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A gasp escaped her when she finally noticed the amusement gleaming in his dark eyes.

"Jerk!"

Massimo sensed everyone's relief when they saw him merely chuckling as Ysabel hit him on the shoulder. Just a second earlier, he had also seen them holding their breath when they heard what hisfidanzatahad called him, and it had seemed they were ready to defend her from his wrath—-and die doing so, if that was what it boiled down to.

Could this still be another example of Ysabel's ability to manipulate people...or was it Ysabel being able to win them over simply because she wasnice?

Ysabel insisted on taking her seat across from him as they each had a slice of her sandwich, and it tasted as good as it looked, too. He saw her take her phone out like Ynez usually did, take pictures of the food also like his ex-girlfriend habitually did, but after this—-

The phone went back into her bag, and Massimo could not help feeling bemused as he watched her take another huge bite of her sandwich.That was it?

Ysabel came back to their table later and saw the way Massimo frowned as she served him coffee. "Are you worried I'm planning to poison you for your wealth?" she asked teasingly.

He tugged her back into his lap before answering, "No."

"I don't believe you—-"

"Because you don't have to." Massimo had finally come to a decision. Ynez might have repeatedly warned him against falling for her sister's tricks, and he wanted to believe not everyone was like his mother, who had lied over and over about wanting to change but never did.

"All of mine is yours, Ysabel."

She was about to laugh when she realized he was being serious, and her smile faded. "Don't say that. I don't want it, and I'm willing to sign whatever's needed so that you won't ever have to worry about me being after your money."

"You are entitled—-"

"Ireallydon't want it," she insisted.

"Why?"

She looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "Um, duh? To prove that I'm not the evil fiancée you think I am."All thanks to my own flesh and blood,Ysabel couldn't help thinking, but since she also knew better than to say those words out loud, she could only cup his face and look into his eyes in hopes that he would see the truth in her gaze.

"I want to earn your trust—-"

"You already have."

Her heart nearly stopped beating at how swiftly, howeasilyMassimo uttered the words, and her entire body started trembling. "Please don't lie—-" Her voice cracked as her eyes started stinging, and her head dropped to his chest.

"Please do not break my trust, Ysabel." His lips brushed over the top of her head as he spoke, and the rawness of his tone had her crying harder. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, knowing how much it cost Massimo to say such words.

"I won't," she promised him fiercely. "I promise I won't."

Whether he believed her or not, she didn't really know...since his phone suddenly started ringing, and Ysabel could tell who the caller was just by the way Massimo had stiffened.

Ynez.

And her heart started to ache, even though Massimo was absolutely gentle in the way he pulled her arms down.

"I'm sorry, Ysabel. It is your sister calling," he said heavily.

"I know."

"You understand I have to take this?"

"Of course." She was proud of the way her voice didn't even shake as she answered him, but she was not proud at all of the way her heart sank to her stomach when he walked back to their table minutes later, and she saw the grim look on his face.

"Mi dispiace,Ysabel. But I need to go to your sister and explain."

Non farai niente di stupido,she warned herself determinedly.You will not do anything stupid!