Being married to Lucas Caruso hadn’t changed me, at least not in the ways people probably imagined. Sure, I had a new last name and lived in a fancy estate, but the person I was before—Valentina De Luca—was still very much here. This marriage, if you could even call it that, was built on anything but love. It wasn’t chocolate, roses, or any of that romantic nonsense people fantasize about. No, this was a business deal with a fancy dress and a diamond ring.

And trust me, it wasn’t ...