Semua Bab possess me: Bab 31 - Bab 36

Sophia's POVThe next three days transformed our house into something resembling a high-end bridal salon.Every morning brought a new parade of specialists through our front door—seamstresses carrying garment bags, florists with elaborate arrangements, caterers with sample menus, and photographers scouting locations for the "perfect shots." The quiet elegance of our Upper East Side home had been replaced by controlled chaos, with Mrs. Harrison orchestrating everything like a conductor leading a symphony.I sat in the living room, watching a team of women arrange what appeared to be an entire boutique's worth of shoes across our coffee table, and tried to make sense of what was happening.How did we get here so fast?Just days ago, Vito had dramatically canceled our engagement in that hospital corridor. I'd watched him wheel away with Maria clinging to his hand, seen the protective way he'd gathered her close, heard him choose her over me with absolute certainty.Yet here I was, surrou

Vito's POVI had returned to the estate that afternoon with every intention of checking on Maria's condition, perhaps sharing a quiet meal with her as had become our routine since bringing her home from the hospital. The doctors had been cautiously optimistic about her recovery, but she was still fragile, still prone to episodes that reminded me painfully of how much she'd endured during those twenty years we'd been apart.But when I'd wheeled myself to her room, I'd found it empty."Where is she?" I'd asked Tony, my voice sharper than intended."Miss Castellano went out for the afternoon, boss," he'd replied, consulting his ever-present tablet. "Said she had a meeting with someone. Left around two-thirty."A meeting. Maria, barely strong enough to manage a full day without rest, had gone out to meet someone. The protective instincts that had been honed by decades of living in a world where weakness meant death immediately went on high alert."Did she say who she was meeting?"Tony ha

Sophia's POVThe Cathedral of St. John the Divine had been transformed into something from a fairy tale. Thousands of white roses and orchids created cascading arrangements along every pew, their petals scattered like snow across the marble floors. Soft candlelight flickered from crystal candelabras, casting a warm glow that made the Gothic architecture seem almost ethereal.I stood at the back of the cathedral in my Valentino gown, the ivory silk feeling heavy against my skin as Mrs. Harrison made final adjustments to my train. Through the partially opened doors, I could see the sea of elegant guests—New York's elite mixed with what I could only assume were members of the Romano family's more... specialized associates."You look absolutely radiant, darling," Emily whispered beside me, her eyes bright with tears of joy. As my matron of honor, she'd insisted on staying close during these final moments. "I've never seen a more beautiful bride."Her genuine happiness was infectious, and