Chapter 7

For three days, Alessia showed off her joy to the world. On the first day, she updated her social media with a video. Dante stood in the kitchen awkwardly making soup for her. She nestled beside him, her smile sickeningly sweet.

[He's learning to cook. For me. For us.]

On the second day, she ramped it up. Shopping at baby stores, massaging her feet late at night, a recording of him reading bedtime stories…

Her eight million followers ate it up. Comments flooded in.

[They're perfect together.]

[She's so lucky.]

[This is what true love looks like!]

On the third day, they shared a passionate kiss at sunset. Their silhouettes glowed against the orange-red sky.

She announced her birthday live stream for tomorrow.

[Come celebrate with me. I want to share this happiness with all of you.]

I watched it all through my screen. Then, my phone rang.

"My precious daughter." Papa's deep voice came through. "Tomorrow is your birthday. I'm throwing you a party. A real party. Let them see with their own eyes who the true heir to the Romano family is. Are you ready?"

My throat tightened. The tears I had been holding back for days finally filled my eyes.

"Yes, Papa. I'm ready."

Tomorrow was my birthday. It also happened to be Alessia's birthday.

She had no idea what was waiting for her.

...

The banquet hall looked like a palace built from wealth itself. Glittering crystal chandeliers, towering champagne pyramids, guests dressed in haute couture that cost more than most people's entire weddings.

Alessia glided through the crowd with perfect poise and a flawless smile. Dante stood beside her, looking distracted and constantly checking his phone.

My phone vibrated in my pocket once, then again. I did not look down because I already knew what those messages said.

For days now, he had been sending the same type of messages.

[Where are you?]

[Come home.]

[Stop throwing a tantrum.]

Only this morning did he finally realize I had not been responding. The text barrage stopped abruptly. The panic and anxiety inside him began to spiral.

I watched him pull out his phone again and dial a number.

"Angelo, has Chiara contacted you?"

His voice was low and tight. After a brief silence, he continued, "No. She couldn't have actually left. All her personal belongings are still at the villa. The jewelry, the expensive watches, all the gifts I gave her are still there.

"She's just trying to make some kind of statement. If her goal was to make me angry, she succeeded."

One of his friends approached with a mocking smile. "Don Castellano, today is Alessia's birthday. Why worry so much about that orphan Chiara?"

Dante hung up abruptly and snorted coldly.

"You're reading too much into it. The only person I care about is Alessia. She's my only partner."

His passionate declaration was perfectly captured by Alessia's live stream. The comments exploded instantly.

[I'm obsessed!]

[This is what the perfect husband looks like!]

[So sweet! I ship them!]

The smile on Alessia's lips grew more triumphant, but it did not last long.

Alessia absently touched her chest, then her eyes widened in shock and panic.

"The brooch..." she murmured. Her voice rose sharply. "My brooch! It's gone!"

That brooch was the symbol of the Romano heir. If lost, she would not only face her father's severe rebuke but could even lose her position as the Romano heir.

Dante's face turned ashen instantly. "No one leaves this hotel. Find the brooch. Now!"

Guests whispered among themselves as the live stream chat went wild. Alessia grabbed her friend and rushed toward the dressing room.

At that same moment, I walked out of the side hall.

Our eyes met. We came face to face.

Alessia's friends gasped in unison.

"Chiara? What are you doing here? Did you sneak in?" One of them pointed at me, eyes narrowing. "Was it you? Did you steal the brooch?"

Cameras swiveled toward me, and phones were held high as every eye in the hallway focused on me.

Alessia gently pulled her friend back and said softly to the camera, "Everyone, don't get the wrong idea. She's a maid at Dante's house... She probably snuck in. It's fine."

Her friend curled her lip in disdain.

"A maid dressed like that? Look at her outfit. Look at that watch on her wrist. There's no way she could afford that on a maid's salary!"

Her voice grew louder and louder.

"She stole it! She didn't just steal the brooch. Everything she's wearing is stolen. She's clearly trying to take your place!"