Chapter 3

When we reached the old Lazzari house, Silas's mother, Vittoria Lazzari, welcomed Lina warmly.

Lina ran over and threw her arms around her. "Mom! What are you doing out here?! It's so windy tonight. You'll get another headache."

Vittoria smiled and tucked Lina's windblown hair behind her ear.

"I was waiting for you, of course. Silas is always too busy. I haven't seen you in ages."

Still chatting, the two of them started inside.

Only when she reached the door did Vittoria seem to remember me. She turned. "Well, since you're here, you might as well come in."

I was used to her coldness.

She'd never liked how involved I was in company business when I wasn't even officially part of the Lazzari family.

Silas pulled me aside. "Bad mood?"

I shook my head.

Silas studied my face and reached out to hug me. I stepped away.

He froze, one hand still in the air.

"And you're telling me you're not upset?

"Sophia, you're about to be my wife. As Donna of the Lazzari family, you can't let your feelings show. People will use them against you. Do you understand?

"You should learn from Lina. She never brings her bad moods home to me."

I met his eyes calmly. "Got it."

Inside, I went straight to the seat farthest from Vittoria.

Only after I sat down did I notice there wasn't a single dish on the table that I liked.

"Sophia, go get Lina a strawberry pudding from the fridge," Vittoria said sharply.

Lina waved her hands. "No, no, it's fine. One of the maids can get it."

Vittoria didn't even glance at me. "Let Sophia do it. She's marrying Silas. Taking care of you is part of the job."

I looked across the long table at Silas. He set a peeled shrimp on Lina's plate. "Do what Lina says. Let the maid get it."

Vittoria sniffed and didn't say another word.

Then Silas set a medium-rare steak in front of me. "I had the chef make it just for you."

I took it, but I didn't eat it.

Silas had forgotten I was allergic to beef. I couldn't touch it.

Lina was the one who loved steak.

Over those eight years, he'd always remembered to peel Lina's shrimp for her and make sure her steak was medium rare. He'd even made a habit of talking to her every night until she fell asleep.

Each of those little things seemed to mock me for failing.

Just then, my phone chimed. My mother had sent me my flight details.

It left at ten the next morning.

Reading that message, I felt a sudden wave of relief.

I didn't touch my food all through dinner, and Silas never noticed.

I just sat there, watching how perfectly the three of them fit together.

I didn't fit in with them, and I no longer wanted to.