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"What happened before...it was just a year after our father's death."

Massimo's mood turned brooding as he considered Ysabel's words. Her honesty was unexpected but not unwelcome, and since he had lost his own father early on, he could certainly understand why the passing of Luisito Ossini could've made his eldest daughter act out.

Grief made one do crazy things, and his own grandmother was proof of this.

Losing my husband and son made me mad. I was out of my mind with grief, and I didn't care how many people I had to kill. I didn't care if I had to lose my soul. I know now that I was wrong, but back then all I cared about was avenging their deaths.

Ysabel couldn't help but jerk when Massimo suddenly took a step towards her. The room instantly felt a thousand timessmaller, and she found herself backing away as he moved closer and closer and closer...until there was nowhere for her to go, with Ysabel's back hitting the cold, hard marbled wall behind her.

Massimo stared down broodingly at Ynez's older sister—-and knew this could be the last time he would think of her in such a way again.

"Both ourfamigliehave come into an agreement for the two of us to marry, and I have been raised to honor my duty without question. You have the right to refuse your duty, of course, but I think you already know without being told that your decision will come with consequences."

Ysabel could only nod since those consequences were well-known to anyone who knew ofLa Strega'shold over the entire city. That they could simply be asked to leave and never to return to Boston would already be a blessing. Worst-case scenario, however...wasn't even worth contemplating at all.

"As for our marriage..."

Ysabel could feel her head reeling anew. Massimo's marriage had been everyone's favorite topic today, but at that time everyone had also imagined Ynez to be his bride. It almost seemed unreal that she had become her sister's replacement in the blink of an eye!

"If you wish for it to work, then you must swear that you will always speak the truth to me. That is the only way for you to earn my trust."

Ysabel knew the safest and smartest way to respond to such a demand was to simply say 'yes', but...

"I'll only agree to that if you offer to do the same."

"You are saying I have to earnyourtrust as well?" Massimo asked sharply. "You dare to question my integrity?"

"Not your integrity, no." Ysabel fought against the urge to back down despite the sight of his anger. "But your fidelity?Yes,I do question it—-"

"I have already broken things off with your sister—-"

"Then wouldn't it cost you nothing to give me your word?"

"Ynez never challenged me like this—-" As soon as the words were out, Massimo knew right away he had said the wrong thing.

Fuck.

He knew he had to apologize for this, but found it impossible to do so. There were so many things that Ynez had told him about her sister, and those things made it difficult for Massimo to completely trust his future wife.

My parents always loved her more. She never spoke or did a single thing to me that I could complain about. She was that good at manipulating other people, and I'm scared that one day, she'd end up stealing you away from me.

Ysabel knew she should just let those words go. This was all new to both of them, after all. But—-

"Can I just say something?"

"No."

The swiftness in which Massimo had replied to this made her want to smile and strangle him at the same time—-which was agood thing in a way, since this also meant her fear of him was also gradually fading.

"Another reason why our marriage might not work is if you keep comparing me to Ynez."

"Are youforbiddingme to talk about your sister?"

"How would you feel if I compared you to my ex?"

"You do not have an ex," he pointed out coolly.

How did he know that, too, dammit?