The Moretti estate hadn’t been this alive in years. Word of Damian’s return spread faster than smoke, pulling allies and enemies alike into a storm of whispers. The halls echoed with footsteps, with laughter, with the sharp ring of crystal glasses raised in hurried celebration.
Adriana felt suffocated. Every corner she turned, eyes followed her, measuring, whispering, Rossi blood at his side? She wasn’t welcome here — not truly. She was a secret too dangerous to keep, yet Damian hadn’t let her leave his side since the fire.
But tonight, the illusion shattered.
The great doors swung open, the murmur of the room sharpening into sudden silence. Isabella entered like a queen arriving at her coronation. Her dress was black silk, her lips painted blood-red, her chin lifted with practiced grac
