Chapter 2On the Night of the Storm, He Chose His Stepmother

I flinched and looked out through the break room window.

A large section of the floor-to-ceiling window in the office had shattered.

Something flew through the opening and crashed into the break room door.

I stared through the shattered window at a sky that looked like the end of the world. For the first time, I realized how powerless we were against nature.

Gritting my teeth, I shoved everything heavy I could move against the break room door. Then I curled up in the corner farthest from the window.

The wind howled, hurling something against the door again and again.

Finally, with a crash, the break room window shattered too. The gale roared through, driving saltwater into the room.

My mind went blank. By the time I came to, I'd already called Luis.

He answered at the last possible second.

In the background, I could faintly hear cards being shuffled.

Before I could say a word, Luis spoke, sounding a little impatient. "Isabella, Sophia cried for ages because of that comment of yours!

"I'm busy calming her down. I'll call you later."

With my life on the line, I couldn't spare a thought for what Luis was saying. I forced down my fear and said, "Luis, the office windows shattered, and water's flooding in. I..."

Then a cheer cut me off.

"UNO! Luis, I'm about to win again! The tarot cards said I'd have good luck tonight!"

Luis gave a fond little laugh on the other end.

"Okay, okay. I lost. Fair's fair. What do you want?"

"You owe me one! I'll tell you when I think of something."

Only after their teasing ended did Luis seem to remember I existed.

"Isabella? What did you say broke? The living room window?

"Then go wait in the bedroom. I'll get someone to fix it tomorrow."

The words died in my throat. I couldn't make a sound.

In that moment, I finally understood.

The seven years Luis and I had spent fighting side by side, even risking our lives together, mattered less to him than his so-called stepmother did.

Three years ago, when Luis first mentioned Sophia to me, all I heard in his voice was disgust.

Back then, she'd only recently married Luis's father, Don Salvatore Corvino, and become his stepmother.

He said Sophia was a complete idiot who couldn't even keep the Corvino family's books straight.

Later, he complained that she'd knocked over a glass of red wine at a family dinner and ruined his suit.

For a long time, Luis let out an irritated sigh whenever he mentioned Sophia.

It wasn't until Don Salvatore's funeral that I saw her for the first time.

She wasn't much older than us. In her black mourning clothes, with her eyes red, she looked pitiful and fragile.

Luis had his arm around my waist when he introduced me, and his voice was as cold as ever. "This is Isabella."

She gave me a small nod, her eyes misty with tears.

The way Luis looked at her that day made me uneasy, though I couldn't explain why.

Only now did I understand: what I'd seen beneath the disgust was concern for her.

Later, I asked Luis to spend a weekend with me at the horse races on a nearby estate.

He said Sophia hadn't been doing well since Don Salvatore died, and as heir to the Corvino family, he had to look after her first.

After that, I asked Luis to see a play. He said he'd already seen it with Sophia.

I asked Luis to dinner. He said Sophia's cat was missing, and he had to help her find it.

I'd always been decisive in relationships, so I asked him outright, "Luis, are you in love with your stepmother?"

He froze for a second, then stared at me wide-eyed, like I'd insulted him.

"Isabella, how could you even think that? I'm just helping out where I can, out of respect for my father!"

But he'd gone far beyond "helping out where I can" a long time ago.

I didn't know when I fell asleep.

All I knew was that I'd had a long, exhausting dream. In it, a flood swallowed me while Luis stood on the shore, holding an umbrella over someone else.

When I woke up, it was already light, and the Sicilian sun was shining down on the wrecked streets again.

At least that ridiculous dream was over for good.

I went home and showered. When I came out of the bathroom, Luis was just walking in.

When he saw me, he seemed relieved. He came over to kiss my cheek.

"Everything okay yesterday? You said a window broke..."

He looked around the spotless living room. The windows were perfectly intact.

My expression blank, I stepped away from him.

"I had a nightmare."

He nodded and didn't think twice about it.

Then he took my hand and gave me a coaxing look.

"Isabella, could we postpone next Wednesday's meeting with your parents..."

"Why?"

He sounded almost like he was begging. "Next Wednesday is the anniversary of Sophia's mother's death. You know she has no other family. It'd be too sad to let her go to the cemetery alone. I'm afraid she might do something drastic."

I forced down my anger.

"Luis, this is the fourth time you've stood my father up because of her!"

Luis cut me off, sounding irritated and accusatory. "Isabella, how can you be so heartless!

"Am I supposed to just stand by and do nothing? She's part of the Corvino family now. I'm responsible for her!"

I looked at Luis in silence for a long time. Finally, I made my decision.

"Fine. Go."

His face lit up. He thought I'd given in again.

"I knew you'd understand."

Then he took out his phone and walked out to the balcony, making a call.

"Sophia, Isabella agreed. I'll spend the whole day with you next Wednesday..."

I sent my father a text.

[Dad, you were right. Luis isn't fit to be heir. Didn't you say there was someone else in the Corvino family who would be a better match for me? Set up a meeting for next Wednesday.]