Gianna sat in her office, staring at the scandal headlines about Kevin Romano that had exploded across every media outlet. The photos showed him with Lucia—the same woman Gianna had hired to seduce Vincent. Except somehow, the images showed Kevin instead of Vincent, even though the incident had happened at her house, during the exact window when Vincent was supposed to be alone with Lucia.None of it made sense.But what confused Gianna even more—what stirred something uncomfortable in her chest—was Vincent's apparent loyalty. He'd turned down Lucia. A beautiful, willing, completely naked woman had offered herself to him without conditions, and he'd refused.Why?It wasn't as if they were really married. Their entire relationship was a façade, a business arrangement that both of them acknowledged openly. Vincent didn't have to maintain some absurd standard of fidelity. He could have taken what Lucia offered without any moral consequence. Gianna certainly wouldn't have blamed him—hell,

Gianna arrived home that evening with a headache pounding behind her eyes and Stephani's ultimatum echoing in her mind. Five days. She had five days to end a marriage to a man who seemed immune to every tactic she'd tried.She barely had her coat off when Vincent appeared in the foyer, his expression unreadable but his presence commanding attention."We need to talk about the maid," he said without preamble.Gianna's stomach dropped, but she kept her face carefully neutral. "What about her?""About the fact that she wasn't really a maid at all." Vincent's voice was calm, but there was an edge underneath. "About the cameras you planted in my room. About the setup designed to catch me in a compromising position."Heat flooded Gianna's face—part shame, part anger at being caught. But admitting it would mean admitting she'd stooped to the level she'd always claimed to be above. Would mean acknowledging she'd become exactly the kind of person she'd always despised."I don't know what you'r

Stephani moved smoothly to the bar cart, her silk gown shifting with each step. "At least let me offer you a drink. It's rude to refuse hospitality."She poured two glasses of expensive wine, her movements deliberate and graceful. What Vincent couldn't see was the small vial she palmed, tipping a clear liquid into one of the glasses with practiced efficiency. The roofie dissolved instantly, leaving no trace."Here." Stephani turned and offered him the doctored glass, her smile warm and inviting.Vincent looked at the wine, then at her face. Something in his expression made Stephani's confidence waver slightly."I said I'm fine," Vincent repeated, not taking the glass."Don't be stubborn. It's a 1982 Château Margaux. Do you have any idea how rare—""I don't care if it's liquid gold." Vincent's tone was flat. "I'm not drinking anything you give me, Stephani."Her smile faltered completely. She set both glasses down with more force than necessary, the wine sloshing dangerously close to t

Gianna was furious. Absolutely, incandescently furious. Vincent's refusal to take her money, his calm dismissal of her attempts to end their marriage, the sudden power he seemed to hold over her entire future—all of it made her blood boil.So she did the only thing left in her arsenal: she gave him the silent treatment.For three days, Gianna didn't speak a single word to Vincent. She walked past him in the hallways without acknowledgment. She left rooms when he entered. She communicated only through terse notes left on the kitchen counter when absolutely necessary.And most pointedly, she stopped eating the food he cooked.It was petty. Gianna knew it was petty. But watching Vincent's carefully prepared meals sit untouched on the table gave her a small, bitter satisfaction. If he wouldn't give her what she wanted, she wouldn't give him the one thing he seemed to take pride in—feeding her.Instead, Gianna ate meals the new maid prepared. Simple things—sandwiches, salads, pasta. Nothin

The administrator looked ready to cry herself. She consulted with two security guards, and after a brief, heated discussion, made an announcement."Only immediate family will be permitted to remain in the waiting area. Everyone else will need to go to the cafeteria on the second floor or wait outside. I'm sorry, but these are hospital regulations."The outcry was immediate and deafening. But security began gently but firmly ushering people toward the exits. After twenty minutes of chaos and negotiation, the crowd had been reduced to about thirty people—Nonna Elisabetta's children, grandchildren, and a few spouses.Vincent had appeared at some point during the chaos, quietly taking a position against the back wall of the waiting room. Gianna noticed several family members giving him suspicious looks—the contract husband, the outsider who didn't belong—but no one challenged his presence.Isabella, however, noticed him immediately."What is he doing here?" she hissed to Gianna, loud enou