Chapter 1
“You attacked my mother because someone photographed you with my enemy.”
Valeria stopped breathing.
The photograph remained between my fingers.
Around us, perfume cards covered the floor like white leaves. Lucian was still half-buried beside the collapsed presentation equipment, and Ava stood pressed against Margaret’s cardigan with tears drying on her cheeks.
I looked at the picture again.
Valeria.
Luca Valenti.
Private terminal.
His hand at the back of her neck.
Her mouth against his.
No ambiguity.
Then I noticed the date printed along the lower edge.
Three days ago.
Valeria had slept in my bed that night.
She had kissed Ava goodnight.
She had discussed wedding flowers with my mother over breakfast the next morning.
I looked up.
“How long?”
Valeria found her voice.
“It isn’t what you think.”
I almost smiled.
“That sentence should be retired.”
Lucian pushed himself upright.
“Dominic, listen.”
I turned toward him.
“You already tried using your fist.”
He shut up.
Margaret gripped my sleeve.
“She didn’t only kiss him.”
Valeria’s face changed again.
That mattered.
I looked at my mother.
“What else?”
Margaret swallowed.
“I heard Luca ask whether Ava still sleeps in the east wing.”
Every muscle in my body went still.
Valeria stepped forward.
“No.”
I raised one hand.
She stopped.
Margaret continued.
“He asked when your daughter moves into the main estate after the wedding.”
The showroom became very quiet.
I looked toward Ava.
Three years old.
Still holding Margaret’s hand.
Still confused about why the adults had suddenly become dangerous.
“What did Valeria say?”
My mother looked directly at her.
“She said, ‘Once I’m his wife, I decide who gets near her.’”
Valeria whispered:
“That’s not what I meant.”
I stared at her.
The kiss had hurt.
That sentence changed the category.
This was no longer infidelity.
My daughter had been part of the conversation.
I folded the photograph once.
Slowly.
Then placed it inside my jacket.
Valeria watched the movement like I had just locked away her last chance.
“You’re going to tell me everything.”
She shook her head.
“I can explain.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“You can confess.”
Behind her, Lucian’s expression collapsed.
And that was when I understood something else.
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Valeria had not been frightened because I saw her kissing Luca.
Both Knox siblings were frightened because my mother had heard what came after.
