Chapter 2

The Falcone Estate had been transformed for the annual gathering of the five mafia families.

A massive iron arch stood at the entrance of the main courtyard, wrapped in white roses and ivy, with the Falcone family’s crest—a coiled serpent—worked into the metalwork.

Dozens of guests had already arrived. Men in tailored suits, women in silk and diamonds. All of them, made men and their families from five families.

The moment my heels touched the ground, the conversation died.

Every single pair of eyes turned to me. Not with curiosity. With pity.

I walked through the arch and immediately understood why.

In the far corner of the courtyard, under a trellis draped with fairy lights, lay a body covered with a white sheet.

I stopped dead. For a second, I forgot to breathe.

Then Lilian glided through the crowd toward me. She wore a crimson dress that matched her nails, her smile as sharp as a blade.

She said apologetically, "Gianna, I'm so sorry. I only meant to teach your mother a hard lesson with a few slaps. I had no idea she was that fragile. She was scared to death. You're not going to blame me for that, are you?"

I was stunned. My heart slammed against my ribs.

She still thought the body under that sheet was my mother.

I glared at her. "How could you be so cruel?"

She flinched and stepped back, like she was scared of me.

The next second, Anthony stepped in front of Lilian like a human shield. He moved with the easy confidence of a man who had never been challenged in his life, his tailored suit hugging broad shoulders.

"Lilian, you okay?" he asked softly.

Lilian's lower lip trembled. "I'm so sorry, Don Falcone. I never meant to ruin your gathering. I just… I saw her sneaking through the estate, and I thought…"

He pulled her into his arms. "I know. This isn't your fault. You protected my property. You did your job."

Then he wheeled toward me. Every trace of tenderness evaporated.

"Gianna, take a look at what your mother has caused. Trespassing on my grounds. Alarming our guests. Turning this gathering into a three-ring circus." His eyes narrowed to slits. "You ought to be relieved I'm not asking for compensation."

I stared at him.

He was my fiancé, the one who was meant to be my husband.

Yet, he just defended a woman who had beaten someone to death.

"Anthony," I said quietly, "I think you should look at the body."

He scoffed, contempt dripping from his voice. "And why would I do that? So I can gaze upon your mother's face one final time and feel sorry for you? Don't flatter yourself. I'm not about to let some decrepit old woman spoil my appetite."

A polished voice interjected from behind him. Daisy Falcone—Anthony's sister—approached at a leisurely pace, her designer heels clicking against the stone.

"Anthony, why waste your breath on Gianna at all? This whole mess is her mother's fault for trying to pilfer things." She folded her arms. "If Father hadn't insisted on this marriage alliance before his death, given your standing now, you could have selected a partner with genuine integrity. Not the daughter of a thief who can't even control her own mother."

She cast a dismissive glance at the shrouded corpse. "Honestly, this thief's demise might be a blessing. Saves the rest of us from being robbed next."

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the surrounding guests.

"Daisy's got a point. A mother-in-law like that would be nothing but a leech."

"What if she'd stolen from another family and they traced it back to us? That would be mortifying."

"Why didn't Gianna keep her mother under lock and key? Lilian did everyone a favor. Problem dealt with."

Lilian peeked out from Anthony's embrace, her eyes glistening with manufactured tears. "But Gianna looks so furious. What if she comes after me for revenge? What if she hurts me?"

"Don't worry." Anthony drew her even closer. "As long as I'm breathing, nobody will lay a hand on you."

He reached into his jacket and withdrew his wallet, pulling out a crisp hundred-dollar bill. He extended it toward me the way one might toss a scrap to a stray mutt.

"Here," he said flatly. "Go buy yourself a drink. Or whatever helps you move past this."

I stared at the note.

The insult struck me like ice water.

He was buying me off. Brushing me aside. Reducing his own mother's death to pocket change.

Anthony pressed on, "Your mother's death was an accident. She brought it upon herself. I'm willing to overlook her attempted theft. But you will take this money, and you will walk away. You will never seek retaliation against Lilian."

He checked his wristwatch. "You've got five minutes. My mother is en route, and I refuse to let her stumble into this mess."