Chapter 1 - "THE MAFIA BOSS WATCHED ME REFUSE TO LET HIS FIANCÉE CUT THE ENGAGEMENT CAKE—THEN SHE SAID, “SHE BURNED HERSELF IN THE BAKERY,” BEFORE HE EVEN ASKED WHY I WAS HIDING MY RIGHT HAND.
""Give me the knife, Lily.""
Vanessa Bellini held out her hand.
Twenty-eight guests stood beneath the chandeliers of Luca Moretti's Chicago mansion, waiting for the happy couple to cut their enormous engagement cake.
And I was standing between them with the silver cake knife pressed against my apron.
""Miss Bellini, please. Just a moment.""
Her smile disappeared.
""Excuse me?""
""I need to speak to Mr. Moretti first.""
Vanessa laughed.
""About what? Your paycheck?""
Several guests turned toward us.
My face burned.
""No, ma'am.""
""Then give me the knife.""
I tightened my grip.
My right palm throbbed beneath the white serving glove. I'd spent the afternoon trying to hide the burn, but the fabric had begun sticking to the injured skin.
Vanessa stepped closer.
""Don't make me ask you again.""
I looked at Luca.
He was standing beside the cake in his black suit, watching us with an expression I couldn't read.
""Mr. Moretti, I'm sorry. I can't let you cut this cake yet.""
Vanessa reached for my wrist.
I pulled away.
Pain shot through my hand.
The knife slipped from my fingers.
Before it could strike the marble floor, Luca caught it by the handle.
""Nobody touches the cake.""
The room went quiet.
Then he looked at my trembling hand.
""Lily. Take off that glove.""
Before I could answer, Vanessa gave an irritated laugh.
""She burned herself in the bakery this afternoon. Apparently, she doesn't understand that ovens get hot.""
My stomach dropped.
Because I hadn't been anywhere near the ovens.
And Vanessa knew exactly what I'd touched.
My name is Lily Carter.
I was twenty-seven, had worked at the Moretti estate for ten months, and had spent the last four hours pretending my right hand wasn't badly burned.
My landlord was expecting the rest of my rent on Friday.
My younger sister had just started nursing school.
And Vanessa had warned me that if I mentioned what happened that afternoon, she'd have me fired before dessert.
So I'd wrapped my palm.
Pulled on a fresh serving glove.
And returned to work.
I only needed to get through one more hour.
Until Vanessa ordered me to bring out the engagement cake.
And I saw what was sitting on top of it.
Luca carefully placed the knife on the table.
""Lily.""
My stomach tightened.
""Yes, sir?""
""Show me your hand.""
""It's nothing, Mr. Moretti.""
He glanced at the glove.
""Then why are you holding it like that?""
I couldn't answer.
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
""For heaven's sake, Luca. She touched a hot baking tray. Can we please cut our cake?""
Luca turned toward her.
""At the bakery?""
""Yes.""
""The cake arrived here at eleven this morning.""
Vanessa hesitated.
""So?""
""The bakery staff left before noon.""
Her smile tightened.
""Then perhaps she burned herself in our kitchen.""
Luca looked at me.
""Did you?""
My mouth went dry.
I nodded.
But he had already noticed Vanessa changing her story.
""Take the glove off, Lily.""
Slowly, I peeled it away.
The bandage underneath had come loose.
An angry red burn crossed the center of my palm, with a narrow blister near my thumb.
One of the guests quietly stepped backward.
Luca's expression changed.
""Have you seen a doctor?""
I shook my head.
Vanessa sighed.
""Really, Luca. It's a little burn.""
He looked directly at her.
""Then why did she hide it?""
Vanessa opened her mouth.
But I spoke first.
""Please, sir. I need my job.""
Luca turned toward me.
""You're keeping it.""
My eyes immediately filled.
He called the head housekeeper.
""Mrs. Carter, take Lily upstairs and have Dr. Harris examine her hand. Pay her for the full evening.""
Then he looked at the cake.
""Don't serve this.""
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
""Luca, that cake cost six thousand dollars.""
""Then it can wait.""
I started toward the doorway.
But Luca stopped me.
""Lily.""
I turned.
""Why didn't you want us to cut it?""
My heart began pounding.
I looked toward Vanessa.
She was staring at me with the same expression she'd worn that afternoon.
The expression she'd had when she pressed my hand against the hot metal baking tray.
""I just wanted you to see something first, sir.""
Luca studied my face.
Then nodded.
""Go see the doctor.""
I left.
And for the next twenty minutes, he behaved as though nothing unusual had happened.
He returned to the dining table.
Discussed Saturday's wedding.
Listened while Vanessa complained about the ruined cake-cutting ceremony.
By nine-thirty, she was smiling again.
She thought the matter was finished.
But at 9:41, Luca returned to the cake.
The enormous six-tier creation stood beneath the dining-room chandelier.
White roses made of sugar decorated every layer.
And on top sat two small porcelain figures.
A bride.
And a groom.
Vanessa had personally ordered them from a specialty bakery in Boston.
Luca carefully lifted the bride.
Something rattled inside it.
He frowned.
The porcelain figure was unusually heavy.
And there was a tiny line around its base.
He turned it over.
A small brass screw held the bottom in place.
Luca called his head of security.
""Daniel. Bring me a screwdriver.""
Three minutes later, Daniel arrived.
Luca removed the screw.
The bottom of the porcelain bride came away.
Inside was a small black USB drive.
He stared at it.
Then slowly looked toward the staircase.
""Find Lily.""
Twenty minutes later, I sat across from him in his study with my hand freshly bandaged.
Luca placed the porcelain bride on his desk.
My face went pale.
""Is this what you wanted me to find?""
I nodded.
He looked at the USB drive.
""How did it get inside?""
My eyes filled.
""The woman from the bakery put it there.""
""What woman?""
""The one Vanessa told me to send away.""
Luca leaned forward.
""Why?""
I swallowed.
""She came here this afternoon. She said the bride figurine wasn't supposed to go on the cake.""
Luca studied me.
""Then why did she deliver it?""
""She didn't. Vanessa sent her driver to collect it yesterday.""
My voice began trembling.
""The woman said she needed to speak to you before the wedding.""
""What about?""
I looked toward the study door.
""She wouldn't tell me. She said it was something you had to see for yourself.""
Luca picked up the USB drive.
""And Vanessa?""
My eyes filled again.
""She came into the kitchen while we were talking.""
I swallowed.
""She took the figurine from the woman and ordered her to leave.""
Luca glanced at my bandaged hand.
""What happened next?""
""The woman tried to get it back. Vanessa grabbed my wrist when I reached for the figurine.""
My voice broke.
""She pushed my hand against the hot tray beside the oven.""
For several seconds, Luca said nothing.
Then he connected the USB drive to his computer.
One video file appeared.
Dated six months earlier.
Luca clicked PLAY.
A woman appeared on the screen.
She was sitting in a small kitchen, wearing an ordinary blue sweater.
Luca recognized her immediately.
His younger brother's wife.
Anna.
She had disappeared six months earlier, shortly after reporting that her husband had gone missing.
Luca leaned forward.
Anna looked directly into the camera.
""If you're watching this, Luca, then somebody finally believed me.""
He stopped breathing for a second.
On the screen, Anna wiped her eyes.
""I didn't leave Chicago because I wanted to. And I didn't abandon my husband.""
A long silence followed.
Then she continued.
""The night Michael disappeared, he called me from your house.""
Luca stared at the screen.
His brother Michael had vanished after leaving a business dinner downtown.
At least, that was what Vanessa had told him.
Anna took a trembling breath.
""He said Vanessa was there.""
Luca's jaw tightened.
""He told me he'd discovered something about her. Something he needed to show you before you married her.""
The video suddenly cut to a photograph.
Vanessa stood outside a hotel beside a man Luca recognized immediately.
His own attorney.
Then Anna's voice returned.
""Michael said they were planning to take something from your family.""
Luca slowly reached for his phone.
But before he could make the call, Anna said something that made him freeze.
""And Luca... if Vanessa ever tells you she's pregnant, don't believe her.""
Luca stared at the screen.
Anna's eyes filled.
""Because six months ago, she came to me with an offer.""
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A pause.
""She wanted to buy the baby I was carrying. And when I refused, Michael disappeared."""
