The engagement party was in full swing when my fiance's childhood friend Zoe arrived carrying a velvet box. "I brought you something special, Harper," she purred, her voice sticky-sweet. Out of politeness, I opened the box. Inside were chocolate-covered cannoli. I took one bite. Then another. Something was wrong. The texture. The taste. Zoe and her friends burst into hysterical laughter. "This stupid bitch can't even taste fingernails," one of them shrieked. My stomach turned inside out. Shock. Rage. I didn't think. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the small silver pistol I always carried. A Beretta .22. In our Mafia world, only women of high status are allowed to carry handguns. How dare she play with me? I pressed the cold barrel against Zoe's temple. The room gasped. Zoe froze, her smile dying. "Harper—" she whispered. Before I could pull the trigger, my fiance Liam's hand shot out. He grabbed my wrist and twisted it viciously. The gun clattered across the marble floor. Then his hand cracked across my face. The slap echoed through the ballroom. I stumbled backward, my cheek burning. Zoe sobbed dramatically. "Liam, she tried to kill me! She's insane!" Liam looked at me with pure disgust. "Harper. Are you out of your fucking mind?" "It's just a joke!" I spat blood onto the white marble. "A joke? She put fingernails in my food and made me eat them in front of everyone!" Liam's eyes went cold. "So what? You're not dead, are you?" "Stop being dramatic." Something inside me shattered. My heart. My hope. My love. All of it turned to ice. I pulled out my phone and texted a number I'd saved months ago: "The wedding is ready. I need a new bridegroom. Not Liam. Just come. I'll marry you." It was just an arranged marriage between Liam and me; I didn't necessarily have to choose that bastard Liam as my fiance! --- The room had gone silent. Everyone stared. Liam helped Zoe to her feet. She was still crying, milking every second. "Harper hurt me!" she wailed, though there wasn't a mark on her face. Liam didn't even check if she was hurt. He just believed her. Without warning, he slapped me right on my left face. Liam was ex-military. Former Special Forces turned boss of a small mob. Was he serious now? I was a Mafia princess, and my dad would let him pay for this! The blow knocked the air from my lungs. I flew backward into the champagne tower. Glass exploded. Champagne soaked my dress. Shards cut into my arms, my back, my legs. Blood mixed with wine on the white marble floor. "Have you lost your mind?" Liam stood over me, towering. His face was twisted with rage. "Zoe put some fingernails in a cannoli. It was a prank. A fucking prank." "You pull a gun on her? She's not a woman from the Mafia world! Not as cruel and disgusting as you!" I stared up at him from the broken glass. He knew this beforehand?
Of course he knew. And he said I was disgusting? The nausea was replaced by something worse. Heartbreak. I started gagging. Retching. Tears streamed down my face. I couldn't control it. Zoe watched me with satisfaction. Liam looked disgusted. "Look at you. Acting like Zoe murdered your mother. When will you stop playing the victim?" Zoe suddenly clutched her chest. "Liam, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset Harper so badly. I'll slap myself. I deserve it." She raised her hand to her own face. Liam caught her wrist. "Don't. You did nothing wrong. She's just oversensitive." I laughed. A bitter, broken sound. I spat more blood and struggled to my feet. Glass fell from my dress. "You call putting fingernails in food and making me eat them in public a 'small prank'? She humiliated me! Liam, don't forget who I am! You begged my father to marry me to you! Don't you need my father's connections to help your gang's business?" For a second, Liam's expression flickered. Maybe he understood. But then Zoe clutched her head and whimpered. "My head... Liam, it hurts so much... I think she gave me a concussion..." Liam's face darkened. He jabbed his finger at me. "Harper. You tried to murder Zoe in front of the entire family. Are you trying to embarrass me? Everyone's watching." He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper. "If you care about my reputation at all, you'll kneel down right now and beg Zoe for forgiveness." "Kneel for her!" "Then maybe I'll forget this happened." My heart turned to stone. Zoe spoke up again, her voice saccharine. "Liam, even if Harper bows, everyone will know you forced her." "How about this—make her eat all the cannoli." "Then everyone will see how forgiving she is." Liam's eyes lit up. "Perfect." He snapped his fingers. "Hold her down." Four of his men grabbed me. They forced me to my knees on the blood-soaked floor. Liam pried open my jaw. He shoved cannoli after cannoli into my mouth. I choked. I gagged. I couldn't breathe. But he didn't stop. Not until the box was empty. Finally, he released me. I collapsed on the floor, vomiting. Liam stood over me, his voice cold and emotionless. "You embarrassed Zoe. You ruined my night." "I don't feel like marrying you today." "Starting tomorrow, you'll kneel in our room. Every day." "When I've forgiven you, we'll talk about the wedding." He turned to leave with Zoe on his arm. I forced myself to speak. "Liam." He stopped. "If you're going to protect that woman over me, then this marriage is off." "Forever."
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