The chatter around the table was lively, but my focus drifted as I swirled the wine in my glass. A hand clapped Xander’s shoulder, pulling him into a conversation in Italian.

“So, Xander,” Marco said, smirking, “when are you tying the knot with Elise Reid? Everyone knows she’s the perfect choice for the Winfield family.”

My grip on the glass tightened. I kept my expression neutral, staring at the candlelight flickering against the polished wood of the table.

Xander’s tone was light, lazy as he replied in Italian. “The wedding’s already planned. Three weeks from now.”

Another voice chimed in, “And Blair? What’s going to happen to her? You can’t marry her with that status difference, can you?”

“She’s…different,” Xander said, his words dripping with affection as his gaze briefly flicked to me. “Marriage to Elise is just for the family. Blair’s the one I care about.”

Their laughter spread like wildfire around the table, and I tried my best to pretend I was busy with my phone.

“Care about her? Xander, you’re too soft!” one teased. “You’ve spoiled her so much, she probably thinks you’ll marry her when she couldn’t even understand us now.”

Another voice added, “It’s cute, really. The poor girl has no idea what’s happening.”

I sat still, fighting the heat rising in my cheeks. None of them knew the truth. Not Xander. Not his friends.

I wasn’t the naive, penniless girl they believed I was. I wasn’t the helpless dreamer clinging to a wealthy man’s coattails.

They thought I didn't understand Italian. However, I'd been learning five different languages since I was little and it included Italian.

I was Blair Gallo—daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Europe.

But I’d spent years hiding that fact, choosing to live independently, to build a life without the shadow of my family’s wealth hanging over me. Xander never questioned it, or maybe he just didn’t care enough to dig deeper.

I had even planned to tell him the truth soon. To introduce him to my family, to show him the life I’d walked away from to be with him.

But now…

Now, I felt like the punchline of a joke I didn’t sign up for.

As the dinner stretched on, their jokes and taunts faded into the background, though they echoed in my head like a cruel refrain. By the time dessert was served, I couldn’t stomach it. The laughter grated on my nerves, and the wine that once felt like comfort now tasted sour.

I excused myself, slipping away from the table and into the quiet of the hallway. My fingers trembled as I pulled my phone from my purse.

The screen lit up, my parents’ number staring back at me like a lifeline I wasn’t ready to grab before tonight.

I hesitated for only a moment before pressing the call button.

“Blair?” My mother’s voice was soft, surprised. “Is everything okay?”

I exhaled. “Mom. Dad. I’ve made up my mind. I’m ready to come home and take over the business.”

There was silence on the other end before my father spoke, “Finally! We’ve been waiting for you to return, sweetheart. Does this mean you’ve told your boyfriend the truth?”

“No,” I replied. “I’ll break up with him.”

My mother’s concern was immediate. “Are you sure? You’ve been with him for so long.”

“Yes,” I said firmly, though the crack in my heart begged to disagree. “I’ll end things here in a week.”

We exchanged a few more words before hanging up. The hallway felt colder, emptier as I slipped the phone back into my purse.

Returning to the table, I plastered on the same calm smile I always wore around them. Xander looked up, his lazy grin returning as I settled into the seat beside him.

“What took you so long, babe?” he asked casually, leaning closer.

“Just some work stuff,” I replied, faking a smile.

The laughter around the table resumed, their taunts continuing as if I wasn’t even there.

But I heard every word. And I understood every single one.

And soon, they’d all understand exactly who they had underestimated.

The front door creaked open, and I stepped inside to find Xander pacing the living room like a caged animal. His tie hung loosely around his neck, and his usually sharp suit was wrinkled, a rare sight for someone so meticulous.

“Blair,” he said the moment he saw me. He was panicking. “It’s over. The Gallo Corporation pulled their investment.”

I paused, slipping off my heels and setting my bag down carefully. “What? Why would they do that?”

“I don’t know!” Xander ran a hand through his hair. “It was a sure thing. I trusted them.”

I stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm in what must have looked like a comforting gesture. “It’s going to be okay, Xander. You’ll figure something out. You always do.”

“No, I won’t.” His voice cracked, and for a moment, I saw a vulnerability I hadn’t seen before. “You don’t understand, Blair. I’ve lost everything.”

“Everything?”

“The money,” he admitted, his eyes darting away from mine. “Our family insurance company’s funds—I gambled them away. I thought I could double it, but…” His voice trailed off, and he collapsed onto the couch, burying his face in his hands. “And then I believed Gallo would save us, but they pulled out. Now, it’s all gone. My father’s gonna kill me if he learns about it. He’s never gonna trust me again.”

I blinked, fighting the urge to laugh. He didn’t know. Of course, he didn’t know.

Because I was the reason the Gallo Corporation had given them the investment and now they had pulled their investment also because of me. I had been helping their company in the shadows for years.

But I was done with it. I call it revenge for years of lies, for the plans he made behind my back while pretending I was the center of his world.

“Xander,” I said softly, keeping the smirk off my face, “maybe it’s not as bad as it seems.”

“It’s worse,” he muttered.

Before I could respond, the door to the apartment flew open. Xander’s secretary, Ed, stepped inside without knocking.

“Mr. Winfield,” he said, his voice trembling, “there’s a mob of protesters outside the office. People are demanding their insurance payouts.”

Xander’s head snapped up, “What?”

“They know we can’t pay them back,” Ed continued, glancing nervously at me before turning his attention back to Xander. “The word is out. They’ve filed complaints. Lawsuits are coming.”

Xander stood abruptly, the panic in his eyes turning into cold anger. “Dismiss them,” he ordered. “Find a flaw in their contracts. Anything. Make sure they can’t claim more than they’re owed.”

The secretary hesitated. “But, sir—”

“Do it!” Xander barked, slamming his fist on the table.

The man nodded quickly and retreated, leaving us alone once more.

The office was eerily silent after Ed left, but Xander’s pacing filled the void. He moved back and forth, his brow furrowed, lips pressed tightly together.

I watched him, my arms crossed, as he muttered to himself. “This can’t be it… there’s got to be a way…”

Then, suddenly, his steps slowed. His head snapped up, his expression shifting as if a lightbulb had gone off.

“Oh, right,” he muttered to himself. “The wed—”

He froze mid-word, his eyes darting toward me. I stared at him, unblinking, waiting for him to continue.

But he didn’t. Instead, he forced a casual smile, pulled his phone from his pocket, and turned away.

“Give me a second, sweetheart,” he said over his shoulder. Then, he switched to Italian as he paced across the room, the words flowing quickly from his mouth.

But I understood every one of them.

“Move the wedding up,” he said. “This week. I need my fiancee’s money as soon as possible. The company’s going under, and I can’t delay anymore. They need to invest in our company. I don’t care about the details—just make it happen.”

I stood there, frozen, every word carving another wound in my chest.

After finishing the call, Xander slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned to me, his smile practiced, almost rehearsed. “Sorry, sweetheart,” he said. “That was just a business partner. He doesn’t speak English, so I had to use Italian.”

“Right,” I replied, my voice flat.

He didn’t seem to notice my expression. Instead, he walked closer, placing his hands on my shoulders. “Listen,” he said, his tone suddenly soft, like he was trying to be gentle. “I’ve been thinking. Things are really crazy right now with the company. I’m going to be swamped for months, and I don’t want you to be stuck here while I’m working all the time.”

I tilted my head slightly. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying…” He hesitated, as if carefully choosing his words. “I’m saying I want to send you to Hawaii. Just for a little while. You can relax, enjoy yourself. A nice long holiday.”

“Hawaii?” I repeated, my voice laced with disbelief.

“Yeah,” he said, nodding eagerly. “I’ll take care of everything—the flight, the accommodations, all of it. You’ll love it there. And once this business stuff is done, I’ll bring you back. I promise.”

I stared at him, trying to process the audacity of his words. “Why?” I asked. “So you can have space for your bride?”

“What? Bride?” Xander wrinkled his brow. “What are you talking about, Blair? There is no other bride. It’s always been you. I’m just busy right now… things are complicated. I can’t focus on a wedding until everything is sorted.”

I stared at him, the calm façade I held barely masking the storm inside me. “Stop,” I said, shaking my head. “Stop with your shit already,” I snapped. “I know everything, Xander. You think I don’t know Italian? You really thought you could stand there and talk about marrying Elise Reid to save your company while I was in the room?”

His face fell. “Blair, I—”

“No,” I interrupted, anger rising as I remembered. “You and your friends. All those times you laughed at me. You made me a joke, thinking I wouldn’t understand.” My fists clenched as the words poured out. “But I understood it all, Xander. Every single word.”

He froze, his mouth opening and closing as if he were searching for the right thing to say. “Blair, wait, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen this way. I… I had no choice.”

“No choice?” I asked.

Xander exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “I have to marry Elise,” he admitted, his tone almost pleading. “It’s for the family. If I don’t, the company will collapse. Do you understand what that means? Winfield Insurance is the number one healthcare insurance company in America. If I can’t save it—if I can’t fix this—everything will be gone. The business, my father’s legacy… everything.”

I folded my arms, refusing to let him see the crack forming in my resolve. “So, that’s it? You just marry her, and I’m supposed to wait on the sidelines?”

“It’s not like that,” he said quickly. “It’s not serious. It’s just… an arrangement. Blair, I still love you. You don’t understand the pressure I’m under.”

I took a deep breath, forcing my emotions to the side. “What if I could help you?”

He blinked, surprised by my words. Then, to my disgust, he laughed.

“Help me?” he asked. “Blair, this isn’t a game. Do you even understand the scale of this problem? This isn’t something you can fix. You don’t have the money. You don’t have anything.”

The words hit me like a slap, but I refused to let him see how much they hurt. I sighed, shrugged, and forced a cold smile. “Fine, Xander. Do your business.”

I turned and walked away, leaving him standing there.

The bar was dimly lit, the hum of low conversation mixing with the clink of glasses. I sat in the corner, nursing a drink and trying to drown the ache in my chest.

How had I let this happen? How had I spent so many years with someone so blind, so selfish?

I swirled the liquid in my glass, the ice cubes clinking softly. All I could think about was the betrayal, the lies, the man I’d wasted so much of myself on. Then my phone buzzed.

I picked it up, expecting nothing more than a message or spam call. But what I saw made my grip tighten around the glass.

A wedding invitation.

From Elise Reid.

I opened it, my stomach twisting as I read the elegant script. The wedding was formal, grand, dripping with all the luxury her family could afford. And she had sent this to me directly.

We had all gone to the same high school, years ago. Elise had always wanted Xander. But he had chosen me back then. And Elise was furious because she lost to someone like me, a no one as they weren't aware of my real identity since.

Now, she was rubbing it in my face. She had finally gotten her chance to take him from me, and she wanted me to see it firsthand.

My chest burned with anger. If they think they can just get away with what they have done, well, I’ll make sure to ruin their wedding.

I purposely arrived at their wedding, late, and surely getting the attention of everyone as I stepped inside.

“Is that a wedding gown?” someone whispered.

“It can’t be,” another murmured.

“Wait… look at her neck! That’s the Cartier gold necklace!”

“The limited-edition one? There were only three made!”

“The last time it was seen, the Lady of the Gallo Clan was wearing it. Who is she?”

“Sorry I’m late,” I said smoothly as I reached the front where Elise and Xander stood. I tilted my head slightly, meeting Elise’s glare with a faint smile. “I wouldn’t miss your big day for the world. Wishing you both well.”

Elise’s nostrils flared as she forced a smile. “You’re wearing white,” she said, her voice low and cutting. “Only the bride wears white. Surely you know that?”

“Oh,” I said, glancing down at my gown with a feigned look of surprise. “I didn’t mean to. But white is such a lovely color, don’t you think?”

“Lovely or not,” she snapped, “you’re out of place. Where did you even get that gown? Or that necklace?”

Her tone shifted, louder now, meant for everyone to hear. “Let me guess—a fake? Or did you take out a loan to pull this little stunt?”

A few chuckles broke out from the crowd, her insult hitting its mark. I smiled, calm and unbothered.

“You don’t know, do you?” I began. “I am the daughter of the Gal—”

The loud bang of a gunshot cut me off.

The crowd froze. The laughter stopped.

The room erupted into chaos. Guests screamed and scrambled toward the exits, their heels clicking frantically against the marble floors. Xander grabbed Elise by the arm, pulling her toward the hallway. And he left? That's it!

What an asshole. With not much choice, I followed the crowd.

The hallway was a mess. Bodyguards lay lifeless on the floor, blood pooling around them. Screams echoed as more people ran, trying to escape the scene.

I quickened my pace, the chaos making it hard to focus. Then came another explosion—a deafening blast that shook the building and sent debris flying.

I stumbled but managed to steady myself, coughing through the dust. The hallway ahead was blocked by rubble, forcing me to turn back.

Gunfire erupted again, closer this time.

I moved cautiously, drawn by a mix of fear and curiosity. A partially open door caught my attention, and I peeked inside.

A tattooed man in a hoodie stood in the center of the room, a gun in his hand. The faint scent of gunpowder lingered in the air.

On the floor was Alexus Winfield, Xander’s father and CEO of Alliance Insurance Company. Blood seeped from his chest, staining the expensive carpet.

My breath hitched, and I heard footsteps from behind.

When I slowly turned around, what I saw made my heart stop beating.