elieve this

choose, preparing to marry the most powerful man in the te

e my siste

s the re

st. I had dreamt of being in this hall-though never like this. I used to imagine walking these marbled floors as an intern, maybe an execu

andro

bout to bec

lack suit so perfectly tailored it looked like it was carved onto his body. His dark hair curled slightly at th

cogni

war

calcu

s part of the contract he

silence. "Mr. Alessandro Amato, do you take Mis

. I

ooth, but it carried no a

a Rossi, do you take Mr. Alessandro A

ght it would betray me. I felt everyone's eyes on m

as no w

whispered

e swept thro

now kiss

efore he leaned in, his lips brushing mine-deliberate, cold, mechanical. There was no tend

ed. The world

. felt

ds reached out to congratulate, to touch the fabr

ns, Mrs. Amato

ntonia

ke a costume I h

ime in my life, I was no longer Beatrice's shadow. No longe

s so

s marriage-no matter how l

room. She didn't smile. She didn't nod. She

a crown. He strode toward me like a man wh

lations,

his breath warm against my ear. For a mome

sh Beatrice was just like yo

. My spine

ching, "I've always had a soft spot for you. But the sin you

dn't b

hat's why you had to stay in the dark. That's why every

cked smile curling on his lips. "But I gue

eves and added, "I left a little wedding

alked away, lea

rept down

mean? What

thought further, I felt t

o was app

dator studying his prey. His jaw was tight,

he didn't take my ha

came low and sharp. "Tel

hard, meet

s narrowed. "To replace your sister. Ma

dropped

. "Do you know what kind of woman I was supposed to mar

I wanted this?" I whisp

insult me with that wide-eyed act. You may not be Beatric

at him,

w not a husband-b

already

something into Alessandro's ear. His expressi

he reception will begin in ten minute

appeared in

yet completely isolated. My throat ached

en I s

ft on my seat. Not there bef

across the front

to

ng hands, I

le you s