Chapter 3

Early the next morning, Lily woke me up.

"Jessica, today's the Alliance Summit. It only happens once every five years. Dad says you're coming too."

The Alliance Summit?

Oh, right. I remember now.

It was the biggest event in the mafia world. Every boss on the planet showed up for it.

I'd never been, though.

My two adoptive fathers said parties like that were beneath them, so they never let me attend one either.

Who knew it would take this family to finally get me there.

Before I could answer, Lily took my hand, putting on a show of sisterly concern, and led me to the walk-in closet on the second floor. "Jessica, I know you've spent all these years away and don't have anything suitable to wear, so you can borrow one of my dresses."

She opened the doors to reveal more than 3,200 square feet of space, packed with gowns of every kind.

Anyone else might have been dazzled. To me, that cluttered mass of clothes wasn't even a tenth as impressive as my own closet.

When I said nothing, Lily assumed I was awestruck. She could barely hide the mockery in her eyes. "Dad leads Sicily's most powerful family, so we attend a lot of events. I suppose the dresses add up."

She pulled out a blush-pink dress and held it up against me. "I think this one suits you. Try it on."

I looked down. It was a pink sequined gown that had gone out of style years ago.

Forget the Alliance Summit. It wasn't even fit for an ordinary charity gala.

"No thanks. What I'm wearing is fine."

That was all I said, and Lily's eyes were already red.

I was about to say something else when my mother walked in and pulled Lily behind her. "Jessica! Why are you picking on Lily again?"

Lily tugged at my mother's sleeve. "Mom, don't blame her. I didn't think it through. I just figured since it's her first time at something like this, she shouldn't embarrass the family, but I forgot it was one of my old dresses..."

Before Lily could finish, my mother shoved the dress into my hands. "This is one of Lily's favorite dresses. Don't be ungrateful. Put it on."

"Mom, maybe we should forget it. Jessica is the Andreani family's real heiress. If she goes out in an old dress, people will laugh at her." Lily pretended to be worried about me.

My mother brushed it off. "There's no time to have something new made. Hardly anyone came to the welcome-home party anyway. Nobody's going to notice her."

Then she had a maid bring over a beautiful gift box. "Okay, forget about her. This is the gown I had made for you. Go put it on."

Right in front of me, Lily opened the box and shook out a black dress.

The gown was crafted from hand-cut layers sculpted into shape. Delicate dark-gold vines were embroidered across it and studded with luminous pearls, while the straps glittered with tiny diamonds like scattered stars.

"Mom, this is so beautiful." Lily happily threw her arms around my mother and kissed her cheek.

My mother smiled and stroked her hair. "You deserve beautiful things, sweetheart. Go get changed."

Lily was dressed in no time.

My mother looked her over with a smile and fastened an emerald necklace around her neck. "Lily, you're beautiful."

Lily walked up to me, beaming. "Jessica, isn't my dress pretty?"

I didn't answer. She took my hand. "We were in a rush today. When there's another chance, Mom can have something new made for you..."

As she spoke, her eyes landed on my ears. "Jessica, I didn't notice before, but your earrings are emeralds too. They'd go perfectly with my necklace. Could you give them to me?"

Before I could answer, she reached up to take the earrings off me herself.

I frowned and slapped her hand away.

Lily's eyes filled instantly. "I'm sorry, Jessica. I didn't know you liked them so much..."

Seeing Lily upset, my mother rushed to defend her. She glared at me. "They're only earrings, probably cheap costume jewelry from a flea market. If Lily is willing to take them, she's doing you a favor..."

Cheap flea-market jewelry?

Those earrings had once been worn by a queen. They were an heirloom of the Morandi family, my first adoptive father's family.

"Forget it, Mom. If Jessica doesn't want to give them to me, I won't take them. But Jessica, those stones look kind of fake. Anyone who sees you in them will know they're imitations right away, and people will laugh at you."

When Lily finished, my mother looked at me with even more disgust. "You heard her. You represent the Andreani family now. Don't embarrass me. Take them off."

I gave a small smile and obediently took off the earrings.

Lily slipped the Cartier bracelet off her wrist and held it out to me. "Why don't we trade?"

"Sure." I handed her the earrings. "If you like them, wear them. But I should warn you: they aren't meant for everyone. Bad luck follows the wrong wearer."