Chapter 1

Lorenzo Thorne, the Don and my fiance, gallantly bent down and extended his hand to Layla Cline, the beautiful daughter of the woman who had once saved his life.

His underboss, Layla, blushed, looking both shy and delighted. She gathered her skirt in both hands, dipped into a small curtsy, and returned his greeting.

Amid the blessings and applause of everyone present, they completed the traditional hand-kiss and prepared to walk onto the dance floor together.

As the opening dance began, the two of them danced in the center of the room beneath everyone's admiring gaze, officially declaring their engagement.

When the opening dance ended, the dance floor came alive. Couples took to the floor, enjoying their time together.

Layla linked her arm through Lorenzo's and walked over to me.

The smugness on Lorenzo's face gave way to a trace of guilt. "Avril, Layla needs this ceremony more. Be good, and I'll make it up to you later."

Looking at the man who had been my childhood sweetheart for more than twenty years, I suddenly felt completely calm.

"Do you know what today's opening dance signifies?"

It was an engagement ball. The man who invited a woman to the opening dance was announcing to everyone that they had chosen each other.

As Lorenzo's childhood sweetheart, everyone who knew us was aware of our relationship.

But Lorenzo was the leader of the Thorne family, and his marriage had never been a matter for him alone to decide.

I knew many people in the family favored Layla. Her family had served the Thornes for years, and her father had even died saving Lorenzo.

Even my own father didn't approve of our relationship.

But I believed true love could overcome anything. I thought that with enough time, my father would eventually bless us. He was adamant, though. He had even started looking for a man he considered suitable for me.

However, I refused to listen.

I would never forget how furious my father had been the first time Lorenzo made me give way to Layla.

Without asking me, Lorenzo had let Layla move into the room at his villa that had always belonged to me.

When my father found out, he shook his head in disappointment and pointed at me as he scolded me, "You're hopeless! And you still haven't broken up with him? If he's willing to make you give way to another woman once, he'll make you give way again and again."

I had thought my father was simply biased against Lorenzo.

But after being pushed into second place time and time again, I began to waver.

So my father and I made a wager.

If our engagement party went smoothly today, it would prove that Lorenzo only favored Layla over the little things, and that I was still the most important person in his heart.

But if he chose Layla over me even on a day as important as this, I would walk away for good and accept the marriage my father had arranged for me.

This was the last chance I was giving myself and Lorenzo.

As it turned out, my father was right.

I had personally handled everything, from the decorations and dessert selection to the entire schedule of events.

Just last night, Lorenzo and I had still been happily envisioning our future together, yet at this pivotal moment, he took another woman's hand.

It felt as though I had personally arranged a funeral for the love we had shared for more than twenty years.

When our eyes met, Lorenzo sighed helplessly and tried to explain, "Once Layla becomes my Donna in name, no one in the family will dare bully her. And I'll be able to spend more time with you, too. You know I'm going to marry you in the end, Avril. So don't get upset over something this small."

His voice was gentle, coaxing me. "This party means a lot to Layla. You know her father died because of me. I owe her. For my sake, just humor her a little."

This party meant a lot to me, too.

It was just too late for any of that to matter.