CHAPTER 15 — THE ENEMY WITHIN
Trust, Amara learned, was the most fragile currency in Alessandro’s world.
It wasn’t broken loudly.
It didn’t announce itself.
It cracked quietly — through delayed messages, guarded glances, and conversations that ended the moment someone else entered the room.
The morning after the gala, the mansion felt different.
Not hostile.
Cautious.
Amara noticed it as she walked through the halls, her heels echoing softly against the marble floor. Some guards met her eyes and nodded respectfully. Others looked away, as though unsure how to categorize her now.
Not a guest.
Not a liability.
Not quite family.
Something else.
She reached the library just as Marco was leaving. He paused when he saw her, his expression tightening briefly before smoothing out.
“Y
