A complete stranger ordered me to pretend to be his wife at my sister's wedding—right in front of the ex-husband who abandoned me while pregnant.

When the waltz ended, the applause was late and tentative, coming from guests who seemed terrified of clapping either too loudly or not loudly enough. Giovanni didn't drop my hand. Instead, he tucked it firmly into the crook of his arm and escorted me off the floor toward the terrace doors.

"Jessica!"

The voice was shrill, desperate, and unmistakable.

Vanessa hurried across the aisle, trailing layers of ivory chiffon. Behind her, Tyler followed, his expression a chaotic mix of fury and sheer intimidation. My sister forced a laugh, clutching Tyler's forearm as if she were anchoring herself in a hurricane.

"Jessica, honey," Vanessa began, her tone dripping with fake affection, "we were wondering who your... charming friend was. You didn't mention bringing a plus-one on your RSVP card."

Giovanni paused, turning slowly. The sheer physical presence he commanded made both Vanessa and Tyler take an involuntary step backward.

"Mr. Fierro," Tyler stammered, extending a trembling hand. "Sir. I’m Tyler Vance. I work in municipal bonds at Harrison-Cole. We... we met briefly at the annual shareholders summit last year."

Giovanni looked at Tyler’s outstretched hand for three long seconds. He didn't take it.

"I remember," Giovanni said evenly, his voice dropping into a register that made the surrounding guests fall silent. "You were the analyst who presented the flawed risk assessment on the coastal terminal project. You lack foresight, Mr. Vance. In finance, and evidently, in your personal life."

Tyler’s hand dropped back to his side, his ears burning crimson. "Sir, I didn't realize you knew Jessica. She... she's my ex-wife."

"Ex-wife?" Giovanni raised a dark eyebrow, casting a cool, dismissive glance over Tyler’s tailored tuxedo. "Then you are the man who traded a diamond for a zircon. And from what I understand, you abandoned her while she was carrying your child."

Vanessa’s jaw dropped. "Wait a minute! Jessica, what lies have you been telling him? Tyler paid support! Well... he tried to, until you made it impossible!"

"He didn't pay a single cent," I said, my voice steadier than it had ever been. "He signed away his rights on a napkin in a diner because he didn't want child support cutting into his Porsche lease."

A quiet gasp rippled through the onlookers who were eavesdropping. Vanessa’s mother-in-law, a prominent socialite standing nearby, quickly turned her head away in disgust.

"Enough," Giovanni stated, his tone brooking no argument. He turned to Tyler, leaning in just enough to make the younger man shrink. "If I ever hear of you approaching my wife, speaking to her, or mentioning her name in rooms where you do not belong, your employment will be the very least of your concerns."

"Wife?" Vanessa shrieked softly. "You're... you're married?!"

Giovanni smiled—a cold, lethal gesture. "We prefer to keep our private lives away from parasites. Excuse us."