Chapter 1: The Scars Beneath the Silk
The last pearl rolled across the polished marble floor before coming to a stop at Enzo DeLuca's feet.
Neither of them moved.
Harper stood frozen, clutching the torn edges of her wedding dress together. The elegant lace no longer hid the faded scars stretching across her back.
Thin.
Long.
Deliberate.
Not the marks of an accident.
The marks of years of abuse.
Enzo's expression darkened.
"Who did this to you?" he asked quietly.
Harper lowered her eyes.
"It doesn't matter."
"It matters to me."
She laughed bitterly.
"My father called them lessons. Every scar reminded me that I belonged to him."
Silence filled the room.
Everything Enzo had believed suddenly fell apart.
He had imagined Harper living a life of luxury while her father ruined his family.
Instead, she had been another victim.
That night, Enzo slept in the chair by the window instead of the bed.
Before sunrise, he summoned every member of his security team.
"No one," he ordered coldly, "touches Mrs. DeLuca without my permission."
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For the first time in years, Harper felt something she barely recognized.
Safety.
