Chapter 1 - THE YELLOW ROOM
Matteo Bellandi came home three hours early carrying white roses for the woman he planned to marry.
He never made it past the foyer.
Six-year-old Mia Rossi ran into him so hard the flowers slipped against his coat.
“Please help my mama.”
Matteo froze.
Mia was usually quiet around him. She drew on the service steps while her mother worked and hid behind Elena whenever the family gathered.
Now she was shaking.
“Who hurt your mother?”
“The beautiful lady.”
Every trace of warmth left his face.
“Bianca?”
Mia nodded.
“She said she’ll make Mama disappear.”
The roses fell onto the marble.
“Where is Elena?”
“The yellow room.”
Bianca’s private dressing salon.
Mia gripped his jacket.
“Mama told me to go, but I heard something break.”
Matteo crouched.
“I’m going to bring her out.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
At the end of the private corridor, the yellow-room door stood slightly open.
Matteo heard Elena first.
“I won’t say anything. Just leave Mia out of it.”
Bianca answered in the same elegant voice she used at charity dinners.
“You already made this difficult.”
“I heard enough to know Mr. Bellandi could be in danger.”
A pause.
Then Bianca laughed quietly.
“You have a daughter, Elena. That should make you careful.”
“She’s six.”
“And you are replaceable.”
Matteo pushed the door open.
Bianca spun around.
Elena was on the carpet beside an overturned serving cart, her uniform soaked, broken porcelain scattered around her. Bianca’s hand was wrapped around Elena’s wrist.
Nobody moved.
Then Matteo said, very quietly, “Take your hand off her.”
Bianca released Elena.
“Matteo, this is not what it looks like.”
He looked at Elena.
Her breathing was uneven, but her eyes were clear.
“What happened?”
Matteo turned toward the hallway.
Mia stood there, hugging herself.
May you like
Then Elena said the sentence that ended the engagement before Matteo fully understood why.
“Sir, I heard her planning what happens to you after the wedding.”
