“Who is it?” I call.

“Luca,” he says, his voice muffled.

I open the door, and he’s there, holding a folded paper. His face is serious, no trace of his usual smirk. “We need to talk,” he says, stepping inside.

I cross my arms. “About what? More secrets?”

He holds up the paper. “This. It’s our marriage contract.”

My stomach drops. “What?”

He unfolds it, pointing to tiny writing at the bottom. “Read this,” he says. “It’s a clause your father added.”

I grab the paper, my hands shaky. The words are small, hard to read, but they hit like a punch. If Luca Vitale betrays the Calabrese family, all Vitale assets transfer to Seraphina Calabrese. My head spins. It’s a trap, a deadly one.

“What is this?” I whisper, my voice breaking.

Luca’s eyes are dark, almost angry. “It means you were never just a bride, Seraphina. You’re a weapon.”



Seraphina Calabrese never expected to fall for her husband. Especially not when the marriage was arranged, especially not when he’s hiding a deadly secret. 
Luca Vitale has one mission—marry into the Calabrese family and betray them from within. But the more time he spends with Seraphina, the more the lines blur between business and desire.

When Seraphina discovers she may not be a true Calabrese, her world tilts. As shocking truths come to light—about her lineage, her mother’s death, and the infamous Giuliano Moretti—she’s forced to question everything, including her own loyalties.

I march into St. Aldo's Cathedral, my boots echoing on the stone floor. The adoption certificate's in my pocket, burning like a hot coal. Father Enzo's note said trust no one, but he's the only one who might know who I am. That photo of me as a toddler with a stranger, the name Elena Moretti, and now Natalia's call from "The Queen's Heir", it's all tied together, and I'm done guessing.


Father Enzo's at the altar, lighting candles. His robes swish as he turns, his eyes sharp. "Seraphina," he says, his voice soft. "You're here early."


I pull out the certificate and hold it up. "Explain this," I say, my voice shaking. "Elena Moretti. My mother. Why didn't anyone tell me?"


He steps closer, his face calm but sad. "Sit," he says, pointing to a pew. "It's time you know."


I don't sit. "No games, Father. Tell me now."


He sighs, folding his hands. "You were adopted. Elena Moretti was your birth mother. She was… close to Giuliano Moretti."


Chapter 10 - Edge of Truth