Chapter 2

The same friends who'd been cheering for me just minutes ago were now raising their glasses in a circle, laughing and toasting the two of them.

The banner reading "Dominic's Last Night of Freedom" had been torn down. In its place hung a new one: "Serena & Dominic."

And the custom balloons printed with my name lay trampled on the floor, smeared with mud and shoe prints, deflated against the tiles.

"Boss, after all those years holding back, you've finally handed over your virtue!"

That was Marco, Dominic's most trusted lieutenant. He'd told me more than once: "Bella, I envy what you and Don have."

"Boss, your undercover game is on another level. Signing a marriage license without even giving us a heads-up? That's three penalty drinks, minimum."

That was Luca, a family capo. He'd always said he wanted to find a devoted, capable woman—just like me.

"How'd you keep it airtight? That little watchdog of yours had her eyes on everything. One whiff of this and she'd have torn the roof off."

Tony. Dominic's college roommate. Last year his father needed brain surgery. I was the one who pulled strings to find a top neurosurgeon, fronted twenty thousand dollars, and handled everything.

"Exactly. Ten whole years, Boss—having to fake affection with someone he couldn't stand. Just imagining it makes me feel suffocated for him."

That was Gina, my junior from university. When she'd been fired for getting pregnant, I'd gone with her to a lawyer, fought the wrongful termination suit, and made sure she got her settlement.

I stood there, listening to their laughter and congratulations for the happy couple who'd finally found their way to each other.

And I felt as though something had been scooped clean out of my chest.

I wasn't the princess who got her happily ever after.

I was the villain. The scheming obstacle standing between true love. The stumbling block on their path.

A dog. Called when needed, kicked aside when not. Loyal to the end, and never once treated as human.

But Dominic, you promised me. Today was supposed to be our day at City Hall.

I could endure your humiliation.

But Rosa, my blind adoptive mother in the nursing home, she couldn't wait.

Her only wish was to see me settled. To know I'd have someone to lean on for the rest of my life.

My phone buzzed.

A message from Dominic. Asking where I'd gone.

Before I could reply, I heard Serena's voice from inside the room, pitched low:

"You don't think Isabella figured something out, do you?"

Dominic said: "No way. If she knew, she'd already be causing a scene."

"She's terrible with directions, probably got lost. This place is a maze. If some creep dragged her off, that'd be a problem."

I ducked around a corner, slipped out through the back door, and crouched behind a dumpster.

When Dominic found me, he was out of breath, forehead slick with sweat.

But the expression on his face was unmistakably irritated.

"Where the hell did you wander off to? Phone calls unanswered, texts ignored—do you even know what today is? Could you, for once, stop making my life harder?"

Halfway through, he seemed to realize he'd been too harsh. He backpedaled.

"That came out wrong. I was just worried. You know how I get."

Serena hurried over too, dripping with false concern.

I looked at the jacket draped over her shoulders. Dominic's jacket.

The one I'd ironed with my own hands that morning.

I dropped my gaze. When I lifted it again, I'd plastered on my usual silly grin.

Same as always, I threw my arms around Dominic's neck with a bright laugh.

"I got lost, silly. You know my sense of direction is hopeless. But I figured you'd come find me, so I just waited like a good girl."

The instant our bodies pressed together, Dominic went rigid.

His eyes slid past me reflexively to Serena.

I used to think that stiffness meant he was flustered by my sudden affection. I'd feel secretly thrilled for hours.

Now I understood. It was guilt. It was caution. It was fear that Serena might be jealous.

And I'd been too stupid to see it.

But now wasn't the time to tear off the mask.

During the embrace, I slipped the marriage documents back into his coat pocket.

Dominic didn't notice a thing. He took it for clinginess, visibly relieved, and pinched my cheek.

"You. Always keeping me on my toes. You must be exhausted—let me take you home."

On the drive back, he said he had a surprise for me. He took me to a bridal boutique.