a Rizz

The massive bed, the lavish curtains, the gilded mirror reflecting my pale, disheveled image

e poison. My own stepbrother, the man who shared my family name, had traded me away lik

scape this nightmare? Every plan I thought of fell apart before it even began. The guards, the locks, the un

pulled me from my thoughts. Before I could ans

s tone polite but impersonal. "Donat

want to face the cold, calculating man who held my life in his hands. Bu

ful in a way that felt oppressive. The marble floors, the intricate chandeliers, the priceless artwork

ned the door and gestured for me to enter. I

like a king on his throne. The sunlight streaming through the large windows behind

nded, his voice

r. I sat down in the chair across from him, keeping my bac

me like a predator sizing up its prey. "Do

bubbling to the surface. "Because my ste

didn't reach his eyes. "That's part of it,"

tweighing my anger for a m

and deliberate. When he stopped in front of me, he lea

he said, his voice low and dangerous. "More

spine. "Valuable how?" I asked,

r to the window. He stood there for a moment

y. "Secrets that you don't even know about. And th

What secrets? My family wasn't perfect, but

're talking about," I

ression cold and unreadable.

n my mind, filling me with questions I didn't want to ask. What did he mean about my f

staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Every creak of the floorboards, every distan

ed up in my room any longer. I needed answers, n

eone who could give me information. But the servants avoi

-to-ceiling bookshelves and heavy wooden furniture. I ran my fingers along

sive, i

tanding in the doorway, his

I asked, my voice sh

d ask you the same thing," he said. "You've b

over. "Why am I here, Marco?" I demand

us. "You're here because Donatello wants you here,"

t his answer. "That's not good eno

, you're better off not asking too many questions," he said.

my voice trembling with frustration. "I jus

gh," he said. "But if you really want answers, you'll ha

lo's office, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn'

and his voice called ou

stepped inside, my han

sk, his expression unreadable. "Alessia," he

I said, my voice s

w, clearly intrigue

I said. "To what

ing eyes. "I've already told you, Alessia," he said. "You

d. "That's not good enough.

opping in front of me. He reached out and gent

ce," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Y

pping away. As he released me and turned back to his desk, I realized that I was

's power or his plans-it was the gro