Ayla
I always thought the secret between Rhett and me would be a ticking time bomb—something that would blow up the Corsetti family.
I imagined Papa’s anger, Mom’s disappointment, a dramatic expulsion from the family. But reality was far colder and far more practical than that.
When Rhett finally confessed, Papa simply took a calm sip of his whiskey, while Mom smiled faintly, like she’d just won the lottery.
They weren’t angry. If anything, they were relieved.
“At least with Rhett, the family assets stay within the inner circle. No interference from other families or Corsetti rivals,” Papa had said.
To them, I wasn’t just a daughter—I was an investment. And Rhett was the most reliable guardian of that investment. They didn’t want an outsider who might only be after the Corsetti name.
