Chapter 1

Seven years ago, before Roman brought me back to Calder Manor with no memory, that obsidian wolf seal had already been around my neck.

Roman had said, "Serena, from today on, you stay by my side."

So I stayed.

I stayed for seven years.

No marriage papers. No ring. No public title anyone was forced to respect.

Still, I managed his manor, calmed his elders, handled guest lists, and held the inside and outside together when Roman could not show his face.

Everyone knew I was not Calder's wife.

They also knew I was the woman Roman protected most.

Then he brought Vivian Cross home.

The hall was bright that night. Half of New York's underground circle stood under Calder's roof. Every eye was on me, waiting for me to cry, scream, and tear apart the ceremony that pushed a new woman into my place.

Vivian walked toward me in a silver-white gown. She lowered her head just enough to show her neck.

"Serena," she said softly. "Roman said you would understand."

My eyes dropped to the pendant below my collarbone.

The obsidian wolf was warm from my skin. In seven years, it had almost never left me.

Everyone thought I would refuse.

My hand rose. The hidden clasp opened at the back of my neck.

The pendant left my skin, and a hollow pain opened in my chest. I walked behind Vivian, pushed her hair aside, and fastened the wolf around her neck.

The clasp made a small sound.

The whole hall stayed quiet.

Roman sat in the main seat with a glass of whiskey in his hand. Satisfaction and arrogance sat in his eyes.

"Good, Serena."

His voice moved slowly across the room.

"You are always so understanding."

No answer left me.

A month ago, those words might have broken my knees. Now they only sounded funny.

Roman did not know I remembered everything.

I was not the orphan girl he rescued from a crash seven years ago. I was not Serena Vale, the woman who could only survive by leaning on Calder.

I was Seraphina O'Rourke.

The O'Rourke heir who had been missing for seven years.

After the ceremony, guests surrounded Vivian. Her fingers touched the wolf pendant at her throat. For a moment, her pride finally showed.

Soon, she returned with champagne in her hand. Her eyes landed on the crystal bracelet around my wrist.

Roman had given it to me for my birthday three years ago.

It was one of the few things I had truly cared about.

Vivian's voice stayed light.

"Since the pendant is mine now, that bracelet does not really suit you anymore, does it?"

Her hand reached for it.

One step back kept her fingers from touching me.

The champagne hit my dress the next second. The glass shattered on the floor, and sharp pieces cut across my ankle.

Vivian covered the back of her hand. Tears filled her eyes at once.

"I only wanted to look at the necklace. Why did Serena push me?"

Roman came over almost instantly and moved her behind him.

"Serena, she just got here. Why are you attacking her?"

For seven years, whenever Roman's admirers caused trouble, his first question had always been whether I was hurt.

This time, his whole heart had gone to Vivian. He did not even see the blood at my ankle.

Our eyes met.

Then I smiled.

Anything that never truly belonged to me could go to anyone.

The bracelet slipped from my wrist and landed in my palm. I held it out to Vivian.

"If you like it, take it."

The whole room froze.

Vivian's face stiffened for half a second.

Roman frowned at me as if he had finally noticed something was wrong.

No explanation came from me.

Back in my room, the champagne-soaked dress fell to the floor. Piece by piece, glass came out of my ankle. Blood rose quickly and dropped onto the white carpet.

My brow did not move.

Then my phone lit.

The encrypted message came from Declan O'Rourke.

"The route is clear. The O'Rourke motorcade enters New York in forty-eight hours. Little sister, wait for me to bring you home."