Chapter 1

Everyone knew Salvatore Romano, head of the Romano crime family, had never shown any interest in women.

During our three years of marriage, I was the one special exception.

Until my sister Lucia showed up.

He said he despised picky eaters because he'd nearly starved to death once.

Yet the dishes Lucia didn't like disappeared from the table the very next day.

He said blondes were shallow.

So for three years, I dyed my golden hair black without fail.

Lucia wore her blonde hair wild and radiant, and he presented her with a pale yellow diamond necklace.

He declared that at every banquet hosted by the Romano Family, no one was allowed to wear the same jewelry as her.

To coax a smile from Lucia, he filled the entire garden with lilies.

He forgot that I was allergic to pollen.

He told her, "If only I'd met you sooner."

He told me, "Because of you, Lucia always feels so uncomfortable."

I let out a cold laugh, turned, and walked away without looking back.

Chapter 1

Salvatore was in love.

But not with me.

Lucia had arrived at the Romano estate a month ago.

At first, Salvatore paid her little attention.

All he said was, "She's your sister. Of course we should treat her well. You can handle it."

Then she wandered into Salvatore's study by mistake and found her way into his heart.

Salvatore began insisting on dining with us.

He watched her, and one by one, the dishes she didn't like vanished from the table.

"Take the slow-roasted herb lamb away too. Don't make it again."

Suddenly, the lamb on my plate became impossible to swallow.

This was one of the few dishes Salvatore actually enjoyed. He'd mentioned once that he liked it, and I'd been making it for three years.

Lucia had only wrinkled her brow, and he ordered the dish removed.

I set down my cutlery and answered quietly, "All right. I won't make it anymore."

Salvatore looked surprised for a moment, then caught himself and nodded. "You're the Donna. You were never expected to bother with these small things."

I gave a faint smile and had the servants clear my plate.

Salvatore frowned. "You're not eating?"

Before I could answer, Lucia chimed in brightly, "Since nobody's eating, why don't we all take a walk in the garden?"

My first instinct was to decline.

Salvatore had already agreed with a slight smile.

Lucia turned to me eagerly. "Come with us, Bianca."

I offered an apologetic smile. "I'm allergic to pollen. I'd better not."

Contact with pollen left me covered in hives and could even knock me unconscious.

"It's fine! Salvatore already had the flowers in the garden replaced."

Lucia took my hand and gave it a playful tug. "Come on, come on."

Salvatore added, "Don't turn down Lucia's kindness. Come along."

While I was still hesitating, Lucia had already pulled me all the way to the garden.

When I saw the lilies covering every inch of it, I froze, stepped back, and pressed my hand over my nose and mouth.

The question slipped out before I could stop it. "What happened to the roses?"

Lucia answered breezily, "Salvatore heard I like lilies, so he had them transplanted overnight."

Lucia plucked a bloom and held it in front of my face. "Here, smell it. Doesn't it smell wonderful?"

I stumbled back two steps, coughing violently.

Salvatore frowned in disapproval. "Bianca, don't be so dramatic. Lucia just wants you to smell it."

My lashes trembled. I could barely believe what I was hearing. "You know how severe my pollen allergy is."

Salvatore held my gaze. "I remember how you used to make flower-infused honey for people. You could handle flowers then. Why can't you smell one now?"

I was stunned for a moment. Salvatore pressed on, "Lucia is only asking you to take one sniff. Nothing serious is going to happen."

I studied Salvatore's face and asked again, "Why did you replace the roses? You said they were the symbol of the Romano Family."

What I couldn't bring myself to ask was why my allergy hadn't been enough to change the Romano Family's symbol, yet one word from Lucia was.

Salvatore didn't seem to notice what I was waiting for: any reason that had nothing to do with Lucia.

Instead he said, "Don't you think the color of the Stargazer lilies looks just like Lucia's golden hair falling past her neck?"

Lucia beamed at that.

She tucked the bloom behind her ear. "How does it look, Salvatore?"

A chill went through me. I coughed even harder.

Salvatore gave a slight frown. "If you're not feeling well, go back inside."

I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white, then turned and left.

Behind me, I heard Salvatore's low laugh. "Beautiful."

I couldn't help glancing back. I saw him take the lily from Lucia and tuck it gently into her hair.

Chapter 2

That evening, a knock came at my door.

Lucia stood there holding a glass of medicine. "Are you feeling any better?"

She looked stricken with guilt. "I didn't know you were allergic to this kind of flower too."

Salvatore appeared behind her and patted her shoulder. "It's all right. You didn't mean to. Your sister won't hold it against you."

I managed a weak smile. I was about to take the medicine when a familiar scent hit me.

Two fresh lilies were still tucked into Lucia's hair.

I recoiled instinctively, and the glass in Lucia's hand shattered on the floor.

She let out a small cry and fell into Salvatore's arms.

"Are you all right?"

I looked up, only to realize the concern wasn't directed at me.

"Lucia was only trying to look after you. She didn't actually do anything wrong. There's no need to take it out on her."

I was coughing too hard to get out a single complete sentence. My eyes stung with tears.

Lucia clutched Salvatore's arm. "It's my fault, Salvatore. I upset Bianca. I'll just go."

With that, she ran out crying.

Salvatore moved instinctively to follow her, then forced himself to stop. He stepped toward me and reached out to stroke my hair.

I caught the scent clinging to him and backed away.

Salvatore's brow tightened. "Bianca, you're not a child. Stop sulking.

"Lucia is a good person. I don't want bad blood between you two. Go apologize."

My voice came out raw. "Salvatore, are you joking?"

His tone softened a fraction. "You're the Donna of the Romano Family. Show some grace. Don't disappoint me."

"Donna of the Family?"

Almost out of spite, I pulled out the pocket watch and handed it back to him.

"If what you call grace is swallowing every insult in silence, I'm sorry. I can't do it."

He studied me for a long time, then took the watch.

"You certainly don't look like a suitable Donna right now. Take this time and get some rest."

He turned and went after Lucia.

I held back the urge to cry but couldn't stop myself from following.

Salvatore's strides were long and hurried. His figure disappeared down the corridor.

When I saw him stop, I halted too.

He hadn't gone after Lucia. He stood there, turning the pocket watch over in his hand.

The butler, Adrian Moretti, spoke quietly. "Don, the elders are waiting."

"Is this about the intercepted shipment?" Salvatore tightened his grip on the watch. "Sector 31. It has to be Dante Falcone. He's got nerve."

My breath caught at the familiar name.

The butler clarified, "That's not what this is about, actually."

"Ah. Then it's personal."

The butler tried to defuse the tension. "Replacing the entire garden with lilies drew attention. The elders want an explanation."

Seeing Salvatore's expression darken further, the butler changed direction.

He suggested, "The shipments through the neighboring sectors have always been overseen by the Donna. Given her acquaintance with Don Falcone, perhaps..."

Salvatore cut him off, his face grim. "The Donna is unwell. She can't attend to business."

"Salvatore?"

Lucia emerged from around the corner, rubbing her reddened eyes.

Salvatore blinked, and his expression softened.

The butler offered a courteous smile. "My apologies, Miss Lucia. I'll have Rosa escort you to rest. The Don still has matters to attend to."

Rosa Bellini stepped forward. "This way, Miss Lucia."

Lucia's eyes went wide and she shook her head. "No, I wasn't trying to eavesdrop."

Salvatore spoke up. "It's fine. She's Bianca's sister. That practically makes her one of us."

I pressed my lips together. Was that really why he'd taken such a liking to Lucia?

The butler's disapproval showed, but all he dared say was, "I hear the Valentini family has grown quite close to the Falcones lately. Miss Lucia Valentini would certainly know about that."

Salvatore shot him a look, then turned and placed the rose-engraved pocket watch in Lucia's hand.

"You make a fair point. For the time being, Lucia will stand in for the Donna and oversee the Family's affairs."

My gaze locked onto the pocket watch. My eyes burned.

That watch was the symbol of the Romano Family's Donna.

Three years ago, when Salvatore gave it to me, he held it close to my ear.

He said the watch's ticking was proof that his heart beat for me.

Now, had the heart that once beat for me started beating for someone else?

The butler lowered his head. "Don, I'm afraid that would break protocol."

"Adrian, you've had far too much to say today."

Lucia looked up and her eyes met mine. I shrank back and turned away, quickening my step.

The next day, the butler reminded me it was time for a meal.

"Have someone bring it up."

The butler replied, "The Don specifically asked you to come downstairs to eat."

The room was quiet for a moment. "All right. I'll be down soon."

I had spent the entire night wrestling with my emotions, then sat alone for a long while after. I thought I could face it all without flinching.

But when I saw Lucia toying with the pocket watch, my hand tightened on the banister.

Lucia cooed, "The lily pattern on this one is even prettier than yesterday's. Thank you, Salvatore."

I paused. He hadn't given away the original watch?

Salvatore smiled indulgently. "Roses really aren't as becoming on you as lilies."

I forced a pale smile, a dull ache swelling in my chest.

He had kept the rose watch only because Lucia didn't like it.

The rose was the Romano Family's symbol, representing fierce ambition beneath a calm surface.

And now the rose had lost to the lily.

Salvatore twisted a lock of Lucia's golden hair between his fingers. "By my order, this watch carries the same authority to command the entire estate."

The last spark of hope inside me went out.

I turned to leave. Lucia spotted me at the bend in the staircase and shot to her feet. "Bianca."

Salvatore called me over.

Lilies sat in a vase on the table. I didn't dare go near, so I stood at a distance.

"What is it?"

Salvatore spoke as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "You're in no condition to manage the Family's affairs right now. Let Lucia take over. Teach her well, and she'll learn quickly."

I was floored. He was stripping me of my authority and expecting me to train her myself.

"Lucia is only my sister. She isn't part of the Romano Family. She has no right to manage Family business."

Salvatore didn't even look up. "These are just titles. She'll need to learn all of this sooner or later. Starting now makes no difference."

I didn't ask what sooner or later meant. I swallowed the bitterness and nodded before hurrying away.

Salvatore called after me, "Come to my study after breakfast tomorrow. You'll begin teaching Lucia the Family's affairs."

Chapter 3

The next morning, I had the servants bring breakfast to my room. I ate alone before going to the study.

Lucia was flitting around Salvatore with an armful of lilies, chatting and laughing.

Salvatore wore a doting smile, humming a response now and then.

Both smiles vanished the moment they saw me.

Salvatore said coolly, "Since you're here, let's begin."

I swallowed the ache and took a seat off to the side.

"The Romano Family is extremely complicated. If you want to manage its affairs, you need to start by learning who's who."

After I finished, Lucia pulled a pained expression. "Learning faces? How boring. Isn't there anything more interesting?"

I explained, "Managing a family's affairs isn't a game. Of course it's tedious."

Salvatore looked up from an intelligence report. "Lucia is just getting started. Don't be so hard on her."

I opened my mouth to protest. When I first started, this was exactly where I had begun.

Lucia nodded eagerly. "Exactly."

She bounced behind Salvatore's chair and draped herself over the back of it. "Bianca's lessons are so boring. Teach me instead?"

I tried to intervene. "He has too much on his plate..."

"All right. Whatever you want."

Salvatore set down the report and gave Lucia's chin an affectionate pinch.

Lucia threw her arms around him. "You're the best!"

"Why don't we hold a banquet? I'll introduce you to everyone personally. That way you'll remember all their faces."

My gaze dropped as the ache in my chest spread.

For three years, I hadn't allowed myself a moment's rest, determined to become a worthy Donna of the Family.

Salvatore had said, "Don't disappoint me."

So I never dared bother him with Family matters, forcing myself to figure everything out on my own through sheer trial and error.

And now Lucia was only learning to recognize the members, and Salvatore was ready to throw her an entire banquet.

Lucia said, "Then let me take charge of this banquet. Bianca can assist me."

Before I could respond, Salvatore had already agreed.

Salvatore looked at me. "I trust your abilities. This time, just support Lucia."

My voice came out hoarse. "Fine."

So no matter how capable I was, I would never be the Donna he truly wanted.

And some people only had to stand there to meet every one of his expectations.

I lowered my head. When I looked up again, the last thread of attachment I felt for Salvatore was gone.

Salvatore met my gaze and faltered for a moment.

I looked away.

He said, "If anything comes up, you can always come to me."

When he finished, I made an excuse about being tired and went back to my room.

I dialed an unfamiliar number.

The call was answered almost instantly.

"Bianca?"

Dante Falcone's voice was tight with urgency. "Is that you?"

"It's me, Dante. I need your help."

Dante and I had grown up together. Our families had arranged our marriage long ago.

But I'd chosen Salvatore instead. Guilt toward Dante had kept me from reaching out for three years.

Dante paused. After a brief, disappointed silence, he said, "Whatever you want, I'm in."

I exhaled, then spoke slowly and firmly.

"I want to leave. Start over in another country."

Dante agreed without hesitation, almost eagerly. "Done. Three days from now, I'll create a diversion and take you with me."

"Leave?"

I jumped when Salvatore suddenly appeared behind me.

Chapter 4

He snatched my phone, scoffed, and hurled it out the window.

I lunged to catch it, but he seized me by the throat.

Salvatore's eyes were terrifyingly cold.

"Bianca, consider this a warning. You know what happens to people who betray me."

I could barely breathe. My struggles weakened little by little.

Only then did he let go, dropping me onto the bed.

He rang for the butler. Lucia trailed in behind Adrian, her face pinched with worry.

Salvatore spoke in a low, hard voice. "The Donna is unwell. Move her to the tower. No one is to disturb her unless she is needed for the banquet."

The butler murmured his assent.

Lucia stepped forward, her tone solicitous. "Bianca, did you make Salvatore angry again?"

She choked up. "If you two are fighting because of me, I'll leave. Just please stop being so difficult."

Salvatore pulled Lucia into his arms and gently wiped her tears. "You haven't done anything wrong. She's the one who wanted to leave."

Watching the two of them, the bitterness in my chest dissolved into something clearer, and my resolve to leave only hardened.

Lucia's eyes widened. She let out an abrupt laugh. "I thought you two were actually fighting.

"Bianca loves you so much. There's no way she'd really leave. She must be joking.

"You really don't understand," she said, giving Salvatore a teasing look. "Bianca just wants you to coax her."

Disappointment flickered in Salvatore's eyes.

"Bianca, you're being childish."

So in his eyes, my leaving was nothing more than a ploy for attention.

I laughed and accepted the label without protest.

I didn't utter a single protest, not even when he banished me to the tower.

Without waiting for the butler to lead me, I staggered away on my own.

Salvatore frowned and started to move, but Lucia latched onto his arm.

"She's angry right now. You two should spend some time apart and cool off."

Salvatore's frown slowly eased. He stroked Lucia's golden hair. "If only I'd met you sooner."

Lucia's cheeks flushed. "What are you saying? I don't understand."

Salvatore gave a complicated smile. Then his fingers brushed the lily tucked behind her ear, and his expression shifted.

"Lucia, don't wear lilies again. I'll have some jewelry sent to you later."

Lucia bit her lip. "Is this because of Bianca?"

Salvatore reassured her. "Jewelry suits you better. It's more fitting for your status."

...

The tower was livable only in the garret at the top. The furnishings were sparse, and there was only one small window.

I stood at the window, watching the butler's men arrange signal jammers around the base of the tower.

The micro-transmitter I'd smuggled in was now useless.

Dusk crept in. A knock came at the door, sharp and sudden.

The door was locked from outside, opening only a crack. Rosa pushed food through the gap.

She was one of the most senior servants on the estate. When I first arrived, she had been the one to teach me Salvatore's preferences.

"Miss Lucia has been ordering the kitchen staff around. She wouldn't let anyone else bring your meals."

Rosa angled the spout of a teapot through the gap. "You should write to the Family elders about this, Donna. What the Don has done is entirely improper."

I murmured softly, "Dante..."

Rosa's hands froze. She reached through the gap and placed her hand over mine.

"Don't worry, Donna. We have ways to get you out. A few of us will come by every day to bring you food."

I paused mid-bite.

"Don't come every day. If someone notices, it'll cause trouble."

Almost before the words left my mouth, I heard footsteps.

A porcelain teapot smashed against the floor. The door was flung open from outside, and Rosa tumbled in.

"Since when is it your place to deliver meals? As if the Donna would go hungry."

Lucia strolled in, her voice dripping with mockery.

She ripped the name badge from Rosa's uniform and smiled. "Rosa disobeyed a direct order. After a round of lashes, Salvatore will have her shipped off to the old estate."

I moved to help Rosa up, but Lucia blocked my way.

"You'll alienate every longtime servant on the estate if you do this."

Lucia twirled a strand of golden hair around her finger. "They're just servants. Since when does the master need their approval to act?"

Behind her trailed several attendants, heads bowed.

They avoided my eyes. Every one of them carried a large bouquet of lilies.

Lucia flaunted several lilies in her hair as well.

I covered my nose and mouth and backed toward the window. "What are you doing?"

Lucia motioned for the attendants to set the lilies down. Within moments, the overpowering fragrance saturated the tiny room.

I began coughing violently, half my weight braced against the window frame.

Lucia toyed with her hair. "I heard that repeated exposure to an allergen can eventually cure the allergy. So I thought I'd help you out."

My face was flushed from coughing. "Get out. Take all of this and get out."

Lucia put on a wounded expression. "Why would you talk to me like that?"

She dismissed the attendants and advanced toward me, step by step.

Then she shoved me.

I grabbed the window frame just in time, barely stopping myself from falling.

The fall wouldn't kill me, but it would injure me.

I'd had enough. "What more do you want?"

"At a Romano Family banquet, there can only be one Donna. And since you're not feeling well, I don't think you'll be able to attend."

I let out a cold laugh. My gaze drifted to the window, and the words on the tip of my tongue stayed unspoken.

"A banquet like that only makes me sick."

"But don't say I didn't warn you. The Romano Family's own people might still honor your invitation, but the other families won't necessarily recognize your authority."

When I saw the resentment flicker across Lucia's face, I let out a slow breath.

I'd never imagined Rosa was one of Falcone's people.

With her on the inside, the plan would go much more smoothly. This banquet was going to be anything but peaceful.

Chapter 5

Lucia left behind a room full of lilies and swept out, chin high.

On her way, she locked the door.

"Every day from now on, I'll have fresh lilies delivered. Your allergy will clear up in no time."

The garret was cramped, with only a single window for ventilation. Before long, a rash covered my entire body.

I kept my mind on the banquet days away, telling myself over and over to endure.

Three days later, the banquet began on schedule. Lucia came to the garret with flowers.

She wore a couture evening gown, golden hair adorned with fresh lilies, jewels glittering.

When she noticed my eyes on the pocket watch in her hand, Lucia smiled.

"I heard the old watch was your token of love. I didn't like it, so Salvatore threw it away and had a new one made."

He'd told another woman the story between us, as if it were a joke.

One word of displeasure from Lucia, and our token of love could be discarded like garbage.

I pressed my lips into a thin smile. "It's a beautiful watch."

Lucia blinked. She clearly hadn't expected that reaction.

"I'm glad you've come to your senses, Bianca. I'll be a worthy Donna of the Romano Family, and a worthy wife to Salvatore."

Relief washed through me. I had no attachment left to the people or the life I was about to leave behind.

...

In the banquet hall, Salvatore raised his glass and began introducing Lucia to the guests.

A gunshot rang out.

Security forces, both visible and concealed, sprang into action. Guards closed around Salvatore, shielding him from all sides.

"Lucia!"

Salvatore shoved past the guards, searching frantically.

He finally spotted her beneath the piano and, ignoring the guards trying to stop him, made his way to her side.

Salvatore held Lucia, flooded with relief.

At that moment, a bullet came from the shadows.

His back was to the shooter. At that angle, the round tore clean through his chest.

"Salvatore!"

More guards poured in and barely managed to contain the chaos.

Salvatore lost consciousness entirely.

But this was a banquet hosted by the Romano Family. Someone had to hold the room together.

Once Salvatore was stabilized, the butler came straight to the garret to let me out.

"Donna, we need you."

In the chaos, the signal jammers had failed. I reached Dante.

The plan had been disrupted, but most of it had already succeeded.

After I rooted out the intruders who had infiltrated the banquet and arranged an orderly evacuation, the butler pulled me toward Salvatore's room.

"The Don was seriously wounded protecting Miss Lucia. We need you to make the call."

I pressed my lips together, my face expressionless.

Salvatore lay in bed, brow furrowed, pale as ash.

I heard him murmuring and leaned closer to listen.

"Lucia..."

He'd taken a bullet for Lucia. Even unconscious, she was all he could think of.

And here I was, still cleaning up his mess.

A sharp pang shot through my chest.

Then I was shoved aside. Lucia appeared out of nowhere, elbowed past me, and collapsed weeping at his bedside.

Her shoulders shook with sobs. She lifted her head, glared at me, and snapped at the butler, "Who told you to let her out? Lock her back in the garret!"

The butler tried to reason with her.

Lucia pulled out the pocket watch. Her voice turned to ice. "Salvatore is unconscious. That makes me the only lady of this house. Everyone answers to me.

"Lock the doors and windows properly," she said, enunciating each word. "Don't let her escape again."

Something shifted behind the butler's eyes. He bowed.

Then he turned to me. "If you would, Donna."

I was sent back to the garret. I looked around the room, and my eyes settled on the window.

I went to check. The latch was not only locked but deliberately smashed.

Even with a key, it would never open.

I couldn't help but laugh. Trapped in a sealed room like this, my allergic reaction would only worsen until I blacked out.

Since Lucia wanted me dead so badly, I'd give her a hand.

I fished a lighter from the hidden pocket of my shawl.

I'd picked it up at the banquet.

A violent coughing fit seized me. Slowly, I tightened my fingers around the lighter.

Chapter 6

Salvatore's brow creased, and he jolted awake.

He scanned the room. A vase of freshly cut lilies sat on the nightstand.

Lucia's eyes welled up. "You're finally awake."

Salvatore shifted, and blood immediately seeped through his bandage.

The butler called for a doctor to re-dress the wound.

Salvatore kept his eyes shut. "Did you catch anyone alive? Who's behind it? How many died at the banquet?"

The butler stepped forward. "No one died at the banquet. They pulled out fast. Several longtime servants were taken. The ones left behind won't talk. They're awaiting your orders."

Salvatore opened his eyes. "No one died? No killing means they were after something else. Good work."

"I can't take credit, Don. It was the Donna."

His gaze went to Lucia first. He frowned. "Bianca?"

The butler nodded.

"Send for her."

The butler hesitated. Before he could speak, Lucia cut in.

"Salvatore, Bianca is still sulking. She won't see anyone."

Salvatore's expression went cold. "Still as stubborn as ever."

His furrowed brow slowly relaxed. "Fine.

"Tell her I expect to see her tonight. If she doesn't come, she can stay in that garret for the rest of her life."

The butler wavered, but Lucia ushered him out.

That night, Salvatore emerged from the dungeon and handed his blood-stained jacket to the butler.

The butler said with concern, "Your wound hasn't healed. Conducting interrogations yourself will only make it worse."

Salvatore ignored the comment. He gave a single order. "Spare no expense. Find every one of those servants and bring them back.

"The Romano Family has never gone easy on traitors."

The butler bowed his head. "Yes, Don."

Salvatore asked in passing, "Where's Bianca?"

"Don, the Donna..."

"Salvatore!"

Before the butler could finish, Lucia came running from where she'd been waiting by the door.

The butler tried again. "The Donna has already..."

Lucia cut him off, her voice urgent. "You're asking about Bianca?"

"She said she doesn't want to see anyone. Especially...

"Especially you."

Salvatore's face grew darker.

Lucia suppressed a smirk, her tone full of indignation. "Bianca is being incredibly rude. Not only does she refuse to see anyone, she keeps saying some other man's name."

As Lucia spoke, Salvatore's expression grew grimmer by the second. She wisely fell silent.

She clung to his arm and pouted. "I shouldn't have said all that. It only upsets you."

"You should have. Why wouldn't you?"

Lucia hedged. "Maybe Bianca doesn't want people to know."

"Tell me."

Lucia shrank back slightly. She studied Salvatore's face and chose her words with care. "I think his name was... Dante?"

At the familiar name, he let out a short laugh.

"The Donna of the Romano Family, tangled up with the heir of another family..."

His voice was so low that neither of the other two caught it.

Lucia leaned closer. "What did you say?"

Salvatore leaned back just enough to slip his arm from her grasp.

The subtle rejection made Lucia clench her teeth.

Salvatore turned to the butler.

"Since she doesn't want to see anyone, she can stay in the garret and never come out.

"From now on, aside from the servants attending her, no one is to go near the tower.

"Once she's thought it through and is ready to apologize—"

The butler said quietly, "Don..."

Lucia turned and shot him a glare. "Salvatore is seriously injured and needs rest."

The butler looked up. Salvatore had already walked several paces ahead.

He hesitated for a moment, then dropped to his knees.

The heavy thud echoed through the corridor.

Salvatore scowled. "This had better be important."

Lucia stepped between them. "Is there anything more important than Salvatore's recovery?"

Still on his knees, the butler edged around her. "If I stay silent, I fear the Don will only be more distressed when the truth comes out."

Lucia glanced nervously at Salvatore's face.

Seeing him lost in thought, her eyes went wide. Her voice turned shrill. "Shut up!"

She lunged at the butler.

The butler stayed on his knees, head bowed. His voice was steady and low.

"Don. Donna Bianca Romano is dead."