loved sweets.

When my father was alive, he never cut me off financially, but emotionally, he never taught me how to spot a predator.

After my dad died, Julian was the only one left treating me like a princess.

I fell for it.

So I backed him blindly, letting him build his power and replace all the loyal men with his own people. I thought it was love.

But a year ago, right after I boarded the plane to Europe, he accidentally dug up an old photo of me from my heaviest days.

Camilla was there. That woman just sneered and said, "Didn't know you had a thing for land whales." Julian's face changed instantly. At the time, I thought he was mad on my behalf. Now I know—that comment just crushed his pathetic, fragile ego.

From that day on, the cold shoulder started. Right up until tonight, when he personally pushed me off the ledge, using this bet as his stepping stone to the top.

"Are you done?" My voice was flat, slicing through the phone like ice.

"Too harsh for you? It's the truth!" Julian barked, entirely unchecked. "I saw through your disgusting, fat act a long time ago! If you weren't somewhat useful back then, I wouldn't have even looked at you without throwing up!"

So the mask was fully off.

I gripped the phone, a sarcastic smile tugging at the corner of my lips.

Every tear I shed for him, every drop of hope I saved up—froze completely in that exact second.

"Since you hate me that much," I leaned back against the leather seat, my tone as casual as if discussing the weather, "I really hope you're still laughing tomorrow night."

"Laughing? Of course I'll be laughing!" Julian's arrogance peaked, laced with naked threats. "Tomorrow night, Camilla will be on my arm the whole time. As for you, just put on your plus-size strapless dress and show up for your body-to-body drink and 'princess carry'! I can't wait to see how a fat pig like you survives in front of Camilla and the entire New York Mafia!"

I hung up, swiped open my screen, and pulled up the private message with the pure black profile picture again.

My fingers flew across the keyboard as I replied to Lucian:

[Thank you for your concern, Don Valenti. I will attend the banquet tomorrow on time.]

His reply came almost instantly. Just one simple sentence:

Lucian Valenti: [Good. Tomorrow night, I'll welcome you back.]

I locked the screen, tossed the phone aside, and stared out at the flashing neon lights of the New York skyline. The ice in my eyes spread completely.

Bringing Camilla on his arm?

Julian, tomorrow night's hunting ground is going to be way more fun than you think.