ella

Joseph's betrayal burning a hole in my chest. But before I could process the terrifying depth of Giuliana's infilt

photographer from *Vanity Fair* w

my chair with an undeniable force, and dragged me toward the plush Italian silk sofa. He sat down and yanked m

cologne was suffocating. "Smile, Isabella," he whispered, his vo

radiant, adoring smile. The camera flash blinded me, freezing the lie into eternity. The exact second the photographer lowered his lens,

Joseph and Lydia leaned forward, greed

and handed him a leather folder. Vincenzo tossed it onto the coffee table with a dis

mily's shylock business. Fifteen percent interest, with the P

oseph stammered, his face

he ice clinking softly. "Business is bu

issed, Lydia shot me a look of pure, unadulterated venom, as if I had orchestrated their ruin. I f

o retreated to his study, s

rate need for leverage, I crept down the dimly lit hallway, my bare feet silent

as low, almost tender-a voice h

stopped my heart entirely. "Once the deal is done, my love, I will handle the Isab

h sent

ndetta* taking root in my soul swallowed it whole

d for me. I grabbed a blank sheet of Moretti Shipping letterhead I had stolen weeks ago. My hands flew across the keys of my hidden typewriter, perfectly replicating

dy door was slightly ajar. He was pacing near the window,

ment right into the middle of his daily stack of papers, then ret

omare*, he began flipping through the stack, signing mechanically. He reached my document. He didn't read the fine print. He just saw