Book two of 'The Vengeance Duology'
Five years ago, the lads and I made the biggest mistake of our lives-a reckless decision that shattered everything.
We destroyed what mattered most, but my deepest regret is how much I hurt her.
Every moment of pa...
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"Where have you been?" Elizabeth's sharp voice cuts through the reception area as I walk in.
"I was visiting someone," I reply, my tone calm but distant.
"It better not have been that ex-boyfriend of yours," she snaps, her eyes narrowing. "Tom's been telling me all about him."
I stop mid-step and turn slightly. "What has he said?"
"That he's threatened my son multiple times, that he's bad news, and that he's very jealous," she says, her voice dripping with disapproval. "I mean, Tom purposefully proposed to you at his hotel to get the message across that you didn't want to be with him, because apparently, he kept trying."
"None of that is true," I simply state, my voice steady as I look her in the eye before turning to walk toward the makeup room.
I feel her gaze burning into my back as I walk away, her words echoing in my head. Is this whole wedding just a show? Just to make Alessio jealous? The thought gnaws at me as I sit in front of the mirror, wondering what I'm really doing here.
"Good afternoon, Miss Sorrentino," the makeup artist greets me warmly as I sit down.
"Mrs. Moore," Elizabeth corrects, her voice firm, even though I've told her more than once that I'm not changing my name.
I ignore her, focusing on the makeup artist. "What look are we going for today?" she asks, her brush ready.
"I'm thinking something natural," I reply. "Nothing too heavy—it's too hot for all that."
The makeup artist nods in agreement, but I can feel Elizabeth's disapproval radiating from behind me. I sigh inwardly. It's not just the heat making me uncomfortable today.
Jacques walks in with a grin, holding out a coffee. "Princess, I've brought you some much-needed fuel."
"Oh, thank god, you're a savior," I say, taking it gratefully and sipping. The caffeine is a small relief, but it doesn't do much to ease the knot of tension in my stomach.
Before I can take another sip, the door bursts open, and in storm Theo, Nicco, Lucas, and Gio.
"You're not supposed to be in here!" Elizabeth shrieks, her irritation spiking. "You're supposed to be helping the groom!"
Nicco scoffs, folding his arms. "Yeah, we're not helping him. Besides, he's got his whole 'bro squad' with him."
I bite back a laugh, grateful for the distraction, but I can feel Elizabeth's glare burning into me.
"Where did you go earlier?" Gio asks as the lads try to squeeze onto the tiny sofa opposite me. They don't quite fit, their limbs awkwardly overlapping.
"Alla tomba di Valencia," I reply, watching their expressions shift.
