Chapter 1
Dominic did not question Valeria immediately.
He handed the photograph to his attorney, Rebecca Hale, who had been attending the private launch downstairs.
“Preserve that.”
Valeria pushed herself upright among the scattered atomizer boxes.
“You’re seriously treating your mother like some kind of witness?”
Margaret was still shaking.
Dominic looked at her instead.
“Are you hurt?”
“My hip.”
Ava clung to Margaret’s cardigan.
Dominic told one bodyguard to call a doctor and another to take Ava into the private blending room with a trusted staff member.
Ava refused.
“No.”
Dominic crouched.
“Sweetheart.”
“I stay with Grandma.”
Margaret reached for her.
“I’m all right.”
Only then did Ava go with her.
Lucian sat against the collapsed scent display, pressing a handkerchief to his mouth.
“This is ridiculous,” he muttered. “One photograph and suddenly everybody’s under arrest?”
“Nobody said arrest.”
Dominic’s voice remained quiet.
Lucian stopped talking.
Rebecca examined the instant photograph without touching its surface.
Luca Valenti was unmistakable.
So was Valeria.
The kiss was not ambiguous.
Neither was the location.
A private aviation terminal in Westchester.
Dominic turned toward Valeria.
“When?”
She crossed her arms.
“Yesterday.”
Margaret shook her head.
“Monday.”
Valeria’s eyes snapped toward her.
Dominic noticed.
Margaret continued.
“I had the photograph developed Tuesday morning.”
“You followed me,” Valeria said.
“No.”
“You’ve been trying to poison Dominic against me since we got engaged.”
Margaret looked exhausted rather than offended.
“I saw you by accident.”
Lucian gave a short laugh.
“Sure.”
Dominic looked at him.
“Why did you try to take the photograph?”
Lucian’s answer came too slowly.
“Because this family doesn’t need more drama.”
Margaret tightened her grip on her handbag.
“That isn’t why.”
Dominic turned toward his mother.
She opened the bag.
Inside were receipts, handwritten notes, and a small envelope carrying the atelier’s embossed seal.
Valeria went pale.
Dominic saw it.
“What else did you bring me?”
Margaret looked at her future daughter-in-law.
“The reason I was at that airport in the first place.”
May you like
Valeria’s fear deepened.
And suddenly the photograph no longer looked like the whole betrayal.
