Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 8

Still on the road, my phone lit up. A video call. Gianna.She'd propped the camera up somewhere. Behind her, the estate's incinerator roared, and she was feeding things into it, one piece at a time."Oh, Elena." She tilted her head, all mock sympathy. "Some thief broke into the estate in the middle of the night and left a suitcase behind. So I had to clean up her mess. "She smiled. "So I went ahead and cleared out her things for you. No point letting a thief's junk stink up our floors. No need to thank me."The orange Hermès scarf curled and blackened in her fingers before she let it drop into the flames.It was Rosaria's favorite. No woman in the Moretti family ever wore orange, out of respect for her. That color belonged to Rosaria and no one else.Gianna clearly didn't know that. She'd only come to the estate these past two years, while Rosaria was off traveling the world."You're absolutely insane!" My voice tore out of me. "Lucio will kill you for this. He'll never forgive you."

Nobody noticed Lucio go pale.Every eye in the yard locked on my mother instead."Who invited this woman? Showing up late to Rosaria's birthday.""What the hell is Moretti security even for? Letting any trash walk in and drink for free?""Wait… doesn't she look familiar?"Gianna wiped away the last of those pity tears and cut across the courtyard on her heels.She stepped straight between Lucio and my mother. Chin up. Eyes cold. No effort to hide the spite in her voice."Excuse me. Who gave you permission to set foot on Moretti private grounds?"She said it like she was scolding stray livestock that had wandered onto the wrong turf. Sharp. Cold."Security?! This is the Don's mother's birthday. How did every mutt off the street get through the gate? Get this woman out of here. She clearly doesn't know the rules!"Her mouth curved. Something ugly lit her eyes, sharp as a poisoned pin."One fool already died today." She raised her voice, light and easy, like she was talking about the weat

Lucio locked his eyes on me, hunting my face for guilt, for any sign I'd back down.He was waiting. Waiting for a flicker of panic. Waiting for me to lower my head the way I used to, for the so-called bigger picture. One frown. One glance away. That would have been enough for him to take the day back.I gave him nothing.Wind came off the fountain, damp and cold, sliding over my bare arms and sinking into the skin inch by inch. The flowers, white tulle, and champagne tower that should have belonged to a birthday party now felt like cheap set dressing, draped dead over this standoff. Guests held their breath. Even the whispers turned careful. Anyone could see the party had gone sour.Lucio's throat worked. His voice dropped low, hard with that iron certainty of his."Elena, I already told you. Today is my mother's birthday party. She has been waiting for this day a long time.""I won't let anyone, or anything, spoil it for her. I won't let anyone ruin what matters most to her.""I've de

The driver's words struck the courtyard like silent thunder."Walked into the Moretti estate…"The final words fell, and the air turned to stone.Lucio crushed Gianna's phone in his hand and strode straight for his mother’s room.Inside, several suitcases already lay open. Clothes and boxes were strewn across the floor, scattered in plain view.Alongside Rosaria’s clothes, more than a dozen gifts still sat there, waiting to be wrapped.Gianna rushed in behind him, flipped through one of the suitcases on the floor, and her eyes flashed.She jabbed a finger at it and sprang to her feet.“That’s the same brand! That thieving old woman left one in the foyer, and I already burned it!”She thought she had me cornered. Grabbing Lucio's arm, she gave it a triumphant shake, her face lit with pride."I told you she came here to steal. Look—she didn't even finish packing these before trying to take them. There's your proof!"Lucio staggered, barely catching himself against the wall.Gianna didn't