The mansion was alive with last-minute preparations for the engagement party. Chandeliers glowed with soft golden light, casting long shadows against the grand walls. Servants moved like whispers, setting up floral arrangements and expensive china. The air smelled of roses, wine, and an inevitability that made Alessia’s stomach turn.
She stood by her bedroom window, staring out at the night sky, feeling trapped inside the home that was supposed to be her safe haven. Tomorrow, everything would change. Tomorrow, she would become Valentino’s fiancée—not by choice, but by force.
The thought sent a sharp pang through her chest. How did it come to this?
Her father had given the announcement with such ease, as if her feelings never mattered. As if her future belonged to him, and not to her.
A
