*ADELINE*
I was still reeling from the revelation that my parents, the very people who had raised me, loved me, and promised to protect me, had orchestrated my k********g. It was as if someone had hit the mute button on my life, leaving me in a haze of uncertainty while everyone around me seemed to have a script I was not privy to. I could feel the cold sweat beading on my forehead as Vincenzo led me to the plush sitting area, his hand warm on my arm, contrasting sharply with the chill gnawing at my insides.
"Adeline," he whispered in my ear, his breath sending a shiver down my spine. "You need to open your mind and listen."
I nodded, but my heart was screaming in protest. His feelings for me—real or an act in a twisted game? Had all of it been a part of my parents' grand plan? I was te
