"THE MAFIA BOSS WATCHED ME STRUGGLE TO ROLL A MASSIVE WEDDING PORTRAIT INTO HIS ENGAGEMENT DINNER—THEN HIS FIANCÉE SAID, “SHE HURT HER SHOULDER IN THE CARRIAGE HOUSE,” BEFORE HE EVEN ASKED WHY I COULDN’T LIFT MY ARM.

Five minutes later, the library doors flew open.

Vanessa Bellini swept into the room, her red silk gown rustling against the floor. Despite being escorted by two armed security guards, her chin was held high, her eyes flashing with indignant rage.

"Luca! What is the meaning of this absolute outrage?!" Vanessa shrieked, her voice echoing off the tall bookshelves. "Your thugs locked me in my room! They cut off my phone! Have you completely lost your mind?!"

Luca sat behind his mahogany desk, his hands folded calmly on the polished surface. He didn't look angry; he looked like a judge about to deliver a death sentence.

"Sit down, Vanessa," Luca said quietly.

Vanessa sneered, pointing a manicured finger toward me as I sat on the sofa. "And why is this pathetic little servant still in your private library?! She should have been thrown off the property hours ago!"

"I said sit down," Luca repeated, his tone so sharp and laced with dangerous power that Vanessa visibly flinched.

Her arrogance wavered for a split second. She pulled out a leather chair across from Luca and sat down, smoothing her red silk dress.

"Darling, whatever lies this girl has fed you—" Vanessa began, her tone shifting into a sweet, manipulative purr.

Luca didn't say a word. He reached into his drawer, pulled out the silver baptismal medal, and set it softly on the desk between them.

Vanessa’s voice died instantly in her throat. The color drained from her face, leaving her pristine makeup looking stark and ghostly against her pale skin.

"Do you recognize this, Vanessa?" Luca asked softly.

"I... I have no idea what that is," she lied, her eyes darting nervously toward the door. "Some cheap piece of junk the housekeeper tried to steal?"

Luca then placed the yellowed photograph of Sister Agnes holding the baby right beside the medal.

"My mother hid this behind her wedding portrait thirty years ago," Luca stated, his eyes locking onto hers like steel traps. "She knew your father was blackmailing my family. She knew Arthur Bellini stole my twin brother, Marco."

Vanessa swallowed hard, her composure crumbling like dry sand. "Luca... please. Listen to me—"

"You knew, didn't you?" Luca's voice rose, a thunderous tremor of fury breaking through his calm facade. "You knew my brother was stolen! You knew my parents lived in agony for thirty years! And you walked into my house, accepted my ring, and tried to sell my mother's portrait to hide the truth!"

"It wasn't my fault!" Vanessa shrieked, standing up frantically. "It was my father's decision! He did what he had to do to protect our business! If you found out about Marco, you would have declared war on my family! You would have destroyed us!"

"Your family destroyed itself the moment they touched a Moretti child," Luca said coldly.

Vanessa took a step toward the desk, her eyes wide with desperation. "Luca, think about our wedding! Think about the merger! The investors, the media, the shipping contracts! You can't call this off over a thirty-year-old ghost!"

Luca stood up slowly, towering over her. He reached out and took her left hand, sliding the massive four-carat diamond engagement ring off her finger with cold precision.

"The wedding is canceled," Luca declared flatly. "The merger is dead. And by sunrise, your father will be facing federal kidnapping and extortion charges."

"You can't do this!" Vanessa screamed, tears of rage ruining her makeup. "You need us!"

"Daniel," Luca commanded without looking at her. "Take Miss Bellini to her car. Have her personal belongings packed and dropped at her father's estate. If she ever sets foot on Moretti property again, treat her as a hostile trespasser."

The guards grabbed Vanessa's arms, pulling her back as she kicked and screamed, hurling curses at both Luca and me until the heavy double doors slammed shut, cutting off her voice entirely.

The room went dead silent once more.

Luca stood behind his desk, leaning his hands on the leather blotter, his chest heaving as he stared at the baptismal medal.

I stood up slowly from the sofa, stepping toward him. "Luca... are you okay?"