Serena’s/ Martina’s POVBefore the diamonds, before the silk, and before the dignitaries arrived, there was the basement of the Romano estate.I stood beside Dante in the cold, damp shadows. The basement smelled of dust and iron, and the single overhead light did little to cut through the darkness. Stone walls rose on every side, solid, silent, and heavy with history…the kind of history built on secrets, blood, and betrayal.Across the room, Marco sat in the ancient wooden chair, strapped tight. His wrists and ankles dug into the leather restraints, and his bruised face had lost all trace of arrogance. Swollen lips, a black eye, a split cheekbone… he looked like someone I had once feared, reduced to weakness.I glanced at Dante, he looked calm but I could feel the tension underneath it, coiled and ready. I tightened my grip on the hem of my gown, feeling the weight of every choice I had made to get here.Marco raised his head slowly when he heard Dante’s steps. “You came,” he said, vo
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