Lies & Vows

SERENA'S POV

His statement made me glance closely at the supposed son, and it felt as though fate were having a cruel joke on me, because standing next to my father was none other than the rude, handsome brute I had bumped into earlier.

His well-carved eyebrow arched in mockery, and a knowing smile danced at the edges of his lips. His calm arrogance only fueled my rising anger, but I dug my fingers into my palm, forcing myself to remain composed.

You can't provoke me, son of a bitch. I'm in control of my emotions.

"I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding and..." Antonio, attempting to mask his nervousness, tried to ease the tension. But before he could finish, my father interrupted him.

"Calm down, Serena," my father chuckled, clearly enjoying himself.

Just moments ago, I was determined not to give the gossipy crowd any drama to chew on, yet here I was.

"I meant he's like a son to me. Remember Uncle Romano?" my father asked, his expression deceptively calm, though his eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Yeah," I replied flatly, though the mention of Uncle Romano caught my attention.

How could I forget him? Uncle Romano wasn't just my father's close friend, he was also the one person I thought understood me well, even though I was little then.

I remember how hard I cried at his funeral, if I had ever felt heartbreak, I think that was it.

"Well, this is his son. Raphael Moretti,"

"Ooh, nice!" I nodded slowly, but the word barely conveyed what was going through my mind.

"Nice" didn't even begin to describe the sinfully handsome man standing in front of me. From his sleek, wavy dark hair to his sculpted face, with the slightly broken nose that only added to his rugged charm, every inch of him screamed danger.

I love danger, but even I knew my limits. And right now, that limit was shouting at me to keep my distance from this man.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Moretti. Maybe we could arrange a time to meet and discuss business?"

"I don't think-"

"Of course," my father cut in smoothly. "I'm sure Serena would be happy to have dinner with you this week,"

I shot him a glare, which didn't diminish the wide grin on his face. I muttered something about having an appointment and quickly excused myself.

Antonio hesitated, torn between following me or staying with his boss, but in the end, I guess duty won over friendship. Though I could have used some company at that moment.

I slid into my car and decided to take a quiet drive around Las Vegas to settle my troubled mind.

I tried to pinpoint what was unsettling me. Of course, it all came back to the conversation I'd just had. My mind told me not to overthink it, but I couldn't help it.

This wasn't the first time my father had introduced me to one of his business partners, but it was the first time he had proposed a meeting with one of them without him.

What are you planning now, Mr. Giovanni?

A pair of beautiful black eyes framed by thick, curly lashes flashed through my mind as I drove past the electronic gate of the Giovanni mansion.

"I don't like you already, Raphael Moretti," I murmured under my breath as I opened the front door and headed for my bedroom.

The house was quiet, thankfully. The board-less wall clock read 11:25 p.m.

I was just steps from my room when I heard movement behind me.

Without bothering to check, I knew exactly who it was.

"You're back. How was the party?" Lilian, my half-sister, asked, sounding like she'd just returned from a party herself.

"Not half as bad," I shrugged, reaching for my door handle.

"Did you meet him? Raphael Moretti?" she asked, her tone breathless, almost eager.

I shot her an inquisitive glance, waiting for her to elaborate.

"My friend Gina said he was at the party," she explained, trying to gauge reaction.

"Sorry, but I don't know who you're talking about," I lied coldly, shutting the door in her face.

The soft golden light of my room filled the space as I entered. It was cozy, my sanctuary, everything from the fabric of the furniture to the Persian rug was chosen by me.

I pulled off my clothes, and just as I was about to head for the shower, I heard footsteps approaching my door. I paused and glanced at the door as the footsteps stopped just outside.

I saw Lilian's shadow lingering for a while before she finally walked away.

I stared at the door, a strange unease settling in my stomach, before I made my way to the shower.

God knows I don't have the patience to deal with her games tonight.

But something suddenly clicked in my mind. If Lilian was so interested in Raphael, why wasn't she at the party?

Unless...

A thought struck me, and I turned off the shower, the feeling of dread in my chest growing.

I hurried out of the bathroom, snatched my phone from the bedside table, and quickly dialed the only person on my speed dial.

The phone rang twice before he picked up.

"Why did you restrict Lilian from attending the wedding today?" I asked immediately, my tone sharp.

"Did she tell you?"

"Answer the question, Dad," I insisted, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Ooh, my sweet girl. This promise was made long before you were born," he said, his voice heavy with a sigh and another feeling that I couldn't quite name.

The unease in me deepened, but I pressed on.

"And a Black Diamond never breaks a promise," he added, his voice oddly distant.

"My Serena, Raphael is your betrothed and you are going to marry him."

The bombshell dropped, and for a moment, the world stood still.