Kevin stood in the Romano family's entrance hall, his arms crossed and his expression set with stubborn determination. "I'm not going anywhere. This is our home. Our city. I'm not running away like a coward because of Vincent's threats."Antonio's patience was visibly wearing thin. "Kevin, I'm not asking. I'm telling you—we're leaving. Tonight. As a family.""No," Kevin replied flatly. "You can go if you want to be a coward. But I'm staying. I have business here, connections, a life. I'm not abandoning everything because you're scared of some nobody.""He's not a nobody!" Antonio exploded, his composure finally cracking. "How many times do I need to say that before it penetrates your thick skull?"Maria hovered nearby, wringing her hands anxiously. Francesca stood by the stairs, her face pale as she watched her family implode."Kevin, please," Maria pleaded. "Listen to your father. If he says we need to leave—""He's being paranoid," Kevin interrupted. "Vincent scared him somehow, got

Gianna's phone buzzed as she reviewed quarterly financial reports in her office. The private investigator—a discrete, professional man named Marco Rinaldi—had sent a brief message: I'm at your residence with initial findings. Can we meet?Gianna immediately closed her laptop and gathered her things. She didn't want to meet Rinaldi at her office where curious employees might see and start spreading rumors. Her home was safer, more private.She drove back to the Moretti villa with anticipation mixed with apprehension. What had Rinaldi discovered about Vincent? What secrets was her mysterious husband hiding?Rinaldi waited in an unmarked sedan outside the villa gates. He was in his fifties, gray-haired, with the patient demeanor of someone who'd spent decades uncovering uncomfortable truths about people."Miss Moretti," he greeted her with professional courtesy as she let him inside.They settled in the living room—Gianna on the sofa, Rinaldi in the facing chair with a leather folder con

Gianna sat frozen on the couch, staring at the empty space where Stephani had been sitting moments ago. The silence in the living room felt suffocating. Her mind raced with questions that had no answers.At this point, could she even deny that Vincent and Stephani somehow knew each other? The way they looked at each other, the tension that crackled between them—it was undeniable. But how? Vincent was supposed to be a nobody, a man desperate enough to answer a newspaper ad for a contract marriage. He didn't move in circles anywhere close to Stephani Palazzo's stratosphere.Yet there he was, speaking to one of the most powerful women on the planet like an equal. More than that—like someone who had authority over her. The docile Vincent who had agreed to all her conditions like a prideless dog had vanished completely when Stephani appeared. In his place stood someone else entirely. Someone commanding. Someone dangerous.Gianna pressed her fingers to her temples. Nothing made sense anymor

"Nothing too complicated." Stephani leaned back, crossing her legs elegantly. "The first is that you'll partner with the Benedettis on this venture. Specifically, Giovanni Benedetti. Not his son Rocco—Giovanni himself."The name hit Gianna like cold water. Giovanni Benedetti. One of the most ruthless businessmen in the city, known for swallowing up competitors and spitting out their bones. Her skin prickled with unease."Why Giovanni?" she asked carefully."Does it matter?" Stephani's smile was razor-sharp. "You're getting the deal of a lifetime, Gianna. Don't look gift horses in the mouth. It makes you seem ungrateful.""I'm not ungrateful. I'm cautious.""How wise." The mockery in Stephani's voice was subtle but unmistakable. "Fine. Giovanni has resources in regions I need local expertise for. He's also investing heavily in this venture. Consider him a silent partner if it makes you feel better."Gianna didn't like it, but Stephani was right—it was still an incredible deal. A partne

Gianna stared at the contract in front of her. The numbers blurred slightly as her mind raced. Everything they were saying made logical sense. Vincent was temporary. Their marriage was a business arrangement, nothing more. She'd told him that herself just yesterday.But something about this felt wrong. Deeply, fundamentally wrong."I need to think about this," she finally said, standing up."The offer expires when you leave," Stephani reminded her coldly."Then let it expire." Gianna grabbed her purse, her movements sharp. "I'm not making a decision like this under pressure."Giovanni's expression darkened. "You're making a mistake, Gianna.""Maybe. But it's my mistake to make."She walked out before either of them could say another word, her heart pounding in her chest.Back at the mansion, Vincent sat in his private office, the one room Gianna never entered. The secure phone on his desk had gone dark hours ago, but Pablo's final words still echoed in his mind."I'm coming for you an