Page 229 of Modern Romance May 2026 Books 5-8
Some of his tension eased. His expression changed to one of interest.
“I know how dangerous double-edged blades are,” he said cryptically. “Whatever you tell me will not leave this room.”
“The marriage contract we signed stated that if Axel married Otto’s daughter, he would gift his shares in Vorstoben to Axel and his bride. After we signed it, he showed us the paternity test that proved I wasn’t his daughter.”
“That’show he told you?” His expression went blank with astonishment. Outrage. “What a vile piece of…” The rest was a blue streak of Italian curse words delivered in such a lethal tone, it sent a shiver through her.
She appreciated his anger on her behalf, but, “Let me finish. Otto then revealed he’d had a daughter with someone else. She was relinquished for adoption, but it seems Axel has found her and married her. That means Otto is obligated to step aside, install Axel as CEO and give them the company in a year.”
“Attacking Vorstoben is no longer an attack on Otto.”
“Exactly.”
Rocco swore and took a step away from her, hands on his hips as he processed this wrinkle.
“I agree we can’t use this woman’s private life to attack Otto. That’s not fair to her, but what do you know about her?”
“Only that Otto learned about her three years ago. She’s my age, so you see what a hypocrite he is?” she said on a choke of humorless laughter. “He hated my mother for her affair, but he had someone on the side at the same time. Someone who had hisbaby.” She began to pace off her agitation. “And even after he knew about her, he conned Axel into getting engaged tome, purely to keep Axel at Vorstoben and to use my money. That’s evil, right?”
“That’s why you were furious enough to come to me despite hating my guts.”
She faltered. Coming to him had been a combination of her desire for revenge and her desire for him. He had accused her of that the day she’d arrived in his office and she had denied it, but she could admit that to herself now. She had seen a chance to see what could happen between them and had taken it.
“I didn’t hate you. I don’t. I was hurt,” she clarified. “Because you weren’t completely honest when we met.”
He swore and squeezed the back of his neck. “Mira—”
“Wait.” Something else struck her. “Axel is on hishoneymoon?”
“Yes. Why?” He turned to face her again.
She licked her lips and left them parted in readiness to speak, but hesitated while she finished her mental computations.
“I think Otto is refusing to honor the contract.” She spoke slowly, each word landing on her tongue as she arrived at her conclusion. “Axel wanted to leave two years ago, to start his own company. Otto convinced him to stay and propose to me, promising Vorstoben in exchange. After he learned I wasn’t Otto’s daughter, Axel must have realized Otto would only string him along again unless he married this woman and quickly. He was trying to force Otto to make good on his promise. So why is he on a honeymoon, with a woman he didn’t know existed ten days ago? He ought to be taking the helm at Vorstoben.”
“Why is he disappearing when we’ve teamed up against Otto and we’re coming in with ballistic missiles?” Rocco asked, leaping onto her train of thought.
“Right? If Axel is refusing to take calls from the likes of Domenico Blackwood, he’s doing it to warn Otto that Vorstoben can sink into the Mariana Trench for all he cares. Knowing Axel, he’s prepared to take half the staff with him.Nowis the time for you and I to go after Vorstoben, Rocco.”
“Let’s go back to Rome,” he said.
Are you really engaged to her? Call me.
Rocco finally heard from Silvio. His text was the reaction Rocco had expected, but not the one he’d hoped for.
I haven’t told her, Rocco texted back. He’d come close, though. That moment in Naples had been ripe for the truth to come out, but Mira had sidetracked him with her deduction of Axel’s motives.
They had flown back to Rome and had been here a few days. It was a bit of a honeymoon of their own, if he was honest. They were busy with calls and meetings and networking events disguised as cocktail parties and dinners, but he’d never felt so aligned with anyone in so many ways.
Obviously, they were beyond compatible in bed. Their lovemaking was frequent, spectacular and, impossibly, got better every time. Socially, Mira understood how to play the game. She was a wonderful asset, helping him move easily into and among the higher echelons.
At home, they were also well-aligned. They both liked to rise early and work out before breakfast. They were both capable of entertaining themselves if the other was tied up.
When it came to business goals, Mira was continuing to extricate herself from Vorstoben and was learning to direct her investment portfolio. She was on a video chat with her trustee, doing exactly that, so Axel returned Silvio’s call.
“Rocco,” Silvio said with rebuke, eschewing any other greeting. “I’m on a yacht with my entire family, celebrating my thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. We just got back into service and Claudina is asking me ‘Who is this woman Rocco is engaged to? Why haven’t we met her?’ I told her it’s a stunt. Yes? I don’t like it, but I’ve seen that Otto’s right-hand man is married and striking out on his own. Tell me she’s retaliating against him. You’re notreallyinvolved with her.”
“The engagement is a ploy,” Rocco confirmed, but they were sleeping together. Mira was too sensitive to be casual about that and, frankly, Rocco couldn’t dismiss it as such, either. “But we are involved.”
