I smiled, my voice soft but firm. "No, I won't. I know Marcello loves me. He can't live without me."
He glanced at me then, like he didn't know whether to be flattered or afraid.
Then I noticed Serafina's wrist. She was twisting a bracelet identical to mine. The thin gold caught the chandelier light, and my stomach turned to ice.
Serafina noticed my stare. For a moment, her smile faltered. Then she quickly excused herself and slipped out of the ballroom.
I watched Marcello grow restless, pulling out his phone under the table. Moments later, he stood, putting on that fake polite smile. "Excuse me, urgent call," he muttered, before leaving too.
I knew exactly where he was going.
When I tried to follow, one of Marcello's business associates from the legitimate side of the hotel chain, married but notorious for wandering hands, blocked my way. He kept me in pointless conversation, smirking, stalling.
I forced a polite smile. "I'm not feeling well. I think I'll head home early. Don't trouble yourself with giving me a ride. I'll grab a car."