“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.

I saw him before he saw me. A man—young, sharp-eyed, and dangerous—his gaze locked onto mine. I spun to run, but before I could take a step, his hand clamped around my arm, yanking me back.

“Not so fast, young lady,” he said, smirking.

I screamed. “Help! Somebody help!”

He laughed, cold and detached. “Scream all you want. No one’s coming. After that explosion, everyone’s too busy running for their lives. You’re stuck with me.”

“What do you want? Are you going to kill me too?” I demanded, my voice trembling.

“Kill you?” He raised an eyebrow. “No. I need an alibi.”

My stomach churned. “No. I won’t be part of this!”

“You think you have a choice?” His grip tightened. “You saw too much. You’re not leaving until I’m done.”

I stared at him, fury replacing fear. “Do you even know who I am? If you did, you’d think twice about using me.”

His smirk widened. “Miss Blair Gallo, Europe’s wealthiest heiress.”

My heart sank. How did he know?

“You’ve been on my radar for a long time,” he continued. “And now you’re mine.”

Before I could respond, the door burst open. Another man, lean and grim-faced, stepped in. “Boss, the elevator’s working. We need to move. The helicopter’s out, and the police are swarming the place.”

Louis—so that was his name—nodded. “We’ll blend with the crowd. Stick to the plan.”

He dragged me into the elevator, his men flanking us. As the doors closed, he leaned closer. “See? Perfect crime. No one will ever tie me to this.”

“You have a witness,” I spat. “Me.”

His smirk didn’t falter. “Oh, but you wouldn’t risk your family’s pristine reputation, would you, Miss Gallo?”

I stiffened, glaring at him. “Why did you kill Alexus? What’s your angle here?”

“Justice,” he said simply. “Do you know how many families he destroyed with his scams? He got what he deserved.”

“And that justifies murder?” I snapped.

“There’s no justice in this world,” he replied coldly. “Not for the poor, at least.”

The elevator doors slid open to chaos. The lobby was a frenzy of police officers shouting orders, panicked guests running in every direction, and bloodied security guards sprawled on the floor.

Louis tightened his grip on my arm, steering me through the commotion. My mind raced, searching for an escape.

Then I saw him—Xander. He stood by Elise, his arm protectively around her. Her face was pale, but when her gaze landed on me, her expression twisted into fury.

“That’s her!” Elise screamed, pointing at me. “She did this! She’s the one who killed Alexus!”

“What?” I gasped, stunned.

“This is because Xander left you, isn’t it?” Elise sneered. “You couldn’t handle the rejection, so you killed his father!”

I turned to Xander, desperation in my voice. “You know me. I wouldn’t—”

“I don’t know you,” Xander said, his voice cold. “Not anymore.”

My hand flew across his face, the slap echoing over the chaos. “You think I’m capable of murder?” I hissed.

“Miss Blair?” A police officer stepped forward. “We need you to come with us for questioning.”

I froze. “I didn’t do this! It was him!” I pointed at Louis, who stood calmly beside me, watching the scene unfold with mild amusement.

The officer raised an eyebrow. “Him? That’s impossible. He’s Louis Machini.”

“So what?” I shot back.

“He’s a wealthy businessman, an Ivy League graduate, and an exceptional athlete,” the officer replied. “Why would someone like him have any motive to kill Alexus Winfield?”

“And I do?” I demanded, my voice rising.

The officer didn’t blink. “Yes, poor ones like you always cause trouble. Now, come with us.”

Elise smirked. “See? Look at her. She’s wearing stolen jewelry. There’s no way she could afford that.”

“I’m not a thief!” I snapped, my voice shaking with rage. “I’m Blair Gallo, the daughter of Europe’s wealthiest family!”

The room fell silent for a moment before laughter rippled through the crowd.

Louis leaned closer, his voice a whisper. “See how quick they are to judge? Now do you understand what I mean about justice?”

I glared at him, fury and helplessness swirling in my chest. “You did this,” I said through gritted teeth.

“No, babe,” he said softly, his words dripping with mockery. “They did this to you because they think you are poor.”

As his words sank in, the weight of the world pressed down on me. I was trapped, and no one would believe me.

The interrogation room was cold and suffocating. I sat in the metal chair, my wrists resting on the table, refusing to look at the officers hovering over me.

“Miss Blair,” one of them said. “If you cooperate, this will go much faster. Why don’t you tell us what you were doing near Alexus Winfield’s room?”

I didn’t answer, keeping my eyes fixed on the table.

“Miss Blair,” another officer pressed, his patience wearing thin, “if you want this to end, tell us the truth.”

I finally lifted my head and stared at him. “I want a lawyer,” I said firmly.

One of them sighed, clearly irritated. “We’ll get to that. But first, you need to answer our questions.”

I leaned back, crossing my arms. “If you let me make one call—to my mother—you’ll have your answers. But you won’t let me, will you?”

The officers exchanged glances but said nothing.

“I demand to call her,” I continued, my voice rising slightly. “If you let me, you’ll know exactly who I am and the truth about all of this.”

“Enough,” one officer snapped, slamming his hand on the table. “You’re not calling anyone until we’re done here.”

The door opened, and Elise walked in with Xander trailing behind her. Elise’s eyes immediately landed on the jewelry I was still wearing.

“Take it off,” she said, her voice icy.

I frowned. “What?”

“The necklace,” Elise repeated, pointing at it. “And the rest of the jewelry. You’re a thief, Blair. You don’t deserve to wear them.”

I clenched my jaw. “This is mine.”

Elise let out a laugh. “Yours? Don’t make me laugh. I’ll keep them until the real Lady Gallo appears. Let’s see how long you can keep up this ridiculous charade.”

“Elise,” Xander said hesitantly, but she silenced him with a glare.

She turned back to me. “Just because your last name is Gallo doesn’t mean you’re related to the family. I’ve known you since college, Blair. The Gallo family doesn’t even have a child. Stop pretending.”

I stayed silent, biting back the urge to respond. Of course, they weren't aware of my identity because my parents had never talked about me. I wanted it that way, to also protect myself, but seeing this is happening now, it seems like I really need to let the world who really am I.

Elise turned to Xander. “We need to get the jewelry and you can return it to Lady Gallo. Maybe she would reconsider the partnership.”

“That’s a great idea,” Xander replied.

I scoffed. “Your father is dead and all you can think about is money?” I shook my head. “It makes me think you actually wanted him dead.”

“Shut up, Blair,” Elise replied. Now I’m really seeing her true colors and that makes me despise her, especially Xander. He should have been the one who died!

Elise stepped closer to me, her eyes narrowing. “Take it off,” she demanded, pointing at the necklace around my neck. “You have no right to wear that.”

I raised an eyebrow, meeting her glare. “I’m not giving you anything. It’s mine.”

“Yours?” Elise let out a mocking laugh. “Stop lying. You stole it. Hand it over now, or I’ll take it off you myself.”

She grabbed at the necklace, her fingers brushing the gold chain. I stepped back, swatting her hand away.

“Don’t touch me,” I snapped.

“You don’t deserve it!” Elise hissed, lunging again.

We struggled, her nails clawing at my neck as I tried to push her away. The commotion grew louder, drawing the attention of the police and Xander.

“Enough!” a commanding voice rang out, silencing the room.

Everyone turned toward the door, where a tall, elegant woman stood. My mother.