Chapter 1

The first time Don Luca Moretti lent me out was Christmas Eve, right after our engagement.

For five years, every holiday, he sent me to his single friends so they could bring me home and fend off their families' nagging about marriage and arranged alliances.

He said it was just friends helping each other out.

His friends were more than happy to oblige. Every last one of them was either a Moretti capo or a business partner running docks, laundering money, or managing casinos for the family. They never lacked for women, yet somehow they always needed a temporary girlfriend who looked clean, quiet, and wouldn't cause trouble.

And I was the perfect candidate.

But I didn't always come back in one piece.

Some families saw right through my background, saw through the charade on the spot, and had their bodyguards throw me out the front door that same night.

Every time I tried to refuse, Luca would hold me gently and murmur reassurances.

"It's just dinner. Once this is over, we'll get married."

So for five years, I never spent a single holiday with Luca.

This Thanksgiving, I got slapped across the face in front of everyone. Again.

I went to find Luca with tears burning in my eyes, but outside his study, I heard someone ask:

"Boss, you really don't mind us taking Ava home?"

Luca took a drag of his cigarette, his tone lazy and indifferent.

"Why would I mind? Every time you take her off my hands, I get to bring Claire back to the main house for the holidays."

Someone laughed in agreement.

"That's why you're the boss. If it ever comes out, you can just say she was the one messing around with other men first."

I stood outside the door. For a moment, I couldn't process what I'd heard.

Then came Christmas break, and I was assigned to accompany his deadliest rival, Dante Hale, back to his family home.

The Hale family and the Moretti family had been at each other's throats for years. Ports, casinos, arms routes—if it could be fought over, they'd fought over it.

That day, his mother gave me an emerald bracelet.

She said the bracelet was only ever passed down to the future lady of the Hale household.

Before, I would have quietly returned it.

But that time, I froze for a few seconds, then slipped it onto my wrist.

...

When I got back from the Hale estate and pushed open the door, Luca was sitting in the living room.

He smiled at me like he'd been waiting a long time.

"You're back? Must've been exhausting."

But I felt no warmth at all, because his friends were there too.

Their eyes flickered over me, like they were waiting for a result.

"She didn't get hit this time?"

"Damn, this round goes to Claire. Boss, you bet wrong."

Luca didn't respond. He just glanced at me with mild surprise.

"Fine. I lost."

One careless sentence, and my whole body went cold.

So that's why they were all gathered here. They'd been betting on whether Dante would hit me.

I numbly pulled my gaze away and turned to leave.

But Claire grabbed my wrist.

"What's that on your hand?"

Her words cut off mid-sentence.

Everyone else's expression changed too.

"Isn't that the Hale family's emerald bracelet?"

"The one that's only given to the future lady of the house? What are the Hales trying to say?"

Even Luca was staring at my wrist, suspicion darkening his eyes.

In that moment, I finally understood why Dante had given me the bracelet with that knowing look in his eyes.

But Claire suddenly shrieked:

"Did you steal it or con them out of it?"

When Luca heard that, his expression slowly relaxed.

"Ava, I told you I'd marry you, and I will. There's no need to pull cheap stunts like this just to spite me."

The others had their little epiphany too.

"I knew it. How could the Hales possibly be interested in her?"

"They were just being polite, and she actually thought she was worthy."

Mockery like this had never stopped—not since the day I went from being a charity student funded by the Moretti family to Luca's girlfriend.

Luca never personally looked down on my background.

But he never once stopped anyone else from doing it either.

He was even the one who volunteered me to accompany his friends home.

The soup splashed on me, the wine glasses and ashtrays hurled at my head—all of it happened with his silent permission.

I used to think he had his own difficulties.

I thought he couldn't shield me from everyone.

But today, at the Hale estate, Dante's father had casually mentioned that a few days ago, Luca brought Claire back to the Moretti main house.

He'd publicly acknowledged Claire as his fiancee.

Dante's father even spoke of it with admiration for the younger generation.

"That Moretti kid has some backbone. The old Don objected a few times, but the boy shut that down."

And in that instant, I finally understood.

When you truly love someone, you pave the way for them. Willingly.

"Enough."

Luca stubbed out his cigarette—the first time he'd ever cut them off.

"Ava, the Hale family isn't that simple. I'll return the bracelet for you."

He reached for my hand, and I covered the bracelet with my other palm.

A flicker of surprise crossed Luca's eyes.

"What? You don't want to give it back?"

"I don't feel well," I said. "Must have eaten something bad."

My stomach was churning in waves.

Luca studied me. For one brief second, I thought I saw a ghost of the man he used to be.

There was a time when all I had to do was mention feeling unwell, and Luca would drop everything to take care of me.

But now, all he gave me was a dismissive smirk.

"Can't handle the good food at the Hale house?"

He slid the bracelet off my wrist, patted my shoulder.

"Go rest."