The morning sun filtered through my curtains, casting a warm glow across my room. I sat on the edge of my bed, mind racing as I tried to make sense of the whirlwind that had become my life over the past few weeks. Evelyn’s warnings echoed in my ears. I had barely known her for an hour, yet her words had left a mark—a shadow of doubt that loomed larger with each passing day.
“You’re just a pawn, Rosella.”
The thought twisted in my gut. Just a pawn. The idea felt like a curse, a bitter truth I was slowly starting to accept. Dante had seemed so captivating, so real. I had believed in him, in what we shared—how he made me feel special, valued. But now?
I stood, forcing myself to shake off the doubt as I prepared for the day. I chose a fitted dress that hugged my curves and accentuated the
