Sophia’s POV
I stood frozen in place, staring at the door Vito had just disappeared through.
What could be so urgent?
Just moments ago, he'd been in complete control, orchestrating my humiliation with calculated precision. He'd made his demands clear, extracted my compliance, and secured my agreement to the marriage. But that phone call had changed everything in an instant. The way he'd spun his wheelchair around, the urgency in his voice when he'd answered that call—it was like watching a mask slip away to reveal someone entirely different.
Who is Maria Castellano?
The name echoed in my mind, along with the fragments of conversation I'd overheard. Something about a girl from twenty years ago, someone who'd saved his life. The raw emotion in his voice when he'd spoken to Nicholas had
