Chapter One

Avery's POV

The first thing I noticed was the music.

Soft violins sound filled the air like something out of a dream. It sounded like the kind of music people played at weddings or grand celebrations. It drifted out of the enormous marble building in front of me and mixed with the warm Venetian night.

I frowned slightly, glancing down at the address glowing on my phone screen again.

Palazzo Ramano.

The same address Luca had said the event was happening. A smile curved across my lips despite the nervous flutter in my chest.

So this was it.

Luca had mentioned something about a family event but he didn’t sound enthusiastic about it. If anything, his voice over the phone had carried that quiet exhaustion he sometimes tried to hide from me.

“It’s nothing important,” he had said earlier that day. “Just something I have to attend.”

Which was exactly why I had decided to surprise him. I slipped my phone back into my purse and gazed up at the grand palace in front of me.

The building was breathtaking with tall white pillars at the massive entrance, glowing softly beneath golden chandeliers that hung from the ceiling outside the doorway. Elegant lanterns lined the stone pathway, shining brightly on the arriving guests.

Men in expensive suits stepped out of clean black cars. Women dressed in flowing gowns glittered under the lights, diamonds sparkling on their necks and wrists.

I suddenly became very aware of the simple black dress I was wearing. It wasn’t ugly, not at all. It was elegant in its own quiet way but compared to the luxury around me, I felt… ordinary.

I hesitated at the entrance.

Maybe this was a mistake but then I remembered the way Luca had looked at me earlier that morning with warmth in his dark eyes and softness that rarely appeared in a man who carried himself with so much quiet power. He had brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear and said in that deep voice that always made my heart skip,

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

And I had thought… Why wait until tomorrow?

So here I was.

I took a deep breath and walked inside. The moment I stepped through the doors, I realized this wasn’t just a family gathering.

It was a whole show.

The ballroom stretched out elegantly in front of me. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, throwing warm golden light across the polished marble floors. Long tables were arranged along the walls, covered with white cloth and decorated with fresh roses.

Hundreds of guests filled the room, their voices blending together in a low murmur of conversation, occasionally interrupted by the clinking of glasses and soft laughter.

For a moment, I simply stood there, stunned. I mean, I knew Luca came from a powerful family. Everyone knew the Ramano name but seeing the wealth, the influence, the respect people showed just by being invited here… it was overwhelming.

I scanned the crowd instinctively, looking for him. My heart beat faster as my eyes moved across the room. I could only see dark suits, familiar Venetian faces and elegant women but no Luca.

Maybe he was somewhere deeper inside the palace.

I took a cautious step forward, moving carefully through the crowd. A few curious glances followed me but no one stopped me.

Good.

I was starting to relax, maybe I could find Luca quietly, surprise him and slip out before anyone noticed.

That was the plan, until the music suddenly stopped and the room fell silent. Conversations slowed as everyone turned towards the grand staircase at the far end of the ballroom.

A tall older man stepped forward, his presence alone commanded the room. Even without knowing who he was, I understood immediately. This had to be Don Vittorio Ramano.

Luca’s father.

The resemblance was unmistakable, they had the same sharp features and commanding aura.

He raised a glass slowly, his voice calm but powerful enough to echo through the room.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank you all for joining us tonight” he began.

A small ripple of polite applause spread through the room while my eyes drifted again toward the staircase, still searching and expecting Luca to appear at any moment.

Instead, Don Vittorio continued.

“Tonight marks an important moment for the Ramano family.”

Something about the way he said it made an uneasy feeling stir in my chest. I couldn’t explain it but suddenly I felt like I didn’t belong here, like I had walked into something I shouldn’t have.

The older man smiled faintly.

“It is my great honor to introduce the future of two powerful families united.”

My stomach twisted. Future? Families?

I barely had time to process the words before he spoke again.

“It is my pleasure to announce the engagement of my son. Luca Ramano.”

My heart stopped, the world seemed to freeze around me.

I kept staring at the staircase where a woman appeared at the top. She was tall, elegant and her long raven-black hair fell over her shoulders. Her dress shimmered under the lights, clinging perfectly to her slender figure.

She was ethereal.

But I barely noticed her because beside her stood Luca.

My Luca.

The man who had kissed me that morning and held me in his arms just hours earlier. He descended the stairs beside the woman slowly.

His posture was perfect and confident. A faint smile was on his lips but something about it looked… wrong. I knew Luca well enough to recognize immediately that the smile was fake, painfully fake and yet the room exploded with applause.

Don Vittorio lifted his glass higher.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced proudly, “meet my future daughter-in-law, Gianna Moretti.”

Applause filled the space around me.

My ears rang, my chest tightened so suddenly I struggled to breathe.

No. No. This couldn’t be happening.

My gaze fixed on Luca and as if sensing me, he looked up. Our eyes met across the crowded room. For one brief second, his entire expression shattered with shock, guilt and something dangerously close to fear.

He hadn’t expected to see me here.

Gianna slipped her hand through his arm. Her smile was flawless and radiant, the exact picture of a proud fiancée.

But Luca didn’t look at her. He was still staring at me.

The whispers began almost immediately. I could hear soft curious voices around me.

“That’s her.”

“The American girl.”

“Luca’s little distraction.”

My stomach dropped. People knew who I was, hell, they had known all along. Heat rushed to my face as humiliation spread through me.

I needed to leave.

Now.

Before I completely lost control. I turned quickly toward the exit and pushed through the crowd.

My vision blurred slightly. Everything felt distant.

I had only taken a few steps when someone blocked my path. A tall man that looked older than Luca stood in front of me, his dark green eyes studied me with unsettling intensity. Thick wavy hair highlighted his sharp features and his expensive suit looked perfectly tailored but it wasn’t his appearance that made my skin tingle.

It was his aura.

I didn’t need anyone to introduce him. Nico Ramano.

Luca’s older brother.

A slow smile curved his lips but there was nothing friendly about it.

“You must be Avery Sullivan.”

His voice was smooth, too smooth.

I stiffened slightly. “Yes.”

His judging gaze moved slowly over me as if he was deciding something important.

“Interesting,” he murmured.

“What is?”

“That my brother’s taste is so… ordinary.”

The insult sounded so casual that it took a moment for the sting to sink in.

“I didn’t realize I needed approval.”

Nico chuckled softly. “Bold too.”

His expression darkened slightly as he leaned closer.

“You should leave Venice.”

My heart skipped.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

His voice dropped lower as he stepped closer.

“Walk away now, Miss Sullivan, before things become unpleasant.”

A chill ran down my spine. Was he… threatening me?

Before I could respond, applause erupted again behind us and the engagement celebration continued.

Nico straightened his suit calmly.

“My brother enjoys complicated situations,” he said softly. “But you?”

His green eyes glowed.

“You won’t survive this one.”

Then he stepped aside, just like that as if the conversation never happened. My hands trembled slightly as I walked towards the exit.

I needed air. Everything inside me screamed to run.

I had almost reached the doors when a firm hand suddenly grabbed my wrist. My heart leapt into my throat and I turned sharply.

Luca stood behind me. Up close, the fake smile was gone and his dark eyes burned with emotion.

“Avery…”

“Don’t” I whispered.

His grip on my wrist tightened slightly.

“Please.”

Behind him, across the ballroom, Gianna was watching us. Her elegant smile didn’t change but her eyes were cold. It was like she had already declared war.

Luca stepped closer to me.

His voice dropped into a desperate whisper.

“Avery…”

My heart shattered when he said the next words.

“Please don’t go.”

And suddenly I realized something terrifying, this wasn’t just a mistake. This was the beginning of a war I had never meant to start.