Roman did not speak for several seconds.

Finally:

“My father?”

Evelyn looked away.

“Salvatore wanted the harbor.”

Clara laughed once without humor.

“Of course he did.”

“Clara—”

“Your father destroyed my family for the same property you married me to acquire.”

Roman’s expression hardened.

“I am not my father.”

“You came to me with a contract.”

“Yes.”

“You used my father’s debt.”

“Yes.”

“You wanted my land.”

“Yes.”

Clara stepped closer.

“Tell me where the difference begins.”

Roman had no quick answer.

Evelyn did.

“Lucia.”

Roman looked at her.

“Your mother was the difference.”

Evelyn explained.

Lucia DeLuca discovered Salvatore’s plan too late.

The Valenti home was already burning.

She reached the property with Evelyn, then a young Whitmore family employee.

They found five-year-old Chiara alive near a service courtyard, badly burned but conscious.

“Lucia gave me the pendant,” Evelyn said. “She broke the crest in half.”

“Why?”

“She said if Salvatore discovered you survived, he would finish what he started.”

Roman’s eyes darkened.

“So you renamed her.”

“Thomas and I raised her as ours.”

Clara stared at Evelyn.

“You lied to me my entire life.”

“To keep you alive.”

“Dad knew?”

“Yes.”

Clara turned away.

Roman asked the question she couldn’t.

“Who attacked tonight?”

Evelyn’s answer was immediate.

“Someone who discovered Clara was alive.”

Roman looked toward Luca.

“Bring me the prisoner.”

Minutes later, the captured attacker was brought into the library under guard.

Roman stood across from him.

Clara entered behind him.

Roman turned.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“It’s my wedding.”

“This isn’t part of the reception.”

“It became part of it when someone attacked me.”

The prisoner laughed.

“Still stubborn.”

Clara froze.

“You know me?”

“No.”

“Then why say ‘still’?”

His smile disappeared.

Roman caught it.

“Who hired you?”

Silence.

Clara noticed a ring on the man’s hand.

A small anchor inside a circle.

She remembered seeing it earlier.

On Adrian Vale.

“The betting envelope.”

Roman turned.

“What?”

“Adrian had that symbol on his cuff links.”

Luca immediately understood.

“Vale Shipping.”

Roman ordered, “Find him.”

But Adrian Vale had already disappeared.

By dawn, they discovered something worse.

Adrian’s family had quietly acquired portions of Whitmore debt for years.

He hadn’t simply mocked Clara.

He had been watching her.

Roman stood beside Clara in the empty ballroom.

Broken crystal covered the floor.

“So the marriage forced him to act,” Clara said.

“Yes.”

“Because my property transferred toward you.”

“And because the legal review might uncover the original Valenti deeds.”

Clara looked at him.

“You accidentally protected me.”

Roman’s gaze remained steady.

“I’m beginning to dislike the word accidentally.”

“Why?”

“Because I intend to continue doing it.”

She shook her head.

“I don’t need protection.”

“No.”

Roman stepped closer.

“But you may need an ally.”

Clara looked around at the ruined wedding.

“Are those different things?”

“With me?”

Roman held out his hand.

“Very.”

After a long moment, Clara took it.