Alessia POV:
Sofia’s words hung in the air, thick with false sympathy. She played the part of the concerned friend so well, her expression a perfect mask of compassion.
The women around her watched us, their eyes like vultures circling. I could feel their judgment, sharp and unforgiving.
"It’s always been Rico and Sofia," Bianca Costello said loudly to another woman, but her words were meant for me. "Ever since they were kids. Everyone knew it. They're soulmates."
Sofia placed a delicate hand on my arm. "Don't listen to them, darling. Rico cares for you. In his own way." She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But you have to understand. Some bonds… they just can't be broken."
Then she pulled back, a cruel little smile playing on her lips. "After all, I'm the one who picked you for him."
The air in my lungs turned to ice. My heart, which I thought couldn't break any further, seemed to shatter into a million tiny pieces. The room tilted, the chatter of the crowd fading into a dull roar in my ears.
"What did you say?" My voice was barely a whisper.
Sofia’s smile widened. She knew she’d landed a fatal blow. "Oh, come now, Alessia. You couldn't have possibly thought he chose you on his own? He was a mess after I left. He needed someone stable. Someone… simple. Unproblematic. I knew you'd be perfect. You would keep him company, keep the Moretti family line secure, and you wouldn't get in the way when I needed him."
Her words were a physical assault. My composure cracked. I stumbled back, away from her, from the poisonous truth of her confession.
I fled to the balcony, gulping in the cool night air, my hands gripping the cold stone railing.
It all made sense now. The entire four years of my marriage, a carefully constructed lie. I wasn't just a placeholder; I was a hand-picked pawn in her sick, manipulative game. I was the quiet, stable wife who would look the other way, who wouldn't make waves, who would gratefully accept whatever scraps of attention he threw my way.
And I had played my part perfectly.
A server tapped my shoulder. "Miss? They're starting a game inside. Mrs. Santoro requested your presence."
I walked back into the room like a ghost. Sofia was at the center of a circle, a glass of champagne in her hand.
"The game is simple," she announced. "We share a story about the most extravagant thing someone has ever done for us out of love."
Bianca giggled. "You go first, Fia! I bet you have the best one."
Sofia’s eyes found mine across the room. "Well," she began, her voice smooth as silk, "there was the time he chartered a private jet to Paris for me, just for dinner, because I mentioned I was craving a specific dessert."
A chill snaked down my spine. I remembered that weekend. Rico had told me he had an urgent, last-minute business meeting in Chicago.
"And then," Sofia continued, her voice gaining momentum, "there was the time he bought out an entire fireworks company to spell my name in the sky for my birthday."
My blood ran cold. He had told me that was a corporate event he was required to attend. He was gone for three days.
He had skipped my sister’s wedding for a business trip. He’d missed the anniversary of my father’s death to close a deal. Lies. All of it. All for her.
The room was spinning. My stomach churned. I had to get out.
"Who was it, Fia?" someone called out. "Who is this mystery man?"
Sofia just smiled, a secretive, knowing look on her face. "He'll be here soon."
As if on cue, the doors to the ballroom opened.
Rico walked in.
His eyes scanned the crowd, a flicker of anxiety on his face. And then he saw her. The tension melted from his shoulders, replaced by a look of pure, undiluted relief. His gaze locked on Sofia, and it was as if no one else in the room existed.
He didn’t even see me. I was standing ten feet away, and I was completely, utterly invisible to him.
He walked straight to her.
"Sorry I'm late," he said, his voice low, meant only for her. "The meeting ran long."
I knew where he had been. Angie had sent me a photo. He was at a high-stakes street race with Vinny Salerno, one of Sofia’s reckless associates. He was breaking *Omertà*, the sacred code of silence, risking exposure and a *vendetta* from rival families, all to prove his loyalty to her.
He finally turned, his eyes brushing past me with a flicker of recognition. "Oh. Ally. You're here."
"I'm leaving," I said, my voice hollow.
"Okay. I'll get the car." He barely seemed to register my words, his attention already drifting back to Sofia.
"No," I said, my voice firm. "I'll get my own."
I walked away, leaving them together. They looked perfect. The beautiful, toxic prince and his venomous princess. A match made in hell.
