Chapter 1: The Bruise
The night Luca’s engagement was supposed to become the beginning of a perfect life, his fiancée put her hands on a frightened maid—and accidentally exposed the secret that could destroy them all.
“Serve the table. Now.””
Victoria’s voice cut through the dining room.
Elena froze.
For one second, the only sound in the Manhattan mansion was the soft clink of crystal beneath the chandeliers. Then Victoria grabbed Elena’s wrist and jerked her forward.
The silver serving tray slammed against Elena’s chest.
A champagne glass tipped dangerously close to the edge.
Elena caught it.
Barely.
“Careful,” Victoria whispered, smiling for the guests.
“I’d hate for you to ruin my evening.””
Elena lowered her eyes.
“Yes, ma’am.””
Victoria released her wrist.
The marks from Victoria’s fingers were already turning red.
Across the room, Luca had seen everything.
He stood near the fireplace in a black tuxedo, one hand resting loosely against the marble mantel. His expression hadn't changed.
Not yet.
The engagement dinner continued around him.
Dozens of guests sat beneath crystal chandeliers, surrounded by white roses, silver cutlery, and candlelight reflected in polished dark wood. Manhattan glittered beyond the enormous windows.
Everything looked expensive.
Everything looked perfect.
Except Elena.
She walked away with the tray pressed against her trembling hands.
Luca watched her pass.
Then he noticed her face.
Her left eye was swollen and bruised beneath a thin layer of makeup.
His jaw tightened.
“Luca?”” Victoria called.
He didn't answer.
Instead, he stepped away from the fireplace.
Elena reached the hallway.
“Wait.””
She stopped.
Slowly, she turned.
Luca was standing several feet away.
“Elena,” he said quietly.
“Come here.””
Her fingers tightened around the tray.
“I have to serve the guests.””
“Come here.””
She obeyed.
The hallway was darker than the dining room, lit only by small wall sconces. The sound of conversation faded behind them.
Luca looked at her eye.
“What happened?””
Elena swallowed.
“Nothing, sir.””
“That isn't nothing.””
She looked down.
Luca noticed her breathing.
Fast.
Shallow.
Afraid.
“Who did this to you?””
Elena's lips parted.
No answer came.
Then her eyes moved toward the dining room.
Toward Victoria.
Luca followed her gaze.
Victoria was standing beside the table, laughing with an elderly couple as if nothing had happened.
She lifted a champagne glass.
Her diamond necklace caught the light.
Then she looked directly at Luca.
Her smile disappeared.
She crossed the room.
“What is this?”” Victoria asked.
Luca didn't move.
“I asked Elena what happened to her.””
Victoria glanced at Elena.
Then at the bruised eye.
“She fell.””
Luca's eyes narrowed.
“Fell?””
“Yes.””
Victoria stepped closer.
“She tripped on the back stairs. I told her to be careful.””
Elena stared at the floor.
Luca looked at her.
“Did you fall?””
Elena's throat moved.
Before she could answer, Victoria stepped between them.
“She said she fell.””
Luca's voice became colder.
“I asked her.””
Victoria's expression hardened.
“Luca, don't embarrass me in front of our guests.””
“You're worried about embarrassment?””
“Yes.””
Victoria reached for his arm.
He didn't let her touch him.
For the first time that evening, something flickered across her face.
Fear.
Only for a second.
Then it vanished.
“You're making a scene over a maid,” Victoria said.
Luca looked past her.
“Elena. Show me your wrist.””
Elena hesitated.
“Please.””
Slowly, she lifted her hand.
Four red marks circled her wrist.
Luca stared at them.
Victoria's jeweled bracelet hung from her wrist.
Same width.
Same pattern.
Same four raised edges.
His eyes moved from Elena's bruises to Victoria's bracelet.
Victoria noticed.
She immediately lowered her arm.
“That's ridiculous,” she said.
Luca's voice was almost a whisper.
“Take off the bracelet.””
“What?””
“Take it off.””
Victoria laughed nervously.
“You're being paranoid.””
“Victoria.””
The room behind them had begun to quiet.
Guests were watching.
Victoria touched the bracelet.
Then stopped.
“No.””
Luca stepped closer.
“Why not?””
“Because you're acting insane.””
A glass shattered somewhere in the dining room.
Everyone turned.
Elena flinched violently.
Luca noticed.
So did Victoria.
Victoria's eyes flashed.
“Go back to the kitchen,” she ordered.
Elena didn't move.
“Now.””
Elena lowered her head.
“Yes, ma'am.””
She turned.
But before she could leave, Luca spoke.
“Elena.””
She stopped.
He looked at her.
“If something happened in this house, you tell me.””
Victoria stared at him.
“Elena has no reason to bother you with household nonsense.””
Luca didn't look away from Elena.
“Do you understand?””
Elena nodded.
“Yes, sir.””
She disappeared down the hallway.
Victoria waited until she was gone.
Then she whispered, “You are humiliating me.””
Luca finally looked at his fiancée.
“No.””
His eyes dropped to her bracelet.
“Someone already did.””
Victoria's face went still.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Victoria smiled.
It was the same beautiful smile she had worn all evening.
But now Luca could see how carefully it was constructed.
“Let's finish dinner,” she said.
Luca didn't respond.
Because from somewhere deep beneath the mansion, he thought he heard something.
A dull sound.
Like metal striking wood.
He turned toward the dark hallway.
Victoria noticed.
“What?””
Luca listened.
Nothing.
“I thought I heard something.””
Victoria's expression changed.
Only slightly.
“It's an old house.””
Luca looked at her.
“My family has owned this house for seventy years.””
“I know.””
“There shouldn't be anything underneath that floor.””
Victoria's smile tightened.
“Then perhaps you're imagining things.””
From the kitchen, a door slammed.
Luca turned.
When he looked back, Victoria was already walking toward the guests.
But she had forgotten one thing.
May you like
Her bracelet was still covering the marks on her wrist.
And Luca had memorized them.
