Elizabeth POV
Elizabeth stepped onto the balcony, letting the brisk evening air cool her flushed cheeks. The sounds of laughter and chatter from inside faded as she gripped the marble railing, her knuckles turning white as she stared out over the grounds. Her mind raced, replaying Francesca’s “test” and the torn pieces of the check, then shifting to the invitation on her phone, its words like a hook pulling her back to the world she had tried to leave behind.
What could they possibly want?
“Elizabeth?” Matteo’s voice was soft behind her, a warmth in it that instantly calmed her racing heart. He came up behind her, softly planting his hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry about my mother. I didn’t know she was going to do that,” he quietly spoke.
“It’s not that—though that was messed up in
