Chapter 1 - THE NINE HOURS HE COULD NOT EXPLAIN
For a long time, Alessandro said nothing.
The lake outside the window was perfectly still, silver beneath the late-afternoon sky. Forty-seven days had passed since our wedding collapsed, but the silence between us felt exactly like the hotel room in Venice.
Finally, he sat down.
“Because I was a coward.”
I blinked.
He looked at the antique watch in his hand.
“When you walked out, I knew I should follow you. I knew it before the door closed.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
His jaw tightened.
“Bianca told me if I left, she would call her father and end the alliance.”
I laughed once.
“That’s your answer?”
“No.”
“Good, because I’m not interested in hearing that you stayed in another woman’s bed to protect your business.”
His eyes closed.
“I stayed because part of me wanted one more hour where I didn’t have to be Don Vitale.”
The honesty hurt worse than an excuse.
“With Bianca?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She asked nothing from me except to be reckless.”
I stared.
“And I asked too much?”
“You asked me to be the man I kept promising I would become.”
My throat tightened.
“And apparently that was exhausting.”
“Serena—”
“No. Keep going.”
He looked at me.
“I loved you. I still love you. But every time I looked at our wedding plans, I saw the life I could destroy if my enemies reached you. Bianca belonged to my world. She understood the violence. With her, I didn’t have to pretend I could become safe.”
Tears burned my eyes.
“So you punished me for believing you could be better?”
His face broke.
“Yes.”
For the first time in thirteen years, Alessandro wasn't protecting himself with pride.
He was admitting something ugly.
I stood.
“Then the nine hours weren’t about Bianca.”
He looked up.
“No.”
“They were about you being afraid to become the man you promised me.”
“Yes.”
I swallowed.
“And that still means you chose her.”
His eyes filled.
“For nine hours, yes.”
That answer hurt.
But it was finally real.
I turned toward the door.
“Serena, please.”
I stopped.
“I’m not putting the ring back on.”
“I know.”
“I’m not forgiving you because you admitted the truth.”
“I know.”
“And I’m not becoming your secret second chance.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
I opened the door.
Then Alessandro said something that made me turn back.
“Bianca wasn't the reason I asked you here.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
He placed a folder on the table.
“She came to me three days ago.”
I stared.
“Why?”
His expression darkened.
“Because someone has been paying her for eleven months.”
I went still.
“Paying her for what?”
“To stay close to me.”
He slid the folder toward me.
On the first page was a bank transfer.
The sender was a company I recognized immediately.
Bellini Holdings.
My family’s company.
May you like
And the authorization signature belonged to my uncle.
Carlo Bellini.
