Erasing the Underboss's Shadow

Lila’s gaze immediately snagged on the hickey on my neck. Her tone was laced with sour provocation.

“Quinn, when did you get a boyfriend? Why haven’t you brought him around for me to meet?”

“What, now that you’re a big-shot executive, you don’t consider me your best friend anymore?”

I shook my head. “Of course not.”

Dante stared at me, his nerves on a razor’s edge, terrified I’d say the wrong thing.

I gave a bitter smile and looked up, my voice earnest.

“I drank too much at a company dinner last night. You know I haven’t had a boyfriend for years, so… I went to a club. Hired an escort.”

I touched the red mark on my neck. “As for this…”

“He left it.”

Dante nearly choked, his eyes darting toward me.

The suspicion in Lila’s eyes faded slightly, but her gaze remained sharp, sizing me up.

“Really?”

Lila’s interest was suddenly piqued. “Which club? You should send me the details.”

“You have such high standards, I can’t imagine you approving of any man around here. I’ll have to go check him out myself.”

I randomly sent her a screenshot of a club’s business card, hoping to change the subject and escape.

Just when it seemed I was in the clear.

Lila grabbed my hand, her voice dripping with meaning.

“Quinn, since you’re here, don’t be a stranger. Come on in, stay for a bit.”

Dante gazed at her, his eyes full of adoration.

His normally stoic face was now a canvas of caution and nerves.

“Lila, I kept this villa because you once said you loved the location… you wanted it to be our home, after we were married.”

“I knew you hadn’t forgotten me. I knew you’d come back.”

Lila looked at him, her expression aggrieved, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

“I’m sorry. I had such a terrible temper. I didn’t know how to compromise, and I lost you for three years because of it.”

“I regret it so much. You… you don’t mind that I was married, do you?”

“I don’t mind!”

Dante shook his head vehemently, his face a mask of devotion.

“I know you only married that man to spite me. I only saw the letter you wrote a few months ago… that’s when I understood everything.”

Lila’s eyes flickered away for a fraction of a second.

Then she smiled, rubbing her stomach. “I’m hungry.”

“Hungry?”

Dante shot up, eagerly rummaging through the fridge, pulling out all sorts of food.

Lila rejected every one.

She smiled and looked at me. “Quinn, I remember your pasta is delicious.”

“Since you’re here, and I haven’t had it in three years, why don’t you make a bowl for me?”

Hearing this, I froze.

She was craving my pasta.

I remembered back in school, when this clique of rich kids grew tired of their gourmet food and pestered me to learn how to make authentic Italian pasta.

I’d skipped three classes and been late for two exams perfecting it.

I failed countless times.

Finally, on her birthday, I presented a bowl of pasta that met their standards.

But Lila took one bite and pouted. “It’s just noodles. Disgusting.”

Then, she dumped the entire bowl—scalding sauce and all—over my head.

In the cramped bathroom.

Watching me, disheveled, my cheeks flushed from the heat, Lila had smiled with satisfaction.

“Quinn Avery, do you know your place now?”

She’d looked down at me, her voice like ice.

“You’re just a maid I can order around. I’d get rid of any ideas you shouldn’t have.”

“Don’t think I don’t know you have a crush on Dante.”

“But take a good look at yourself. A piece of trash from the slums. Are you even worthy of him?”

“The only woman Dante will ever date and marry is a Principessa, someone of his own standing. Like me.”

Even after that humiliation, I had just nodded obediently.

“I know, Miss Lila. You’ve misunderstood. I don’t have feelings like that.”

I had never dreamed of competing with her for anything.

Now, I stood stunned. When I snapped back to reality, I spoke calmly.

“I’m sorry, Miss Lila, but I can’t. There’s an urgent matter at the company I have to deal with.”

Lila’s smile instantly turned to ice.

“What did you say?”

An involuntary shiver went down my spine.

Every time she wore that cold smile, something terrible happened to me.

Before I could answer, Dante stepped in.

“What are you waiting for? The kitchen is over there.”

A dozen minutes later, I walked out with a bowl of pasta.

Lila stood up enthusiastically.

But the moment she took the bowl, my hand “slipped,” and the scalding pasta tumbled to the floor.

“Ah!”