Page 22 of Her Cruel One-Sided Love

Cutting to the point meant cuttingherlife short as payment for the sins of her sister, and so he would now kill her—-

"You are the next Marchetti bride,signorina."

—-by making her die laughing?

And in her nervousness, a laugh did crack past Ysabel's lips, albeit somewhat shakenly, the sound of which had Massimo's dark gaze narrowing.

"You think it is a funny matter,signorina?"

Ysabel looked at him in confusion. "But you made a joke—-"

"I did not."

"But you said I'm the next Marchetti bride—-"

"It was what why your sister was calling you."

How did he know Ynez had been calling her?

"But I preferred to tell you myself—-"

"And that's why I'm here?"

"Sì."

She tried. She really tried to believe he was not joking, but she just couldn't. This had to be some cruel prank, a way to further torture her—-

"Perhaps this would convince you of what I am saying."

Massimo handed her his phone, and Ynez could only stare blankly at its screen.This had to be—-

"It's not fake."

Then this had to be—-

"Nor is it a scheme in any way. It is official, permanent, and binding in every way."

Shit. Shit. Shit!

The first night she and Massimo had met, a part of Ysabel had been shocked at the way he was able to so effectively read her thoughts and communicate his with hers. It had felt as if they had this primal connection between them, and Ysabel didn't know whether to laugh or cry upon realizing that part about him - that part aboutbothof them - still hadn't changed.

Can this really be true?

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again, just to make sure she wasn't imagining the headlines on Boston's most popular online tabloid.

Signora Potenziana Marchetti is proud and delighted to announce the engagement of her grandson, Massimo Marchetti, to Signorina Ysabel Ossini.

---