she could not even shut her eyes. Every time she blinked Dante's face somehow surfaced in front of he

hat by morning it would all be far behind

throughout the hall, silent and observing. Isabella pau

u doing here

p. "Making sur

ast night. More shrilling th

ok a step forward. "Do you want to be f

ed down, unab

the hour. "Dante is right," he said. ″Dante is here

ttered her voice bitter. "I

ante. "The engagement is all set.

body tensed

s tone allowe

n hers. "It's best th

fists, but di

amed the house to settle down. Sofia unbolt

fia, in a whisper. "Please, Isab

n though she didn't want anything to eat. "You want t

embled. "I'd ra

cap of a water bottle too hard. "Fath

er face in her hands. "I wish y

erself on the other side of

with a saucepan full of soup, appearing no

ella's shoulders, then drew back to see her face. "Y

la conceded

y him. You can't handle Dante He's a man.

e could trust Elena, that there was a choi

et me decline,"

"He's making a mistake. And y

ough to adjust her hair so that

g work and hanging lights and flowers all through the house. Fiddlers entered,

hat had been set out for her. It was white and clean

ad a small box in hand. "Here. Wea

at the pearls. She recalled their mother donning

d. She hugged her sister tight

ed, wiping

with the notes of the music. Isabella was at the top of the stairs with her stomach c

d a little. She saw her father, smiling as if

s eyes found hers as soon as she was visible. She fel

s. "You can always change

ispered in return

olitely, cameras flashed. Isabella attempted to ma

out in front. He took her hand uninvited. He held on tigh

ight, we are here to celebrate the joining of two great

a's throat constricted. She glance

na uttered somet

didn't move.

x and opened it, inside was a silver ring. Isabella's quivered as he s

soft, and just for her

. All that was around her dissolved. She

er father's pawn. S