Chapter 1

San Calvino, Carmoria

First day at San Calvino Hospital, and Poppy, the nurse, burst out laughing at the station.

"Dr. Accardi, you hit the freaking jackpot. VIP on day one."

I looked up. "Lucky me?"

"Fifty grand just to show up," she whispered, eyes glowing. "And guess who her husband is? Matteo freaking Lamberti—the Don."

My chest locked up, but I kept my face still. "Wow. Must be a big deal."

She looked disappointed I didn't freak out, but bounced back fast.

"Look, it's them!" She shoved her phone in my face.

I froze.

The guy in the pic? Matteo—my secret husband for five years.

And the girl clinging to him? Lucia. My half-sister.

A chill tore down my spine. The past crashed into me like a truck.

After Mom died, Dad moved Lucia and her mom into our house. Little by little, she shoved me out—like I was the extra.

Only Matteo had stuck with me. Used to say, 'Even if the whole world bails, I won't.'

Now Lucia was five months pregnant, camped out in a VIP suite Matteo was paying for.

That quiet kind of betrayal? It cuts deeper.

I took a breath, steadying myself. "How's the patient doing?"

Poppy caught the shift and slid her phone away.

"Name's Lucia. Five months along. She's stable. Mr. Lamberti shows up for every single checkup. She's so lucky! Not just rich and hot, but totally obsessed with her."

Five months. Weekly visits.

Then it hit. Those "business trips" every week—he wasn't closing deals. He was with her. At her appointments.

My eyes stung. Tears slipped under my mask.

Poppy kept going. "Don't you think he treats her like a queen?"

I forced a smile behind the mask. It stung worse than crying. "Yeah. He's really good to her."

So good it made me feel like an idiot.

I clenched the exam file, knuckles white, breath tight.

"Dr. Accardi?" Poppy nudged me. "Time for her fetal heart check."

I moved like a robot. Stethoscope to Lucia's belly.

Thump... thump...

The sound hammered in my ears, making my eyes burn.

"Mr. Lamberti always tags along," Poppy said, a little jealous. "Weird he's not here today."

Lucia pouted. "Some last-minute deal—worth tens of millions. I told him to go. He's too clingy. But to make up for it, he gave me THIS."

She ran her fingers over her belly, flashing a ruby that sparkled so hard it made my eyes blur.

That gem—Matteo won it at auction for our anniversary. A billion-dollar flex.

He'd said, "Arianna, this color's so you. I'll get the setting done."

I'd laughed, told him surgeons don't need bling like that.

He'd pulled me close and whispered, "Then we won't keep it if you don't want it."

Yeah. He didn't toss it.

He just handed it off—to his side piece.

"He also said once the baby's here, he's gifting me a private island. Just for me and the baby to chill and recover."

Lucia's voice cut straight through me.

I dropped my gaze, pretending to jot something in her chart.

My hand shook.

The pen ripped right through the page.