Chapter 1

I was secretly married to Alessandro Moretti, the Don of the Moretti family, for five years.

He said there were still rats in the family, and keeping me a secret was to keep me safe.

I believed him.

But at the dinner where he was supposed to announce me as his wife, he introduced my adoptive sister, Lilian, as his bride instead.

His promises... they were all a lie.

And when we were both pregnant at the same time, he told me, cold as ice, "Get rid of the baby."

"Lilian's fragile right now. She can't handle the stress."

That was the last straw. I agreed to my mother's plan to move to London and disappeared from his life completely.

But after I left, the word on the street was the cold, untouchable Don of the Moretti family had gone insane. He put out a ten-million-dollar reward for the return of his missing wife.

……

Thanksgiving at the Moretti estate. The place was lit up like a beacon. I was in my bedroom on the second floor, fastening the clasp on a string of pearls.

The woman in the mirror wore a deep red velvet dress. A woman with sharp collarbones and eyes that were a little too bright with anticipation.

I’d been preparing for this night for three months.

Because after tonight, I would no longer be Alessandro Moretti's secret wife.

We’d been married for five years, hidden away because, as Alessandro claimed, there were traitors in the family who hadn't been dealt with. To reveal my identity would be to paint a target on my back.

I’d believed him. So completely that not even my own mother knew we were married.

But last month, he told me himself: the rats had been found and dealt with.

"At the Thanksgiving dinner, I'm going to announce us. Everyone will finally know you're mine."

So there I was, practicing a smile in the mirror.

Don't get too excited. Keep it together.

You’re the Don’s wife. You need to be poised.

The band downstairs struck up a tune. The low murmur of guests drifted down the hall. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

The grand hall was packed with the faces of New York's elite—politicians, bankers, real estate tycoons, and the capos of the Moretti family.

Then I saw him. Alessandro. He was standing in the center of the room, his dark brown hair slicked back without a single strand out of place. He was speaking with a few of the family elders, that usual, distant smile playing on his lips.

Anticipation made my heart pound.

He walked to the center of the stage and took the microphone.

"Thank you all for joining the Moretti family for our annual dinner."

"On this special night, I have an important announcement to make."

I clutched my wine glass, my heart threatening to beat its way out of my chest.

I was already taking a step toward him, ready to walk to his side, when I saw Alessandro’s eyes sweep over the crowd, passing right over me as if I were a stranger.

Then, he extended his hand to his right.

"Lilian, come up."

My adoptive sister, Lilian, stepped out from the crowd, a vision in a floor-length white gown.

Alessandro took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.

"Tonight, I am honored to introduce to you all—" Alessandro’s voice boomed through the hall, "—my wife, Lilian Moretti."

The room erupted. Applause, cheers, the clinking of champagne glasses.

The only sound I registered was my own glass shattering on the marble floor. The color drained from my face.

No one noticed.

Lilian leaned into Alessandro’s arms, and my husband—my husband—leaned down to press a tender kiss to her forehead.

I tried to tell myself it was a nightmare, but the cheers were too loud, too real.

I don’t remember how I survived the rest of the night.

I only know that after the last guest had finally gone, I cornered Alessandro in a back corridor of the estate.

"Explain," I said. My voice was shaking, but I forced myself to look him dead in the eye. "Tell me what you said up there wasn't real."

Alessandro sighed. "Those papers I gave you last week. You signed them, didn't you?"

I went cold. "You mean the property transfer agreement?"

"They were divorce papers."

I was floored. "You... you tricked me into signing divorce papers? Why?"

My meltdown seemed to annoy him, his eyes flashing with impatience. "Lilian needs this title more than you do. She’s your sister. You of all people should understand her situation."

I stumbled back as if he'd struck me.

Before I could react, I heard Lilian’s voice calling his name from a distance. I watched the coldness in Alessandro’s eyes melt away in an instant.

He turned and left me without a second thought.

I don't know how long I stood there in that empty hallway.

Finally, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.

It rang twice. "Margaret? It’s late. What’s wrong?"

"Mom," I said, using every ounce of strength I had to keep my voice from breaking, "that plan you mentioned… about moving to London… is it still an option?"

Silence on the other end.

I knew she was shocked. For two years, she’d pleaded with me to leave New York with her, and every time, I had refused.

"Of course, it is," she said, her voice turning soft. "Always. When do you want to go?"

"As soon as possible."

After I hung up, I leaned against the cold wall and slid to the floor.

My phone screen lit up. A text from Lilian, with three photos attached.

The first showed her and Alessandro kissing in a wine cellar. I recognized it. The vineyard in Tuscany he’d promised to buy for me last year. The photo was dated a year ago.

They were already together. Back when I was still blissfully happy in my marriage.

The second was a photo of Alessandro’s bare back. I knew the iris tattoo etched into his skin—it was my symbol. Now, tattooed next to the petals in delicate script, was her name: Lilian.

My fingers started to shake.

I zoomed in on the third photo, and my blood turned to ice.

It wasn't Alessandro who shocked me. It was the man standing beside him.

A face I could never mistake.

The phone slipped from my grasp, the screen cracking on the marble floor.

A second later, another text from Lilian buzzed.

"Ever wonder why Alessandro really married you five years ago?"