Prologue
Harper
Ok, I can do this. Just breathe. Deep breaths in and out, it's fine. It’s not like my whole life depends on this.
Nope, not at all... Screw it; I give up. I don’t know why my sister wanted me to plan her engagement party. She doesn’t even like me.
I’ve always been the annoying little sister to her. She doesn’t even give me the time of day, not unless it’s in front of people who we’ve got to impress.
I roll my eyes even thinking about that. If my parents could see me now, they would a hundred per cent say I’ve let them down by giving up.
Oh shit, I spoke too soon. Here comes the evil stepmother. If she ever heard me say that, I think my father would have cut my head off by now, literally no word of a lie there, so set in the olden days, you would have thought they would have a horse and carriage rolling them around and not a car.
I'm waiting for the day he tells me he's marrying me off, I heard him speaking in his office about it, but every time I make a tiny sound, he cuts all the conversation.
“Why are you standing there? Come on, do something. This is a big day for your sister. Don’t go ruining it like you do everything. You’re such a letdown, Harper. I can’t understand why your father hasn’t sent you away yet.”
I roll my blue eyes at the bitch. Fuck my life; please get me the hell out of here.
“Come on, dear, listen to your mother. She knows best. Holly and Matteo will be here soon. You can’t let her down; this will be the first time you’ve seen her in over four years.” My dad says, picking up the flowers I’ve just thrown on the floor in a hissy fit.
Don’t remind me. Four years is far too short. I do wish we had a better bond, but she’s ten years older than me, and she is the perfect child—instant eye roll.
I think if I wasn’t such a disgrace to my ‘mother,’ Holly might have liked me better, but seeing as my dad couldn’t keep it in his pants, which led to me being born by a hooker.
"Get moving. You haven't all day." My dad walks off, leaving the other workers and me to sort everything else out.
The man my sister is marrying is some hotshot billionaire; I wonder how she met him; my phone beeps with a text. I look down and see it’s my dad telling me to go get changed before they arrive.
Is he kidding me? Not even five minutes ago, he was telling me to hurry up and sort everything else. Idiot, but I do as he says, knowing it will be easier, and let’s face it, I’m hoping to pull myself some eye candy tonight.
After showering I get myself ready, and do my brown hair in a messy updo. I still can't believe I had to fight to get my natural hair colour back. I'm surprised my hair isn't dead from the years my step 'mother' bleached the hell out of it, starting at ten years old.
She hated how everyone asked questions about my dark hair compared to the rest of the family, that are all very blonde, hate spikes through my body at the hell she put me through or, should I say, still puts me through.
Taking a deep breath, I look in the mirror at the dress my 'mother' had chosen for me.
It isn’t a bad dress so I shouldnt complain. It’s just not me. It’s a floor-length black dress with an open back. It’s kind of sexy, which has me a little confused about why she had picked it for me. You'd think she wouldn't want me to wear anything like this.
You would think a twenty-four-year-old would have it all together and not let anyone tell you what to do, but I can't. I can't bring myself to stand up for myself, knowing they could throw me out.
I wouldn't care, but the only piece of me is here. The memories of everything are here. Even the horrible ones that scar me to this day...
Shaking the thought of that awful day out of my head. She doesn't know her time will come.
I glance at the clock to see I've taken longer than I should have, shit! I make my way back down to the ballroom.
I ignore every little snigger that I hear when I walk past everyone. I head straight to my parents.
I see Holly straight away, looking more beautiful than ever in a white floor-length sparkly dress. Her head turns to me, and our same blue eyes meet.
I can’t help but smile because the truth is I have always loved her, no matter of the way we became sisters.
“Harper, it’s so good to see you. Wow, look at you. You look beautiful. I can’t wait for you to meet Matteo. You’ll love him.” I beam at her words as I feel my chest tighten.
“I missed you,” I whisper, feeling myself getting emotional. Her smile grows, but her eyes stay the same. Is she really happy to see me, or was it all an act?
“Matteo, baby, come here and meet the letdown of the family. You'll see what I mean when you get to know her.” she laughs, making my father crack up too. I try not to get hurt by her words; I know she’s joking she's got to be.
I look down at my black heels, willing my tears to go. “Matteo, this is Harper. Harper, this is the love of my life and soon-to-be husband, Matteo.”
I look up, and the moment our eyes meet, my breath is taken away. It can’t be him.
I hold my chest as I try to keep my emotions inside. I’m imagining it all; I have to be. I blink, then blink again, but he’s still there.
“Angel?” He says, and I suck in a breath. It really is him. The man that left me broken-hearted and the reason I never went back to Rome, the reason I was too scared to see Holly knowing he was living an hour away from her hotel.
“Harper, stop being so bloody rude and get the man a drink.” For once, I’m thankful for Adriana, the evil bitch of a stepmother, for stepping in.
I don’t look back at Matteo, even if I can feel him burning holes into my back. Did he know that I was her sister all along?
