Chapter 0197

Daniel laughs as if he’s said something incredibly funny and my reaction is totally normal, looping an arm around my shoulders

and pulling me close. “Laugh,” he orders in my ear, a little urgent. “They'll look away.”

I do as he says, not nearly as good of an actress as he is, but — then again — he’s had his whole life to practice. But he’s right,

after I give a little laugh as if Daniel has said something that’s a little scandalous but ultimately hilarious, his family gives us a

couple of confused smirks and then turns back to their business.

When they’ve all looked away, I snap my face back to Daniel's, my expression totally serious.

“Spill,” I demand. “Now. Tell me everything.” I drain my glass of prosecco, needing to bolster my courage.

Daniel sighs and shakes his head. “I don’t know all of the details, Fay. What I heard is from my Italian cousins when I would go

and visit them in Italy, and even what they knew was hushed up. It was apparently a big scandal.”

I nod, urging him to go on as I slip his Manhattan out of his hand and take a sip, deciding I need even more courage. Daniel

gives me a little chagrined frown as if he was looking forward to that drink, but he doesn’t take it back.

“Dad was destined for mom — engaged to her at birth to unite the families, as I was to you. And my grandfather — he was

incredibly good to my dad. When dad went to Italy, he went basically as a pauper — his father, the head of the Lippert family, had

been killed, and my mom had nothing. So, the fact that nonno respected the engagement, when he could have married his

eldest and favorite daughter to someone else, was...a big deal. Dad should have been grateful.”

Daniel sighs, shaking his head, and I nod, understanding. “But he wasn’t?” I ask, needing to know more.

He shrugs and shakes his head, unwilling to commit to that idea. “He was grateful, Fay — he was just...” Daniel sighs and looks

over to where his dad stands with a group of his family, Natalia again by his side. Kent is easy to spot, of course, being the tallest

in the room.

“He what,” I prompt, frustrated by his pauses.

“He was in love with Natalia,” Daniel says simply, turning back to me and laying it out plainly. I feel my blood go cold in my veins.

“They — they tried to elope to Rome. But they were caught, and dad was punished, and...” Daniel shrugs, indicating that he

doesn’t know much more, “a year later, he married mom. And Natalia stood next to my mother at their wedding, and since then

she’s always been a close family friend. That's all I’ve got.”

“Ohmygod,” I murmur, mushing the words together in my shock as I stare at Natalia across the room, slumping in my seat a little

and raising Daniel’s drink to my mouth again to take a sip. “That explains so much...”

“It does?” he asks, looking over at Natalia curiously.

“Um, yah,” I say, glaring at him a little

for being so dumb. “Why Natalia

never got married? Why she looks at

Kent like that when speliginks gait

ney jooning@whly She's doing her

utmost to prove that she’s the

perfect Italian woman, wife, and

mom? And then, Daniel - why she

looks at you with such adoration, and

treats you like you're the son she

never had? Because you are the son

she never had.” Please read the

original content at .

Daniel's eyes go wide at this

realization and he looks at her agar

shocked to think thetenell yes in

spyyealtehidte universe, Natalia

would be his mother, not Lenai. And

that perhaps Natalia wanted that very

badly. Please read the original

content at .

“Plus,” I add, my voice a little bitter

now, “the way she sticks to your

like a little burr? I gokat fier: Standing

rertahintike she’s ready to take

him back the moment he gives her

any sort of hint that he wants her.”

Please read the original content at

.

“Really?” Daniel asks, turning that wide gaze on me now. “Do you think Natalia’s going to make a play for him, after all this

time?”

I sigh a deep breath and gesture towards where she’s draping herself on Kent’s arm, laughing up at some joke he made.