Chapter 51 *
Scarlett's POV
The Colony Club. One of New York's oldest and most exclusive women's clubs.
The concierge directed me to a private dining room on the second floor.
I'd expected Viviana.
What I got was Viviana plus one.
Two women sat at a round table set for afternoon tea. Fine china. Silver teapot. Little cakes arranged on a three-tier stand.
Viviana Romano. My biological mother. She looked uncomfortable. Wouldn't meet my eyes.
And next to her. A woman in her fifties. Elegant. Expensive navy suit. Pearls. Dark hair pulled back in a perfect chignon.
Kalliope Santoro. Adrian's mother.
Oh. This just got interesting.
"Scarlett." Kalliope stood immediately. Smiled warmly. Like we were old friends. "Thank you so much for coming."
She walked around the table. Actually walked over to me. Extended both hands.
I let her take my hand. Her grip was firm. Her skin was soft.
"Please, sit here." She guided me to the chair next to hers. "What would you like to drink? Tea? Coffee? They have an excellent selection."
Her voice was warm. Genuine. Like she was actually happy to see me.
Viviana finally looked at me. Her face was tight. Embarrassed. Still bitter about the Plaza Hotel disaster.
She turned away. Stared at the window instead.
Right. Still mad about being publicly humiliated by her own daughter.
"Just water is fine," I said.
Kalliope's smile widened. "Nonsense. Order whatever you'd like. It's our treat."
There it was. That tone.
Condescending. Charitable. Like she was doing me a favor.
I picked up the menu. Scanned it quickly.
"I'll have the Imperial Tasting Menu. The full experience. Wine pairings included."
I set down the menu. Looked directly at Viviana.
"Mrs. Romano is paying."
Kalliope's eyebrows went up slightly. Amused.
Viviana's face flushed red. Her eyes flashed with anger.
But she said nothing. Just clenched her jaw.
The waiter appeared. Took our orders. Disappeared.
Kalliope settled back in her chair. Turned to face me fully.
"Scarlett, dear." She paused. "May I call you that?"
"Sure."
"I've heard so much about you. Your SAT scores. Your academic achievements. Harvard, MIT, Stanford all recruiting you." She shook her head. Impressed. "That's extraordinary. Truly."
I said nothing. Just waited.
She leaned forward slightly. Her expression sincere.
"I have a daughter myself. Sophia. She's sixteen. Very interested in fashion. Pop culture. The kind of things teenage girls love." She smiled. "I think you two would get along wonderfully."
She reached out. Placed her hand over mine. Gentle. Maternal.
I looked down at her hand. Then back at her.
Pulled my hand away. Slow. Deliberate.
"I appreciate the sentiment, Mrs. Santoro. But I don't think we'll have the opportunity to become friends."
Her smile faltered. Just for a second.
Then recovered. Brighter than before.
"Well. Perhaps we're getting ahead of ourselves." She straightened up. "Let me be direct then. The Santoro family values education. We're very progressive in that regard."
She gestured elegantly with one hand.
"If you were to join our family, you'd have our full support to continue your studies. University. Graduate school. Even studying abroad if you wanted."
"We'd cover all expenses, of course. Tuition. Housing. Living costs. Whatever you need."
I almost laughed.
They think a few hundred thousand in tuition is going to sway me.
"The household is quite simple," Kalliope continued. "Just Adrian and Sophia. Very manageable. You wouldn't be overwhelmed with—"
"I don't see what any of this has to do with me."
My voice was polite. But final.
Kalliope stopped mid-sentence. Blinked.
She turned to look at Viviana. Her expression confused.
The silent question was obvious: You said she agreed to this.
Viviana's face went dark. Her hands clenched on the table.
She reached into her purse. Pulled out something small. Gold.
Slammed it on the table in front of me.
The gold coin.
"You're not stupid." Viviana's voice was cold. Flat. "You know exactly what I'm asking."
I looked at the coin. Then at her.
"Say it clearly. Your first wish is for me to marry Adrian Santoro in Zelda's place."
"What else would it be?"
I picked up the coin. Felt its weight in my palm.
Then I closed my fist around it. Squeezed.
The gold bent. Compressed. Deformed under the pressure.
Kalliope's eyes went wide. She stared at my hand. Shocked.
I opened my palm. The coin was flattened. Ruined.
I grabbed my napkin. Wrapped the destroyed coin in it. Dropped it in the crystal ashtray on the table.
"There. No more wishes. No more obligations."
I looked at Viviana. Her face was white.
"From this moment forward, the marriage arrangement is my responsibility. It has nothing to do with the Romano family."
I leaned back in my chair. Calm. Controlled.
"I hope you won't regret this decision."
Viviana's mouth curved. A cold, bitter smile.
"Regret? I'm finding you a good home. A wealthy family. A secure future. I'll never regret this."
I smiled back. Just as cold.
"Good. Then we're done here."
I turned to look at Kalliope. She was watching us. Her expression carefully neutral.
"Viviana. I'd like to speak with Mrs. Santoro privately. Please leave."
Viviana's head snapped toward me. "What?"
"You heard me. Leave."
"How dare you—" Her voice rose. "I'm your mother. You can't just—"
"Viviana." I cut her off. Let my voice go cold. "If you don't want to waste the two remaining wishes you supposedly have, you'll leave. Now."
She opened her mouth. Closed it. No words came out.
Her face flushed red. Then white. Then red again.
Kalliope cleared her throat gently. "Perhaps it would be best if you gave us a moment, Viviana."
Viviana stood abruptly. The chair scraped against the floor.
She shot me one final glare. Pure hatred.
Then turned and walked out. Slammed the door behind her.
The sound echoed in the quiet room.
I waited until her footsteps faded down the hallway.
Then looked at Kalliope.
She was watching me. Her expression had changed. More interested now. Less maternal.
"Your mother has always been... passionate." Her voice was gentle. Diplomatic. "Don't take it personally."
"I won't."
Because she's nothing to me now. Just another stranger.
Kalliope reached across the table. Took my hand again.
This time I didn't pull away. Just let her hold it.
"Scarlett, dear. Let me be completely honest with you." Her voice was warm. Sincere. "I'm not asking you to be Adrian's caretaker. Or his nurse."
She squeezed my hand gently.
"What I'm asking is simple. Give the Santoro family an heir. A child to carry on our legacy."
She paused. Let that sink in.
"In return, I'll treat you like my own daughter. You'll have access to everything. Resources. Connections. Eventually, you could even manage parts of the family business if you wanted."
Her eyes were earnest. Pleading almost.
I tilted my head slightly. Studied her face.
"With Adrian's condition, natural conception would be... difficult. Wouldn't it?"
Her expression didn't change. Didn't even flicker.
"We have excellent fertility specialists. IVF technology is quite advanced these days."
Impressive. Not even a hesitation.
I pulled my hand back slowly. Folded my hands in my lap.
"Let me ask you something, Mrs. Santoro."
"Of course."
"This marriage was originally arranged to strengthen ties between the Romano and Santoro families. Correct?"
"Yes."
"But now you're accepting a substitute. Someone with no connection to the Romano family whatsoever."
I leaned forward slightly.
"Why?"
Kalliope's smile was pleasant. Didn't reach her eyes.
"The arrangement was always about uniting our families—"
"No." I cut her off. Kept my voice gentle. "Let's be honest. Marriage alliances are about mutual benefit. Mutual leverage."
I held her gaze.
"If Zelda had married Adrian, she would have represented the Romano family. You would have had to respect her position. Protect her interests."
"But me?" I gestured at myself. "I severed all ties with the Romanos. Publicly. In front of the Five Families."
"So why would a family as powerful and wealthy as the Santoros accept this substitution? Finding a suitable daughter-in-law shouldn't be difficult for you."
The silence stretched out.
Kalliope's expression changed. Replaced by something calculating.
She wasn't looking at a potential daughter-in-law anymore.
She was looking at an equal. Someone who'd figured it out.
"You're very perceptive," she said finally. Her voice was different now. Genuine respect. "Most people wouldn't see it."
I held her gaze. "The Romano family has lost its value as an ally. They're unstable. Easily manipulated. Quick to betray their own blood. An alliance with them would be worthless. Possibly even dangerous."
I leaned forward slightly."You already have all the cards, don't you? "