Chapter 1 - THE SLAP THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

The sound of the slap stopped the entire mansion.

Not a conversation.

Not a scream.

Not a glass breaking.

A single slap.

Thirty guests froze in the marble foyer of the Alfieri estate.

The pianist in the ballroom slowly lifted his hands from the keys.

Nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

Because everyone knew one thing.

Nobody touched Nico Alfieri.

Not before the accident.

Not after the accident.

And definitely not in his own home.

But Camille Ashcroft had just done exactly that.

Nico sat on the cold marble floor beside his overturned wheelchair.

His white shirt was wrinkled.

His breathing was heavy.

One hand gripped the edge of a console table as he tried to pull himself back up.

Eight months ago, he had been the man everyone feared.

Thirty-four years old.

Owner of multiple businesses.

The head of a powerful family.

The man who could make people nervous just by entering a room.

Then one night changed everything.

A car crash took away the use of his legs.

But it did not take away his mind.

It did not take away his pride.

And it certainly did not take away his ability to recognize betrayal.

Especially from the woman standing in front of him.

His fiancée.

Camille.

The woman who was supposed to marry him in seventeen days.

“You embarrassed me,” Camille whispered.

Her expensive diamond necklace sparkled under the chandelier lights.

Her designer dress looked perfect.

Everything about her looked perfect.

Except her eyes.

Her eyes were full of anger.

Nico slowly looked up.

His cheek was already turning red.

“Put your hand down.”

The room became even quieter.

Camille smiled.

A cold, almost amused smile.

“What?”

Nico stared at her.

“You heard me.”

She stepped closer.

“You think you can order me around?”

“I think you know exactly what you’re doing.”

Her expression changed.

For one second, everyone saw it.

The anger.

The frustration.

The hatred she had been hiding.

“You used to be different.”

Nico frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“It means before the accident, you were useful.”

Several guests looked away.

Even the men who worked for Nico looked uncomfortable.

But nobody spoke.

Camille continued.

“You walked into a room and everyone listened. You made decisions. You controlled everything.”

She pointed at his wheelchair.

“Now look at you.”

Nico’s jaw tightened.

“Careful.”

“Why?”

She laughed softly.

“What are you going to do?”

Her hand rose again.

This time, nobody doubted what she planned to do.

But before her palm could reach Nico’s face—

CRASH.

A medication tray hit the floor.

Everyone turned.

A young woman in blue scrubs was standing behind Camille.

Adeline Marsh.

Twenty-seven years old.

Nico’s private nurse.

She looked completely ordinary.

Simple clothes.

Cheap sneakers.

Hair tied back after a fourteen-hour shift.

But her eyes were different.

Calm.

Focused.

Fearless.

She grabbed Camille’s wrist before the second slap landed.

The entire room gasped.

Camille stared at her.

“Let go of me.”

Adeline did not move.

“No.”

The word was quiet.

But it carried through the room.

Camille pulled harder.

“You work for me.”

Adeline looked directly at her.

“No.”

A pause.

“I work for his care.”

Camille’s face darkened.

“You are just a nurse.”

Adeline glanced at Nico lying beside his wheelchair.

Then back at Camille.

“And you are supposed to be the person protecting him.”

Nobody spoke.

Because everyone knew she was right.

Camille lowered her voice.

“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself involved in.”

Adeline’s fingers tightened slightly.

Actually…

She did.

Because she had already found something.

Something hidden inside Nico’s room.

Something that explained why three nurses had quit before her.

Something that could destroy the entire Alfieri family.

Adeline released Camille’s wrist.

Then she looked around the room.

“At midnight tonight, I want everyone in this house to hear the truth.”

Nico looked at her.

For the first time in months…

Someone had chosen his side.

But Adeline knew something he didn’t.

The truth was much worse than anyone imagined.

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