Seraphina's POV
I sit at the long table in the Calabrese estate's dining hall, my hands clenched under the cloth. The emergency council's loud, everyone talking over each other. Papa's at the head, his silver hair messy, his face hard. The elders, Uncle Carlo included, are on one side, their voices sharp. Dante's next to me, his grey eyes darting around, still holding the Calabrese seal we found after the penthouse attack. Luca's across from me, his green eyes calm but cold. He's with his mother, Sofia, and a few Vitale captains. The air's thick with anger, and I feel like I'm sitting on a bomb.
Papa slams his fist on the table. "Enough!" he shouts. "Someone tried to kill my daughter and her husband. I want answers."
Uncle Carlo leans forward, his thin face tight. "It's the Vitales," he says, pointing at Luca. "Their enemies followed them to the penthouse."
Luca laughs, sharp and bitter. "Our enemies? That seal was Calabrese, Carlo. Sounds like your house isn't clean."
Dante's hand twitches, like he wants to pull his sword-cane. "Watch your mouth, Vitale," he says. "That's our elder you're talking to."
I kick Dante under the table, my heart racing. I don't trust Carlo either, not after Dante said the seal was his, but Luca's too quick to blame us. I think he's hiding something, maybe tied to his pact with G. Moretti. "Both of you, stop," I say, my voice loud. "Fighting won't fix this."
Papa looks at me, his eyes narrowing. "Seraphina, you were there. What happened?"
I swallow hard. "A guy in a mask shot up the study. Dropped a Calabrese seal. That's all I know."
Sofia raises an eyebrow, her voice smooth. "A Calabrese seal? Convenient. Maybe someone's setting us up."
Uncle Carlo snorts. "Or maybe your son's making enemies, Sofia."
Luca leans forward, his voice low. "Careful, old man. You don't want to play this game with me."
I grab Luca's arm, my fingers tight. "Enough," I whisper. "This isn't helping."
He looks at me, his jaw tight, but he leans back. I don't believe the Vitales sent the gunman, but I don't trust Carlo either. That seal was his, and Dante's been digging into him. This feels like a setup, but from inside my own family.
The meeting breaks up, and I slip into the estate's library to breathe. The shelves are tall, full of old books, but I'm too wired to sit. Dante follows me, his cane clicking on the floor. "You okay, Sera?" he asks, his voice low.
"No," I say, pacing. "Carlo's lying. That seal's his. You said he's hiding stuff."
Dante nods, his grey eyes hard. "I found papers in his office. Money moving to a shadow account. I think he's working with someone outside the family."
My stomach twists. "Like who? Moretti?"
Dante frowns. "Maybe. I need more time."
I grab his arm. "Be careful, Dante. If Carlo sent that gunman, he's dangerous."
He smirks, but it's tense. "I can handle him. You watch Luca. He's too slick."
I nod, but my mind's spinning. Luca's pact, Carlo's seal, my adoption certificate naming Elena Moretti, it's all connected, and I'm stuck in the middle.
I'm back at the penthouse by evening, but Luca wants to meet at the Neutral Ground Club to "talk strategy." I don't trust him, but I go. The club's busy, jazz music floating through the air. We're in a private lounge, just me, Luca, and Isla, who's tapping on her tablet like always.
Luca's sipping whiskey, his tie loose. "We need to figure out who's behind the attack," he says. "My money's on a Vitale rival, framing your family."
I roll my eyes. "Or it's someone in my family, framing you. That seal was Carlo's."
He raises an eyebrow. "You're quick to blame your own, Seraphina."
I lean closer, my voice sharp. "And you're quick to dodge questions. What's your pact, Luca? Who's G. Moretti?"
His smile fades, and he sets down his glass. "You don't let up, do you?"
"Not when my life's on the line," I say, holding his gaze.
Isla clears her throat, her voice soft. "Uh, I need to make a call. Be right back."
She slips out, and I'm alone with Luca. He leans forward, his voice low. "You want truth, Seraphina? Start with your father. He's the one who put that clause in our contract."
My temper flares. "Don't turn this on me. You're the one sneaking around."
He laughs, but it's cold. "We're both sneaking, sweetheart. That's the game."
I want to argue, but my phone buzzes. It's Isla, texting: Meet me in the basement. Now. It's about Natalia.
My heart skips. Natalia? I stand, grabbing my purse. "I need air," I say to Luca. "Don't follow me."
He raises an eyebrow but doesn't stop me. I hurry out, my heels clicking on the club's stairs. The basement's dark, full of crates and shadows. Isla's waiting by a door, her face tense.
"What's going on?" I ask, keeping my voice low.
She glances around, then whispers, "Natalia's crossed over. She's working with Moretti."
My blood runs cold. "What? How do you know?"
Isla holds up her tablet. "Tracked her phone. She's been meeting him. Tonight, she's here, handing him something."
I clench my fists. Natalia, betraying Luca? Or is Luca in on it? "Show me," I say.
Isla leads me to a side room, where a small window looks into another basement space. Natalia's there, her red hair bright under a dim bulb. She's talking to a man, tall, silver-haired, in a dark suit. Giuliano Moretti. My breath catches. It's the guy from the wedding, the one Luca nodded to.
Natalia hands him a USB drive, her voice low. "This has everything," she says. "Ledger, accounts, plans."
Giuliano nods, slipping the drive into his pocket. "Good," he says, his voice smooth. "You're smarter than your brother."
I turn to Isla, my heart racing. "She's selling out the Vitales," I whisper. "Why?"
Isla shakes her head. "Power, maybe. Or Moretti's got something on her."
I need to tell Luca, but can I trust him? He's tied to Moretti too. I'm about to ask Isla more when we hear footsteps. We duck behind a crate, holding our breath. It's just a waiter, carrying a tray, but my nerves are shot.
We slip back to the lounge, and Luca's still there, scrolling on his phone. He looks up, his eyes narrowing. "You're back fast," he says. "Find your air?"
I nod, my mind racing. I can't tell him about Natalia yet, not until I know his role. "Yeah," I say, sitting down. "Just needed a break."
Isla slides into her seat, her tablet hidden. She's calm, but I see her hands shake. She knows we're in deep. The music shifts, louder now, and I'm about to ask Luca about Moretti again when Natalia walks in, her red hair gleaming.
"Hey, big brother," she says, her voice sweet. "Miss me?"
Luca grins, but it's tight. "Always, Nat. Where you been?"
She shrugs, sitting next to him. "Around. You know me."
I watch her, my stomach twisting. She's so smooth, like she didn't just betray him. My phone buzzes, Isla, texting: She's dangerous. Don't say anything.
I nod slightly, keeping my face blank. The lights in the lounge flicker, just for a second, and everyone pauses. Then Natalia's phone rings, loud and sharp. She pulls it out, and I see the screen: The Queen's Heir.
My heart stops. The Queen's Heir? That's Giuliano. What does that mean?