Chapter 1
The grand ballroom of the Venetti estate sparkled with opulence, every detail meticulously designed to impress. The clink of crystal glasses and soft strains of a string quartet wove through the room as Carmen Smith moved among the guests, her emerald-green gown a vision of elegance.
She smiled warmly at a pair of donors who had just pledged a generous sum, but her practiced charm masked a simmering frustration. Marco was late. Again.
With a quick glance at the grand staircase, Carmen’s thoughts churned. For weeks, Marco had been distant, his focus somewhere else—or someone else. She dismissed the notion, but a nagging feeling lingered, one she couldn’t shake.
“Mrs. Venetti, your gala is stunning as always,” came the smooth voice of Marisol Ricci, one of the city’s most persistent socialites. Her tone held a touch of feigned sweetness.
“Thank you, Marisol,” Carmen replied graciously.
Marisol leaned in, her jeweled earrings swaying. “But where is Marco? A man like him should be at his wife’s side.”
Carmen’s smile didn’t falter. “He’ll be here. Business, you know.”
Marisol gave a knowing hum, but before she could press further, the low murmur of voices shifted across the room. Heads turned toward the sweeping staircase, and Carmen’s gaze followed.
Marco Venetti had arrived.
He descended the stairs with the commanding presence of a man who ruled not just the room but the city itself. His tailored black suit fit him to perfection, and his dark eyes swept over the crowd with a cool detachment. Yet, to Carmen’s sharp eye, something was wrong. His jaw was set too tightly, his usual confidence tempered by an unusual grimness.
When their eyes met, she forced herself to smile as he approached. “You’re late,” she said softly, her tone even.
Marco leaned in briefly to kiss her cheek, a fleeting gesture that felt more like a formality. “I’m here now,” he murmured. Then, as though the conversation was over, he turned and made his way to the bar.
Carmen’s smile stayed in place, but irritation prickled at the edges of her composure. With a deep breath, she returned to the crowd, her polished exterior unbroken.
As the evening progressed, Carmen flitted between conversations, her practiced charm masking her growing unease. Marco stood at the periphery, nursing a drink, his expression unreadable.
“Did you hear?” a voice drifted past her as she refilled her glass at the champagne station. Carmen froze subtly, her ears pricking at the familiar name.
“Arianna De Luca?” a woman whispered to her companion.
“I thought she’d fled for good,” the other replied.
Carmen turned slightly, pretending to scan the room while eavesdropping on their hushed conversation.
“She’s back,” the first woman confirmed. “Apparently, she’s been seen meeting with Marco.”
Carmen’s stomach clenched.
The second woman gasped. “You’re joking! Do you think—”
“Come on. Everyone knows she was his first love,” the first said, her tone thick with implication. “Marco was obsessed with her before she vanished. Maybe he never got over her.”
Carmen forced herself to take a slow sip of champagne, feigning indifference as the words sank in.
“I heard she’s been visiting him in secret,” the second woman added. “Why else would she come back now? Maybe they’ve been… rekindling things.”
Carmen turned away, her grip tightening on the glass. The whispers followed her as she rejoined the crowd, their venomous implications needling her confidence.
When the time came for her speech, Carmen stepped onto the stage with a smile as luminous as the chandelier above her. She delivered the announcement with ease, her voice unwavering as she detailed the impact of the evening’s donations.
The crowd erupted in applause as she stepped off the stage, but her relief was short-lived. A ripple of movement near the entrance drew her attention, and when she turned, her heart dropped.
Marco was there, his hand resting lightly on the arm of a woman Carmen hadn’t seen in years. Arianna De Luca.
The room fell silent as Arianna stepped forward, her crimson dress clinging to her like molten fire. Her auburn hair tumbled over her shoulders, and her lips curled in a faint, knowing smile.
The whispers that followed Carmen earlier now exploded into a low murmur across the room.
“That’s her,” someone whispered.
“I can’t believe she’d dare show her face.”
“Do you think they’re back together?”
The blood drained from Carmen’s face as Marco guided Arianna further into the room, his expression inscrutable. But when Arianna’s eyes met Carmen’s, there was no mistaking the message behind her smile. It wasn’t just an arrival; it was a challenge.
Carmen stood rooted to the spot, her mind spinning. She forced herself to remain poised, her chin lifting in defiance. But deep down, the whispered gossip echoed in her ears, gnawing at her resolve.
What was Arianna doing here? And why, after everything, was Marco letting her back in?
