Chapter 9
The Moretti alliance complicated things.
Bianca’s father called before midnight.
Not worried about Livia.
Worried about the wedding.
“Surely this can be handled privately.”
I almost laughed.
“Your daughter cut my child’s hair against her will.”
“She lost her temper.”
“No.”
I looked through the glass doors at Livia asleep against Rosalie.
“She planned it.”
Silence.
He lowered his voice.
“Canceling now embarrasses both families.”
There.
Same disease.
Reputation before child.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Postpone.”
“Why?”
“Let everyone calm down.”
I almost smiled.
“You mean let outrage expire.”
He said nothing.
“Then repair the alliance once people stop looking.”
“Alessandro—”
“No.”
I ended the call.
Bianca watched me.
“You just insulted my father.”
“He called to save the wedding before asking whether Livia was okay.”
Her expression hardened.
“He knows she’s fine.”
I stared.
“How?”
Silence.
That landed.
“How does your father know she’s fine?”
Bianca looked away.
I stepped closer.
“You called him.”
She said nothing.
“When?”
Rosalie answered quietly.
“Before you came in.”
Bianca’s face changed.
I turned.
Rosalie continued.
“I heard her on the phone.”
“What did she say?”
Rosalie swallowed.
“She said, ‘It’s done, but the maid interfered.’”
The room went completely still.
Not impulsive.
Not anger.
Done.
A task completed.
I looked at Bianca.
“What exactly was done?”
She said nothing.
I understood the haircut had been discussed outside the room.
Maybe even approved.
The Moretti family was not trying to protect a bride after a mistake.
May you like
Someone had expected the mistake.
And suddenly the wedding looked less like an alliance and more like an attempt to reorganize my household from the inside.
