ella

ice steady despite the adrenal

er eyes glued to the floor, her hands nervously twisting her white apron. "Excuse me

l be down short

silk sleeve. "It's a trap, Miss," she hissed, her eyes wide with panic. "They are go

to face her. "Tel

private lunch at The Drake. She wasn't alone." Cressie swallowed hard. "She was with Cecelia P

ow, but instead of pain, they broug

he entire Riggs family had orchestrated this betrayal, smiling in my face and spending my mother's money while secretly gro

pect I held for the Riggs name

up the heavy ledger and the brass keys to the estate safe, slipping them into

s my dowry had paid for. When I pushed open the double doors to Nonna Maria's sitting ro

f newly acquired wealth, and t

sofa closest to him. His mother, Carlene, hovered nearby, her eyes darting nervously. His young

onna Maria, perched in her high-b

Maria cooed, patting the empty space beside her

ter of the room. "I prefer to st

, and Cecelia's father, the judge, offers us invaluable protection in Chicago. But you... you have a brilliant mind for business. The family n

t out, clearly expecting me to bow my head and accept my n

finally at Cecelia, who was already looking a

as a cold, raz

othly, reaching into my handbag. "However, I mus

ltered. Angelo's

affairs was for exactly one year. That year ended yesterday. Second, thanks to the exorbitant

-bound ledger and the ring

be terribly disrespectful of me to overshadow the new brid

onto the mahogany coffee table.

ir suddenly pale faces, "the Riggs family finances are