Page 39 of Doll Face

“No,” Orianna said, smiling. “I know I’m talking in riddles. Remember when I said Pietro is looking for a wife for his son?”

It hit Macy what Orianna was getting at. “You want me to…”

“Become my granddaughter, Gianna Violetta Aldighieri Novelly, in order to marry Matteo Romanelli. To get close to that family, discover their secrets, and finally destroy them.”

Fear made her stomach clench. “Interesting name.”

“Violetta always said she would name her daughter after her father, Giovanni. Mauro was right, you do remind me of Violetta,” Orianna said sadly. “In the morning you are going into surgery to fix some of the damage Pietro inflicted. Everything about you has to change. Your hair, your eyes, and your features.”

“You mean, plastic surgery.”

She inclined her head. “It wouldn’t take much to turn you into my granddaughter.”

“I … I … how do you feel about that?”

“I’m the one who thought of the plan.”

Macy thought for a long moment. “I don’t know if I can do that. The thought of Matteo touching me fills me with revulsion.”

Orianna sighed and settled her tapping fingers. “I thought as much. Then don’t worry, child. I’ll make sure you have a new life, wherever it is you want to go. Now, I’ll let you get some sleep.”

She rose and left her. Macy stared up at the ceiling once more. What Orianna proposed was ridiculous. How dare she suggest marrying the very man who wanted to kill her. There was no way she could be Matteo’s wife. No way she could stomach his touch. Her mind flinched each time she thought about kissing him. Having sex with him.

She just couldn’t.

Could she?

Could she stomach it long enough to wipe out the Romanelli name? Maybe. The longer she thought about it, the more the idea grew on her. It was all about revenge. Orianna had been fighting to bring them down for years, and with her help vengeance could set Violetta’s soul free. Gunner and others might be Orianna’s eyes and ears, but becoming Matteo’s wife would give her a deeper access. Macy saw the whole thing play out in her mind. How sweet it would be to reveal she was the one who had destroyed him. The woman he so casually tossed aside.

Macy was dead anyway. Might as well become Gianna.

She struggled to sit up, struggled even more to extract herself from the bedding. An IV dripped into her arm, so when she managed to get to her feet, she leaned on the pole to steady her shaking legs. Slowly, she made her way to the door, and it felt like it took a million years. By the time she reached it, sweat had popped out on her forehead and her muscles spasmed. She opened the door and saw Orianna and the doctor talking, but they immediately turned to her.

Macy only had eyes for Orianna. “I’ll do it. Make me into the person I need to be to bring them down.”

Orianna studied her face before smiling. “It’ll be hard work.”

“I’m not afraid of hard work,” she replied.

“Good.” Orianna looked at the doctor. “We’ll fly to Italy tomorrow for her surgery. Can you stabilize her with pain medicine?”

“Of course,” the physician said.

Orianna walked over to her and cupped her face. “My brave girl. I know I asked a lot of you.”

“No,” Macy whispered. “You saved me. Now, I have to save the next girl. The Romanelli’s took too much from both of us, and we can’t let them take another innocent life.”

“From this moment forward, you are Gianna.”

Macy eyes burned with even more tears. It felt like she’d already cried an ocean full. Now, it was time to lock it all away. No more self-pity. No more tears. No more love. The only thing in her heart was vengeance.

Chapter Fifteen

Like the Phoenix I rise from the ashes

My path I carve

With hands of skill

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