Chapter 1

The night of my twenty-fourth birthday, I wanted to invite my fiancé to dance the opening waltz.

I went to the lounge to find Adrian Vance, but stopped outside the door when I heard him talking to a friend.

"You clearly want to ride Isabella Moretti's coattails to the top," his friend said. "So why have you let her be humiliated at her own birthday party five years in a row? Watching everyone laugh at her like she's some lovesick fool chasing after you—doesn't that bother you at all?"

Adrian's voice was lazy.

"A little."

He let out a short laugh.

"But what can I do? Lily throws such a fit. I lost a bet to her."

"A bet?"

"The deal was, I'd make Isabella lose face at her birthday party for six years straight. Not a year less—Lily wouldn't have it any other way." Adrian swirled his glass. "Isabella is the Moretti heir. Who would actually dare laugh at her? Tonight's year six. Next year, I'll propose to her at her birthday."

I stood outside the door, my fingers going cold inch by inch.

Adrian loosened the tie from his neck.

It was the engagement token I'd embroidered by hand. On the underside, hidden in the weave, was the Moretti family crest.

He ran his thumb over the hidden pattern, amusement in his voice.

"This tie—I'll give it to Lily's Gentleman later. She'll be thrilled."

His friend went still.

"Gentleman? Lily's golden retriever?"

"Yes." Adrian's voice dripped with indulgence. "If I don't humor her, she'll get another headache. Little Princess Lily can't handle being upset."

I didn't listen any further. I turned and walked away.

When my grandfather, Vincent Moretti, handed me the family, he said one thing to me.

"Bella, the Boss of the Moretti family is allowed to be weak for love no more than five times in a lifetime."

I had been weak for five years.

In the sixth year, the engagement tie I'd embroidered with my own hands was about to be put on a dog.

So this engagement was over.

Ten minutes later, the birthday gala began.

I stood at the top of the second-floor staircase.

Adrian sat at the head table. Lily Vale wore a red dress and sat beside him. The golden retriever circled at their feet.

"Gentleman, come here." Adrian beckoned.

The dog trotted over.

In front of everyone, Adrian removed the deep blue tie and knotted it around the dog's neck, finishing it off with a perfect Windsor.

The ballroom went silent for a beat.

Everyone recognized that tie.

It was the engagement token given by the Moretti heir. It had no business being on a dog.

Lily covered her mouth and laughed, leaning into Adrian.

"Adrian, look—doesn't he look like a proper little gentleman now?"

"He really does." Adrian stroked the dog's head, smiling tenderly.

Then he looked up at me.

In the past, I would have confronted Lily on the spot.

Adrian would have called me unreasonable, said I was using the Moretti name to bully her. And in the end, everyone would have waited for me to apologize.

But now I knew who was really humiliating me.

I gathered the hem of my gown and descended the staircase.

The crowd parted.

I walked straight to Adrian. Lily shrank behind him.

Adrian frowned and shielded her with his body.

"Isabella, it's your birthday." His voice was a warning. "Don't make a scene."

I didn't look at him. I looked only at the dog.

"That's a nice color on that tie," I said evenly. "It suits the dog's coat."

Adrian's face went rigid. Lily's smile vanished.

"What did you just say?" Adrian's voice dropped low.

"I said it suits him."

I picked up a glass of red wine from a waiter's tray and raised it toward him.

"Since Mr. Vance enjoys this sort of thing, consider the tie my gift to the dog."

I turned and walked toward the head table.

Behind me, Adrian shot to his feet. His chair scraped against the floor.

"Isabella, don't you walk away from me!"

I didn't stop.

For Adrian Vance, I had already used up every one of the five hesitations my grandfather allowed me.

In the sixth year, he fed my handmade token to a dog.

These six years of engagement were finished.