RI

vy with anxiety and a bit of anticipation. The sound from the main hall had

own. He had so polite with my nonna and to us. That was before he’d learnt of my name. After that, he’d just left as if

ace and be thankful for his generous

alculated various possibilities of things that would happen when I walked in

ld talk about how lucky I was to have my hand accepted in marriage, despite being rejected b

didn’t understand what I was going through, and I didn’t expect her to. All

ed, and I gave a blunt nod. “Come on. You ha

n. The man I was supposed to marry is inside

ou don’t show up? That you’ve run away, or that Papa hasn’t raised us right. Or that you hav

pped my hand around her arm. Mostly, to keep me steady. “You’re right. Better

I squinted, slowly registering the view. This party room was the size of three master bedrooms combined, reserved especially for Papa’s part

nty. But there had to be at least seventy people in the room, their

en, even married ones, fancied him and not without reason. He had charms and the looks to add to that, even though p

the table Mama was at a

gentle with her. Pe

t so stiff,” Arabella spat back. “She wa

othed, “This happens to everyone. I re

der her breath, which earned her

k as well. Before marriage, I thought I was marrying a tool.” Arabella chuckled, but my

guing with you,” I said, finally

r laughter. “From what I hear, Er

actly?” Arabella a

lder than Mariella,” Mama

ook at Mariella. She doesn

d turned to me, her eyes soft with love. She worried about me more than Papa di

like your father. To add to that, he ha

h? It’s like he just came out of nowhere.” Arabell

ven years. Everything about Eros Castellanos was a mystery. Marriage to me was for his initiation. So

g crowned the position. But the main reason was that his crowning was sudden, and he didn’t have th

roper initiation or a branding or a wife, when every born or

ke the capo,” Mama expla

en better if he had a secr

, he whispered something and then left. I wished he would’ve at least asked me how I

abella, and I straightened. “We nee

I panicked, but Ma

d smile. Talk to whoever

uld realise I’m mis

chided, and I slumped in my

anced like a ticking bomb while I tried to gather myself. If anyone walked up to

ed whether to chug it down. I doubted I could mee

aid and a glass of wine

spread through my body, even though my body alerted me to stay calm. I had never seen this woman, but I had to sa

a leg crossed over the other. “You were all alone, so I thought o

o guess who she was, and I as

a humble smile.

lla Ro

om, she mused, “I’m not sure if

s wife. They’re a

d of m

wonder Adonis Vitale—the man no one could tame—was fascinated with this woman.

t nonsense. Anything's be

t and go on with their day.” She stared at me with an uncertain look i

that she already knew the answer. She sighed. “I know the feeling of being bartered aw

d love, d

d I don’t know what would’ve happened then.” She looked down at the glass in my hand and added, “But you have

d, “A go

d. “Good thing. He balances his life inside and outside of

have thought if I told her I knew nothing about the man I’d get engaged to today? No one ha

e you

seat. Isobel’s eyes drifted past me and a small, loving smile tugged at her lips. That w

and tried to hold my composure with confidence, but it was nearly impossible against

re a match ma

gave a brusque nod in return. “This man needs to be serious, given t

you his plans if he hadn’t dodged my

bout Eros, but more like an angry father, which made me question the value of Eros and Adonis’s relationship. It was clear no

ed my attention, and she poin

door, anger quite evident in his eyes. Maybe

as just as tall as Adonis, and his shoulders were just as broad. The stubble that covered the line of

him had to be his eyes. I had neve

s Castellano