Chapter One

Ella POV

The whistling kettle reminded me I was still in the kitchen, preparing dinner, a wide smile plastered on my face at the thought of my husband, Luciano.

I was nineteen in a white dress when he told me I was his princess, so I made sure to play right in to his fantasy. Luciano’s world and mine were completely different, but I never cared. I left my life behind, my family, my pink pistol to love Luciano. Yes, you heard me right: my pink pistol.

My father, the mafia lord in Russia, had taught me to play with guns and brains, not with love and heart. He had always said love never existed; only death did. But I proved him wrong when I married Luciano and left my old life and family behind. Luciano never knew of the sacrifices I made for him; I never told him about my world. I had told him I was an orphan, and yet he loved me nevertheless. Choosing Luciano was the best choice I had ever made.

I glanced at the wall clock and quickly packed his dinner, knowing I was already getting late for my husband’s party. It was my long-awaited day, Even though Luciano and I had been married for three years, we had only been secretly married because of his career. To the world, the most popular actor, Luciano, was single but he had promised to revealed me after the launch of his biggest movie at the celebration party. He was finally going to introduce me to the whole world at his celebration party today.

The smile on my face could not be hidden the moment I stepped out of the cab. I paid the cabman and hurried toward the door, but I was stopped abruptly by two bulky guards who looked at me with thinly veiled disgust.

“If you’re here to beg for a penny, that won’t be allowed here,” one of them said rudely.

I was annoyed, but I refused to show it.

If only they had known who was standing in front of them. Even when I had been a Dracula princess, they would never have dared look at me that way — or else a bullet would have passed through their skulls. But I had left that life behind.

“I’m here for the party,” I muttered, forcing a smile.

The two men glanced at each other and chuckled.

“This isn’t a party for people like you,” one sneered, staring me up and down.

“I was invited,” I blurted.

“And where is your invitation?” the other asked.

I had clearly seen some ladies walk in without showing invitations. If only they had known who I was to Luciano… but I said nothing.

I reached into my bag and produced the invitation card Luciano had personally sent me. Even though I hadn’t seen him for a month, he had made sure to send my invitation on time.

The men looked at each other in shock, then back at me, their surprise obvious. I didn’t say a word instead, I grinned and held my chin high as I swept past them.

When I stepped into the party hall, the room buzzed with activity. Men and women filled the space, but they weren’t ordinary people — they were elites and celebrities I had only seen on TV. The ladies wore long, beautiful evening dresses. I stood out. I was the only one looking different, in a simple short dress, clutching the dinner box I had made for Luciano as if my life depended on it. I had prepared it because it had been so long since he had eaten real home-cooked food. Maybe that was why I was getting so many stares, but I didn’t care.

Maybe I would have liked to wear one of those beautiful evening dresses, but in the card Luciano had told me to dress simple maybe he had a grand plan.

I pushed that thought away and made my way through the crowd, searching for Luciano, but no matter how much I looked, I couldn’t find him.

Suddenly a small sound came from the microphone on stage and everyone’s attention turned. I looked up and there was my Luciano.

He stood in a black suit that shimmered under the lights obviously expensive. His sharp eyes pierced the crowd; I couldn’t help but notice how pretty they were. And his black curly hair? They were definitely gleaming under the bright lights focused on him. Even from where I stood, I could feel his cologne — sharp and intoxicating.

The ladies around me gasped at him, wishing they had been his woman, I knew it was all because of his riches and wealth. But I had never loved Luciano for his wealth, power, or popularity.

When I had met him six years ago, he had nothing. He was just an aspiring actor hoping to be great one day. I had seen potential in him, and we had struggled together. I had helped him pursue his dream, taking part-time jobs to support us. Those years of hard work were why I had lost my pregnancy, but I never told Luciano about it.

Luciano cleared his throat and All eyes were fixed perfectly on him. “Thank you all for coming here today and honoring my invitation. Thank you for your support, and my special thanks to someone so dear to my heart,” he said with a wide smile.

My face immediately flushed. I knew he was speaking about me. Did he know I had already arrive?

“And today I would love to introduce my lover, my heart, the only person who occupies the space in my heart, to the whole world,” Luciano added, and the room gasped.

A wide smile crept across my lips. This was what I had waited for all my life — my happy ending with Luciano.

The ladies’ faces fell in disappointment and murmurs rolled across the room. To everyone, Luciano was one of the most eligible bachelors, rich, handsome, famous, and desirable and now he was off the market.

I adjusted my dress and took a deep breath. This was the moment. Luciano was finally fulfilling his promise and showing he really loved me.

“Amanda Smith, will you please come on stage, my love?” Luciano said and the smile vanished from my face.

I froze. That name wasn’t mine. Amanda? That had never been my name.

Amanda had never been my name. Could there be a mix-up? It sounded foolish to wonder if the man who had known me for six years could forget my name.

Amanda… the name sounded familiar.

In the blink of an eye, the same woman who appeared on TV with Luciano stepped onto the stage. She wore what was possibly the most expensive dress in the hall, glimmering under the lights. Her smile was blinding as she swayed toward Luciano, and they began to pose as if lovers in front of everyone.

Love? Luciano was in love with someone else?

“I told you the rumors were right! They’re dating. No wonder their chemistry felt so good, it’s too good not to be true!” the whispers spread across the room.

As they displayed their affection and the paparazzi flashed, I should have been by Luciano’s side as his wife. Instead, someone else stood there. I felt the urge to storm the stage, to make a scene, to hit them, to curse them but I stayed there, still, like the perfect, good wife I had always been to Luciano…