Page 59 of Lust and Honor

It’s the truth, and it follows Maxim’s rule of giving nothing away.

Viola jumps back in with a pleasant smile. “Riccardo keeps talking about Aunt Ava with the beautiful red hair. And Aurora, she’s obsessed with her Elsa doll.”

I raise a questioning brow. She clarifies, “Diego is Marta’s brother.”

Ah. That explains it. Diego is Emily’s bodyguard, and I used to take care of his son, Riccardo.

Viola continues, “So I guess you met Maxim back then.”

“Maxim and I have a... complicated history.”

She tilts her head, her smile never wavering. “That’s odd, because the rumors say otherwise. For girls like you, a cheap bracelet’s usually enough to spread their legs.”

There it is. Confirmation of which one Maxim left high and dry.

My blood simmers, but I keep my face calm.

She’s not done. “The rest isn’t hard to guess. You saw your chance, maybe even got help from a torn condom, and locked down your future with Maxim’s baby.”

Noticing my deepening frown, she flashes a sugary sweet smile I’d love to rip right off her face. “I’m not judging you, darling. No one here is. Plenty of whores have made a living the same way. Not everyone gets to be born into old-money families like ours.”

I give her a fake smile. “You’ve got quite the imagination. I admire the effort you put into crafting a story about me and Maxim. But to make at least one part of your little fantasy true, add this to the end.”

I step closer and lower my voice. “Maxim stood by Ava, a girl from the lower class. But Viola? A girl from your world? He used her, and tossed her in the trash.”

I take a step back and smirk. “Right where she belongs.”

Marta snaps, spitting out a curse as she takes a step forward, but Viola grabs her arm and nods past me.

I turn to find Emily walking over.

She steps beside me and gently strokes my arm, never once glancing at the other two.

“Come on. Let’s take some pictures with the kids. I told Carlo to join Maxim so we can get a real family photo for the album.”

Her voice is calm, but the message is loud and clear.

Viola and Marta greet her politely.

Emily barely turns her head. “Viola, I didn’t recognize you with that hair color. It really washes you out. And Marta…”

She gives her a slow, mocking once-over. “You look the same.”

Her voice drips with disdain, and I fight the urge to laugh out loud.

Like brushing off two annoying flies, she turns away from them and walks me off.

“If they upset you,” she murmurs, “just say the word. I’ll erase them from existence by tomorrow.”

She’s deadly serious, but I shake my head. “I handled it myself.”

“Good girl.”

The kids are taken to a special room in the hotel for a nap, allowing the adults to move on to the dinner and dancing portion of the event. Dinner’s brought out, and I stick to Emily like a child clinging to her mother’s skirt. But after dinner, Emily and Carlo head to the dance floor, leaving me alone.

I scan the room for Maxim and spot him under the dim stage lights, dancing—no, practically grinding—with a woman. My breath catches when I realize it’s that wretched Viola, smirking viciously at me as she sways in his arms. A sharp stab of jealousy and humiliation tears through my heart.

I want to strangle Maxim for being so selfish. This bastard gives me ultimatums, demanding I spread my legs for my freedom, while openly parading other women around. Since I entered his life, he’s shown no interest in me beyond claiming my body, yet he thinks he has the right to hold my life in his hand.