A Lamb's Perfectly Laid Trap

My cousin, Isolde Gallo, the crown jewel of our crime family, always took pleasure in destroying my life, especially by stealing the men I was with.

Once she had them, she would cast them aside and boast to the family about how they had fallen head over heels for her.

When Isolde pulled the same old trick again, she had no idea she was stepping right into the grave I had dug for her.

I was certain that this time, she would be dragged into a bloody abyss from which there was no return.

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1

My cousin, Isolde Gallo, had been single for three years since breaking off her engagement, but she still lived an extravagant lifestyle, funded by the monthly checks from her ex-fiancé, Silas Croft.

I’d heard she amused herself with the family's Soldatos, keeping any handsome face she fancied as her plaything. She was, by all accounts, living a dream life.

Recently, she had found her next target—my boyfriend of six months, Christian Thorne.

To be honest, I wasn't surprised Isolde found out about him so quickly. After all, my vain mother, Caterina Marino, had stumbled upon him when she visited my apartment.

My mother’s fatal flaw was a fanatical obsession with one-upmanship.

Isolde's former engagement had brought immense benefits to the family. So much so that even after it was called off, she remained the most dazzling Principessa of the Marino family. My aunt, Bianca Gallo, loved to flaunt the status and wealth Isolde had secured in my mother’s face.

Because of this, my mother made it her personal mission to find me a husband more powerful than Silas.

So, the fact that I was still single had become a constant source of her frustration.

I first met Christian at an art auction. He had caught my eye from across the room, and I spent the better part of a year orchestrating ways to catch his attention.

He was younger and more dangerous than Silas. If that wasn't enough, Christian had the entire Thorne family behind him.

As a potential son-in-law, he was everything my mother had ever dreamed of.

She couldn't wait to show him off at a family gathering. In fact, she even declared that I would soon be marrying into the Thorne family.

Watching her, I squeezed my eyes shut in weary resignation. Then, I bowed my head before everyone and said softly, "It's not that serious. Please, don't read too much into it."

My mother immediately shoved a photo in my face and whispered harshly, "Not serious? A man this striking, this powerful—and you're telling me it's not serious?"

Isolde immediately interjected, "Wow, Adeline. Where did you find such a dangerous-looking man? Want me to vet him for you?"

I didn't bother to reply, because I knew she would do as she pleased whether I liked it or not.

Fortunately, this time, I had a special "gift" prepared for her.

...

On the very first day we started dating, I had warned Christian about Isolde. I told him she was beautiful and arrogant. I also told him she had a habit of poaching my boyfriends.

Christian teased me, "Are you afraid I'll fall for her?"

I just smiled and replied, "No, I'm just worried she'll eat you alive. After all, every one of my exes ended up stripped of their dignity."

He pulled me into his arms and whispered in my ear, "I promise you, that won't happen this time. I only want you, Adeline."

He took my warning to heart. When Isolde first sent word, he ignored her.

He even complained to me about her repeatedly. "Your cousin Isolde is relentless. She keeps trying to get in touch with me in every way imaginable."

I kissed his cheek and praised him, "You need to stand firm, my hero. Don't even think about responding. She knows all the tricks."

Without a second thought, he ignored Isolde's invitation again, then looked me in the eye and said, "My father wants to meet you. I've been singing your praises, and he's eager to finally meet you."

"He keeps pointing out that we've been together for six months and he still doesn't even know what you look like."

My body tensed. I forced a smile, ruffling his hair. "Just give me a little more time, okay? There's been a lot going on with the family lately. I promise I'll visit your father as soon as I'm through this."

"Don't be nervous. Trust me, my father will be thrilled just to meet you. We can grab a simple meal at a hotel my family owns."

Perhaps seeing that Christian was consistently ignoring her, Isolde grew impatient and suddenly announced she wanted to stay with me for a few days.

I flatly refused.

Unfortunately, my mother was eager to show off the new apartment Christian had arranged for me and promptly gave Isolde the security code.

As a result, when I came home from work, I was greeted by the sight of Isolde and Christian sitting side-by-side on the sofa, both staring out the window, lost in their own thoughts.

The moment Christian saw me, he dragged me into the bedroom. "I swear I didn't even look at her," he complained in a low, angry voice. "How dare she just barge in here?"