The document explained that my mother had taken me away to protect me from Vincenzo’s rivals.

They had staged my disappearance, and Vincenzo had agreed to fund my hidden life.

The silver key, the diner, the quiet life—it was all a lie to keep me alive.

I was the eldest heir to the Romano fortune.

The twins in the carriers next to me were my half-brother and half-sister.

I stared at the paper, my mind spinning.

All my life, I had felt like an outsider, a girl from the suburbs trying to survive.

Now, I was holding the key to the entire Romano empire.

A sudden sound echoed from the top of the stairs.

It was the heavy groan of the bronze side door opening.

Then, the sound of wet boots hitting the marble floor of the lobby.

The footsteps were heavy, fast, and there were more than one.

Liana began to cry again, her voice loud in the enclosed vault.

I froze, clutching the papers to my chest.

“Down here,” a man’s voice called out from the stairs.

The voice was rough, unfamiliar.