Chapter 1

Five years into our secret marriage, Alex finally agreed to give me a wedding.

But the day before the ceremony, I was the one who called it off.

The Castellano Family butler asked me, stunned, "Ma'am, the ceremony is tomorrow. Are you sure you don't want to wait for Mr. Castellano to come home?"

I picked up my packed suitcase. My voice came out light, almost relieved.

"He isn't coming. Right now he's in a church in New York, saying his vows with his adopted sister."

1

Alex and I had been together eight years. Five of them we spent secretly married.

He never once announced to anyone who I was.

He said he had too many enemies, and keeping my name out of the light was how he kept me safe.

I never agreed with that, because I was the brightest jewel of the Moretti Family and I did not need anyone's protection.

But I always lost, every time, to that gentle, restrained look in Alex's eyes.

Five years of marriage, and Alex had never acknowledged me in public.

My position inside the Castellano Family was an awkward one.

Even the household staff joked behind my back that I was the Castellano Family's uncrowned Donna.

It finally boiled over into another fight between Alex and me.

And this time Alex gave in. He pulled me into his arms.

"I'm sorry, Valeria. I ignored how you felt. Please forgive me.

"Give me a chance to make it up to you. I'll give you the biggest wedding anyone has ever seen."

Then Alex got too busy, and planning the wedding landed back on me.

A week before the ceremony, Alex told me out of nowhere that something had gone wrong with our North American business and he had to fly out and deal with it.

Then an email arrived from an anonymous sender.

It was a voice recording.

"Alex, if Valeria finds out you had a wedding with me, is she going to lose her mind?"

"She's so fierce. She'll definitely hit me."

Then Alex's voice came through.

"I won't let her find out."

Cold shot up from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.

I stood there, frozen.

I knew that woman's voice. It was Lilith.

And she was Alex's adopted sister.

Right after that, the sender pushed a whole pile of chat screenshots at me.

Then she wrote this.

"You think Alex refuses to marry you in public to protect you?

"He doesn't. He's doing it for Lilith! Because Lilith won't let the two of you have a wedding.

"Valeria, if you have any self-respect left, leave Alex!"

"Are you Lilith?"

I wrote back.

Nothing came.

I saved everything the anonymous sender had given me, dragged a chair over, sat down at the desk, and read it all properly.

So the Alex who was too busy to answer my messages had time to talk to Lilith every single day.

Lilith would send him photos of flowers she passed on the street, and he would say, "Not as pretty as you."

Lilith said she couldn't sleep, and Alex stayed on the phone with her until two in the morning, coaxing her under.

Lilith was frightened by the thunder, and he answered in seconds, "Wait for me."

And on the day I was ambushed out in the open, I called Alex twelve times. He didn't pick up once.

I read through every last message.

Every line of it showed how much care Alex had put in.

What made me angriest was the past month.

While I was running myself into the ground planning our wedding, Alex was busy too.

He had been planning another wedding with Lilith.

He asked her patiently what kind of ceremony she wanted, what style of gown she preferred, which flower should anchor her bouquet.

Lilith kept second-guessing herself and couldn't decide.

So Alex drew up five different versions of the plan.

The venue, the favors for the guests, every scale of detail. He had thought of all of it.

Our wedding, from start to finish, he never touched.

I asked him church or outdoors. He said whatever I liked.

I asked what kind of suit he wanted. Whatever I liked.

I asked who he wanted on the guest list. Whatever I liked.

Then he kissed my forehead, his eyes full of guilt.

"Valeria, I can't get to the details right now. I'm putting all of it on you.

"Once the wedding's done, I'll clear my schedule. We'll take the honeymoon we never had. Just the two of us."

The little knot of resentment in me dissolved under that soft voice of his.

I really believed he was just busy.

I believed that right up until the day I saw his messages with Lilith.

Every word of them soaked in care.

That was when I realized those eight years with Alex seemed to mean nothing at all.

2

I read those records over and over, sitting alone in the bedroom the entire night.

Early the next morning I drove back to the Moretti estate.

I said to my brother Matteo, the Don of the Moretti Family, "I'm canceling the wedding.

"And get a lawyer to draw up divorce papers for me."

Matteo raised an eyebrow.

"You've thought it through?"

"I've thought it through."

Matteo looked at how serious my face was and finally set down his pen.

"Five years ago I was against you marrying Alex in secret, but I respected what you wanted.

"So tell me what changed your mind."

I unlocked my phone and set it on his desk.

"Alex had a wedding with his adopted sister in New York."

Matteo went quiet. He didn't look at my phone.

"Understood. I'll notify the Family that the wedding is off.

"You'll have the papers in five minutes."

It didn't even take five. The Family lawyer put the divorce agreement in my hands.

Matteo even pressed the Family's wax seal into the paper.

That was his answer.

With that done, I took the thin stack of divorce papers back to the Castellano estate.

There were still things of mine there.

I was in the middle of packing when my phone buzzed.

It was Alex.

He'd sent me a message.

"Finally wrapped things up here. Heading home. Miss me?"

Attached was a slightly blurry photo of him with his suitcase in hand.

I didn't answer. I just stared at the slender arm that had accidentally slipped into the frame.

On the ring finger of that hand was a ruby ring.

It had a vintage cut and a rose-gold setting.

I had seen that ring in the portraits of every Donna the Castellano Family had ever had.

At a family dinner once, Lilith had suddenly turned to me, smiling.

"Valeria, you've been with Alex so long. How come I've never seen you wear the ruby ring the Castellanos pass down to every Donna?"

I froze for a second, then glanced at Alex without meaning to.

"Oh! Sorry, I forgot."

Lilith clapped a hand over her mouth, all theater, as if the answer had just come to her.

"You two never had a wedding, so of course there was never a ring exchange."

Alex put down his knife and fork.

"Don't talk nonsense. The setting just doesn't suit Valeria.

"I'll pick out the best diamond in the world for her. Something that actually matches her."

And now that ruby ring was on Lilith's hand.

I didn't hold it in. I asked Alex straight out whose hand that was.

Alex answered fast.

"Oh, that's Lilith. She insisted on tagging along to North America this time."

I didn't reply. I went back to packing.

A moment later Alex called.

"Valeria, are you upset about something?"

"No."

Then he noticed the suitcase in front of me and frowned.

"What are you packing?"

I answered him calmly.

"Just a few things that aren't any use to you anymore.

"When do you get in?"

I changed the subject before he could push.

Alex laughed, his eyes bright with anticipation.

"Tomorrow morning. I won't be late for our wedding.

"Valeria, you've been handling the whole thing alone. You must be exhausted."

I was quiet for a moment before I spoke.

"I'm fine."

"You look worn out. I can't wait to get home and hold you.

"Oh, one of the people running things over here got married this week. I brought you back a gift so some of the luck rubs off on you."

He held up a delicate little box to the camera to show me.

I looked at him for a while, then smiled.

"All right."

"Valeria, sorry, I'm borrowing your Alex for a bit!"

Lilith ducked into the frame and shot me a look full of challenge.

Alex shrugged at me.

"You know how Lilith is.

"Valeria, if there's nothing else I'll hang up. See you tomorrow."

"Wait, Alex."

I stopped him, my face serious.

"Is there anything you're keeping from me?"

"No."

He answered instantly.

"Valeria, I've never told you a single lie."

I hung up and took a deep breath.

I had planned to tell everyone the wedding was off in a dignified way, to leave him some face.

Not anymore.

3

Late that night, as I walked out of the bedroom with my suitcase, the butler followed me.

"Where are you going, ma'am? The ceremony is tomorrow. Won't you wait for Mr. Castellano?"

I stopped and smiled.

"Moretti tradition. I have to spend tonight at my family's house.

"Matteo will bring me to the church himself tomorrow."

The butler's face relaxed. He bowed his head and withdrew.

I dragged the case down the hallway.

Passing the room belonging to Alex's mother Martina, I heard voices inside.

Her door wasn't fully shut.

"Well? Did your ceremony go smoothly?

"Such a shame. If I hadn't been worried Valeria would notice, I could have come to your wedding.

"That ring suits Lilith beautifully, though. I always said it should have gone to her."

I suddenly remembered the first time I met Martina, five years ago.

Back then I was the only jewel of the Moretti Family, and I came in full of hope that the elders would accept me.

Martina was warm to me, too. She held my hands and smiled at me like the kindest woman alive.

She even said the Castellano Family was honored that Alex had won me.

But behind my back I heard her sigh to Alex.

"Valeria is the only daughter the Morettis have. She's been spoiled since she was a child. She isn't suited to be Donna of this Family.

"If only Valeria were as sweet and obedient as Lilith."

The door swung open from the inside.

Lilith was the first to meet my eyes.

She went still for a beat, then her lips curved up fast.

"Valeria? You're still up this late?"

The laughter inside the room cut off dead.

Alex crossed to the doorway in a few strides. His mouth opened, but no sound came out.

I looked at him, my face perfectly calm.

"Didn't you say you weren't getting in until morning?"

"On the phone earlier, something about your voice bothered me, so I changed to the earliest flight back."

Martina recovered quickly and came forward, smiling.

"Don't take it the wrong way, Valeria. They came to my room first when they got in.

"After all, the three of us are the real family here."

Alex's brows drew together.

"Mother, Valeria is family too."

Martina's smile stiffened.

"I misspoke. I'm just not used to having another person in the house yet.

"Lilith did grow up right at my side.

"Valeria is a generous girl. She won't mind."

So five years still wasn't enough for Martina to get used to me.

But I let it go.

There was no point anymore.

Martina glanced at me, then smiled and took Lilith's hand.

"Valeria, you probably haven't heard. Lilith just had her wedding. In New York.

"If I hadn't been stuck here fussing over yours and Alex's, I'd have flown out for it."

Alex's voice came out loud and hard.

"Valeria has enough on her plate. Why are you bringing up things that don't matter!"

I didn't react. I smiled and congratulated Lilith.

Only when Alex saw my expression hadn't changed did he let out a breath.

Then he noticed the suitcase at my side and blinked.

"Valeria, where are you going?"

I smiled at him.

"Did you forget? Moretti tradition. I have to spend tonight at my family's house.

"Don't worry. Matteo will bring me to the church himself tomorrow."

Alex was reassured at last. He took the case from my hand.

"Then let me walk you out."

I didn't refuse.

Before I left, I smiled at Martina and Lilith.

"By the way, I've prepared a surprise for everyone tomorrow.

"Come early. Don't be late."

4

Alex followed me to the door.

The night wind pulled strands of hair loose at my temple. He stopped and tucked them behind my ear.

"Mother didn't mean it the way it sounded.

"Lilith grew up in the Castellano house. It's just habit, that's why she said the three of us were family."

I didn't argue with him.

"That friend of yours who got married in New York. That was Lilith?"

Alex's step faltered.

"Yes."

"And the gift, she's the one who told you to bring it back for me?"

He nodded.

"Yeah. Lilith said some of the luck should rub off on you."

I laughed softly.

"Do you have photos from the ceremony? Let me see."

Alex's throat moved.

"There's nothing worth seeing."

"Why not?"

I tilted my head.

"Is the groom too ugly to show?"

Alex went rigid, his lips pressing thin.

He always pressed his lips together when he was guilty.

I watched him for two seconds, then laughed out loud.

"I'm kidding.

"Still, why not just tell me it was Lilith's wedding? Why make up someone running North America?"

Alex stayed silent for a few paces.

"...I didn't think it through."

He didn't think it through.

Eight years together, and I'd heard that sentence from him more times than I could count.

Our first Christmas at the Castellano house, Alex gave me a dress identical to Lilith's.

He said, "Lilith helped me pick it. I didn't think it through."

I'm allergic to lilies, and he gave me a bouquet of lilies on Valentine's Day. He said, "Flowers are flowers... I didn't think it through."

He missed my birthday, one year after another.

He told me, "I assumed you didn't care about that kind of thing. I didn't think it through."

"Valeria."

Alex suddenly took my hand.

"That red diamond you liked at the auction. I bought it."

His eyes were bright when he said it, like a man waiting to be praised.

"I told you I'd give you the best.

"Tomorrow I'll put a ring on you that belongs to no one else in the world."

I was quiet for a while, then lifted my eyes and looked straight at him.

"Alex, if you want to change your mind and call off this wedding, there's still time."

Alex's face darkened at once.

"Valeria, you're already my wife. All we're doing tomorrow is the ceremony we never had.

"You've been looking forward to this. Or are you the one having second thoughts?"

Then he pulled me against him, his chin resting on the top of my head.

"Valeria, I don't like what you just said. Take it back.

"I admit there were plenty of times I ignored how you felt. That's over now.

"I'm going to love you properly. I'm going to be with you properly."

I lowered my eyes, my voice dropping.

"All right."

The driver was already waiting at the gate.

Alex kissed my forehead.

"See you tomorrow."

I smiled and didn't answer.

The car had barely pulled away when my phone buzzed.

It was Alex.

"Thinking about standing up there with you tomorrow has my heart going and it still hasn't slowed down. It feels like when we first started dating."

"Valeria, are you looking forward to it the way I am?"

I didn't reply.

I was about to close the message screen when my best friend Angela forwarded me one of Lilith's posts.

"Valeria, what is this?? That other hand is Alex's, isn't it?? That's the cufflink you and I had made together!"

I opened it. The first photo was a shot from behind at a wedding.

The photo showed a man in a dark gray suit, with a woman on his arm and her veil falling to her waist.

The second was a close-up of their clasped hands, and the cufflink on Alex's sleeve jumped straight out at me.

The caption was a single line.

"There is always one person who will get past everything just to stand beside you."

Angela kept firing messages at me.

"What is going on?"

"Isn't your ceremony tomorrow?"

"How did he end up having a wedding with Lilith in New York?"

I calmed Angela down and told her there'd be a good show tomorrow, and only then did she finally go quiet.

I screenshotted Lilith's post and saved it.

Then I switched back to Alex's chat.

"I can't wait."

I turned off my phone and watched the streetlights slide past the window one by one.

Everything about the Castellano estate fell away behind me.

Those eight years fell away with it.

It was ten o'clock the next morning.

Alex arrived at the church in his wedding suit, bright and full of energy, with Lilith and the Castellano relatives and friends behind him.

The moment the doors opened, everyone froze.