"Help you?" Stephani stood, moving to the bar to pour herself a drink. "Why would I do that? What's in it for me?""You want me to divorce Vincent. You've made that clear with your contract offer. If I know who he really is, maybe I'll have the leverage I need to make that happen."Stephani paused mid-pour, her mind working quickly. That was precisely the problem. If Gianna discovered Vincent's true identity—that he was the Supreme Commander, one of the most powerful men in the world—she would have absolutely no reason to divorce him. The plan would crumble."You're assuming I know anything about Vincent at all." Stephani finished pouring her drink and turned back to Gianna. "Maybe I was just testing you at that first meeting.""You know him." Gianna's voice was certain. "The way you looked at each other, the way you spoke—you have history. So tell me what it is.""No." The word was flat and final.Gianna blinked. "What?""I said no." Stephani took a sip of her drink. "You made your b

Vincent's hand had closed around Lucia's wrist with reflexive precision, stopping her wandering fingers just before they slipped past his belt line. His grip was firm enough to communicate absolute refusal without causing pain.Lucia's eyes widened, and she immediately stepped back, her expression shifting to one of mortified embarrassment. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" Her voice pitched higher, trembling slightly. "I didn't mean—I just lost my balance and—""It's fine," Vincent said, releasing her wrist. His tone was neutral, giving nothing away."No, it's not fine. That was completely inappropriate." Lucia wrung her hands together, the picture of distress. "Please, please don't tell Ms. Moretti. I really need this job. If she finds out I—that I touched you like that, even by accident, she'll fire me for sure."Vincent gave her a long, assessing look. Really looked at her for the first time. Her nails were professionally manicured—glossy burgundy polish without a single chip. Her skin w

While Vincent was still occupied in the kitchen, Gianna seized the opportunity. Her heart pounded as she slipped into his wing of the mansion, moving quickly down the hallway to his bedroom. The door was unlocked—Vincent never locked it, another small detail that spoke to either supreme confidence or complete naivety.She pulled the tiny pinhole camera from her pocket, the one the technicians had prepared yesterday. Her hands trembled slightly as she positioned it in the crown molding above the bed, angling it to capture the entire room with perfect clarity.A part of her felt sick doing this. Stooping to such depths, violating Vincent's privacy, orchestrating his downfall like some vengeful schemer—it went against everything she'd built her reputation on. She was supposed to be better than this. Above this kind of manipulation.But then she thought about the Stephani contract. The international endorsement. The transformation of her business from local success to global powerhouse. A

For a frozen moment, the three of them formed a bizarre tableau: Vincent in a towel, Lucia completely nude, and Kevin staring at the scene with dawning realization spreading across his face.Kevin's shock lasted maybe two seconds before his expression transformed into something like Christmas morning. This was better than anything Giovanni could have planned. Better than any setup or scheme. Here was Vincent, fresh from the shower, with a beautiful naked woman chasing him down the hallway.The optics were damning.Kevin's hand went to his pocket, pulling out his phone with practiced speed. He started snapping pictures before anyone could react—Vincent in the towel, Lucia naked behind him, the open bedroom door visible in the frame.Click. Click. Click."Oh, this is perfect," Kevin breathed, his voice filled with malicious glee. "This is absolutely perfect."Vincent's expression darkened. "Kevin. Put the phone away.""Why would I do that?" Kevin took another photo, this one zooming in

He clicked on the first article, his hands suddenly numb. There were the photos—the same ones he'd taken—but instead of Vincent in the towel, it was Kevin himself. Instead of some random naked woman pursuing Vincent, it showed her pursuing Kevin."What—" Kevin's voice came out strangled. "What the fuck?"He frantically scrolled through his phone, pulling up the original photos. There he was—Kevin Romano—in every single image. The timestamp, the metadata, everything showed he'd taken these photos himself, essentially creating evidence of his own affair.The tabloids were having a field day:"Already disgraced after being cut off from his family, Kevin Romano has apparently turned to sordid affairs to fill the void left by his exile. Sources close to the Romano family report that Kevin's father, Antonio, had no comment on his son's latest scandal, maintaining his decision to excommunicate the wayward heir was the right choice.""The naked woman in the photos has been identified as Lucia