tering parties of New York, but it was here, in the heart of the Russo empire, that Matteo Russo orchestrated his every move. The villa's grand study was his command ce

of Andrew and Sophia, taken at the engagement announcement, stared back at him. His lips curled into a faint

ed, setting the dossier asid

ulator. Where Matteo's power lay in his cunning, Dante's strength was more physical, more primal. At thirty-two, he had earned his plac

, his tone edged with skepticism. "Sophia's soft. She do

n with a cold stare. "Your sister is a

she doesn't? What if she actually believes th

emind her of what's at stake. Sophia may think she's in love,

w tightening. "She's not lik

is. The Remingtons will trust her because she doesn't fit their image of

carried out Matteo's orders without question. But this plan-sending Sophia to marry into the Remin

" Dante asked finally. "W

humiliated me years ago. Evelyn thought she could cast me aside without

er's resolve-Matteo had built an empire on calculated risks and ruthless ambition. But this plan felt personal in a w

emotions-resentment, protectiveness, and a faint twinge of guilt. Sophia had always been different, drawn to the li

d down by the dual lives she was living. The engagement ring on her finger felt heavier than it

thoughts. She glanced at the screen:

balcony for privacy. She dialed the number, her hand

she said

lmost casual. "I hear cong

rd. "Yes. Andrew pr

ccepted, o

d, her voice bare

re doing well, Sophia. But

d on the phone. "What

lose to Evelyn-she's the key to understanding the Remingtons' weaknesses.

her heart pounding

You know what's at stake.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but the weight of Matteo's expectations was suffocating.

ings, charity events, and intimate family dinners, all the while carefully observing the dynamics of the Remington fami

ed. It was a dangerous game, one that required constant vigilance and an unshakable façade. But as the d

easily fooled, but he also knew that their greatest strength-their belief in integrity-was also their greatest w

. And as he sat in the quiet of his study, staring at the photo of Sophia and Andrew, he couldn't

d Matteo intended to w