Chapter 2

Every muscle in my body tightened as I twisted the knife hard.

Warm blood soaked through my icy fingers.

I yanked the knife out and tossed it back to David, leaving only one sentence behind:

“No one betrays the Smith family.”

I turned and walked out of the storage room, letting the woman’s crying screams fade behind me.

By the time I returned to my bedroom, the blood on my hands still hadn’t completely dried.

I washed my hands and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror—my eyes were bloodshot.

To make the deal faster, I’d stayed up three nights in a row.

I hadn’t even had time to recover from the jet lag before I rushed back.

All of that… just to be welcomed home by my fiancé’s betrayal.

The security system chimed, alerting me that a car was approaching.

Standing on the balcony, I watched Kane’s black Bentley pulling into the estate.

Apparently, no matter how busy he was flirting with his “dead” ex‑wife, he wouldn’t forget tonight’s family dinner.

A “celebration” for the merger of our two families’ business empires.

The intercom crackled to life:

“Miss Smith, Mr. Brown has arrived.”

“Send him up.”

My voice was ice‑cold.

Kane walked in; he was still flawless.

There was that familiar indulgent smile in his eyes—

And a trace of faint affection, yet enough to keep me throwing myself at him, over and over.

“Found you, sweetheart. Ready for dinner?”

“Just finished handling some family business.”

I smiled, forcing down the nausea clawing up my throat.

“You know how it is—we always have to work a little harder to fool the cops.”

“That’s the mafia life.”

He stepped closer, leaning in, his gaze dropping on my lips.

“Everything okay? You look a little nervous.”

I let him kiss me. When I lowered my head, the kiss mark on his neck was painfully obvious.

I couldn’t help the sneer.

Women in love were always like this—obsessively staking their claim,

Desperate to prove they were the only one.

“After dinner, would I have the honor of taking Miss Smith out?”

Kane laced his fingers through mine, teasing lightly.

“There’s a new golf club downtown. Just the two of us.”

I’ll admit it.

I used to be obsessed with his humor, his “devotion,”

All the things that made him look like the perfect man.

But if all of that was just a mask born from greed and ambition,

Then none of it was worth my love.

The Smith heiress was never going to be short of men.

“Sure.”

I smiled and agreed.

We walked to the dining room together. My father was already seated at the head of the table.

“Done whispering with your fiancé at last?”

He motioned for us to sit.

“I thought you’d forgotten about us two old men.”

I shot him a playful glare on purpose.

He burst out laughing and quickly raised his hands in surrender.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop.”

Kane immediately chimed in,

“Didn’t I tell you Ava’s adorable? I’m really happy to marry her.”

“Today’s a good day—not just for the wedding, but for this partnership. We’re going to be inseparable.”

“Indeed.”

I raised my glass of red wine.

“To our new… partnership.”

“Sweetheart, you’re awfully quiet tonight.”

Kane tilted his head toward me.

“Is it pre‑wedding anxiety?”

“No. Just tired from dealing with things this afternoon.”

I met his eyes.

“You know how it is. Some matters are always… troublesome to handle.”

“Speaking of business…”

My father cut in, steering the conversation away.

“How’s the underground fighting arena doing?”