Chapter 1 - THE PUNCH THAT CHANGED THE ROOM

The first thing Elsie saw was her uncle's fist flying at her grandfather's head.

"Grandpa!"

Cesare Bellini moved before the scream finished leaving her mouth. He slipped to the side, planted his feet, and drove one hard counterpunch across Ethan Cole's face.

Ethan spun backward into a rolling costume trunk.

The trunk shot across the room. Its lid burst open, costumes and masks flying as Ethan crashed through two prop columns.

Then Vanessa grabbed Elsie by the cardigan.

"We're leaving. Now."

Elsie cried out as Vanessa yanked her toward the exit.

Cesare ripped Vanessa's hand away and slapped her across the face. She staggered into stacked acoustic panels and dropped against the rehearsal bench.

Julian rushed forward, but not toward his daughter.

He stepped in front of Vanessa.

"Dad, stop. Don't make this public."

Cesare stared at his son as if he had never seen him before.

"Grandpa," she sobbed, "Dad told her I'm the housekeeper's daughter."

Cesare slowly turned toward Julian.

"You told her what?"

Julian's face went gray. "It's complicated."

"No," Cesare said. "Cowardice is usually very simple."

Vanessa pushed the backdrop away and stood, one hand against her cheek. "She misunderstood. Julian was only trying to avoid a scene."

Cesare looked at the torn paper flower on the floor. Elsie had made it for her school performance, coloring every petal pink and yellow with broken crayons. Vanessa had ripped it in half when Elsie refused to stay in the servants' hallway.

Cesare bent and picked up both pieces.

"You hid my granddaughter to impress this woman," he said to Julian. "You're finished."

Julian went white.

Then Cesare noticed something beneath one crayon-colored petal.

A faint blue financial stamp.

AUTHORIZED - BELLINI PRIVATE HOLDINGS.

Ethan saw it too.

For the first time, he no longer looked angry.

He looked afraid.

"Where did you get this paper, Elsie?" Cesare asked.

Elsie wiped her nose with her sleeve.

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"From Uncle Ethan's trash can."

And Ethan bolted for the door.