The stone floor was so cold that Adeline felt the chill before she felt the pain. She lay on her side, one shoulder pressing against the arm of the man who had just lunged toward her, and for a moment neither of them moved

Alio didn't turn to face Camille immediately. He slowly placed the splintered piece of wood onto his mahogany desk, his movements deliberate and unhurried. When he finally looked at his fiancée, his face was an unreadable mask.

"Our evening was canceled, Camille," Alio said softly. "Not ruined."

Camille let out a soft, melodious laugh, though it lacked any genuine warmth. "Because you chose to turn away two dozen of the most influential political donors in the state over a clumsy maid dropping a duster. My father was furious when I called him. Do you have any idea how much effort went into organizing tonight's dinner?"

"I don't care about the dinner," Alio replied. He walked over to Adeline, positioning himself slightly between her and Camille. The gesture was subtle, but to anyone paying attention, it was a clear boundary. "What I care about is why a tampered ladder was placed in my gallery."

Camille’s eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second, a flicker of irritation breaking through her polished facade. "Tampered? Don't be ridiculous. The staff is incompetent. They use ancient equipment until it falls apart. If anything, this girl should be let go for negligence."

"She expressed concerns about the ladder before climbing it," Alio said flatly.

Camille stiffened. "Who told you that?"

"Birdie. And two junior housekeepers who heard the exchange," Alio lied smoothly, testing her.

Camille’s knuckles whitened around her wine glass. "She's lying to protect herself! She wanted an excuse to shirk her duties!"

Adeline stood perfectly still, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She could feel the raw tension vibrating between the two powerful figures standing in front of her. She was a nobody—a girl scraping by on minimum wage to keep her sister alive—trapped in the crosshairs of a ruthless mafia don and his cold-hearted socialite fiancée.

"That will be all for tonight, Miss Vance," Alio said, turning his head slightly toward Adeline. "Marco is waiting outside. He will drive you home, and he will drop off your prescription medication tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, sir," Adeline whispered. She bowed her head, intentionally avoiding eye contact with Camille, and quickly slipped out of the library.

In the hallway, Marco was standing by the mahogany wall, waiting patiently. He gestured for her to follow him down the grand staircase toward the side entrance where a sleek black sedan was idling in the rain.

As they drove down the winding driveway of the estate, leaving the looming stone mansion behind, the rain lashed violently against the tinted windows.

"Miss Vance," Marco spoke up from the driver's seat, his eyes meeting hers in the rearview mirror. "Mr. Vicaro asked me to give you this."

He reached over to the passenger seat and handed back a thick, unmarked white envelope.

Adeline took it with her good hand and opened the flap. Inside was a thick stack of hundred-dollar bills—at least ten thousand dollars.

She gasped, almost dropping the envelope. "I can't take this. I didn't ask for compensation—"

"It's not compensation," Marco interrupted calmly. "Mr. Vicaro knows about your sister, June. He knows about her care facility bills."

Adeline froze, her breath catching in her throat. "How does he know about June?"

"Alio Vicaro knows everything about everyone who works under his roof," Marco said simply. "He protects those who are loyal to him. And right now, Miss Vance, you are caught in the middle of a war you don't fully understand. Keep your head down, take care of your sister, and don't trust anyone in that house except Birdie and Mr. Vicaro."

"What kind of war?" Adeline asked, her voice trembling.

Marco looked at her through the mirror, his expression dead serious. "Camille Thorne didn't just want you to fall. She wanted to test how Alio would react to a sudden crisis in his house before the wedding. She's looking for weaknesses. And tonight... she found one."