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“Why? She doesn’t even know me”

“You’re the prime contender for Gio’s fortune”

“That’s a horrible thing to say,” Pia said laughingly But the seriousness in Raphael’s gaze sobered her up “How do I know you don’t feel the sa s me?”

He laughed, as if the very idea was ridiculous

The confidence he wore like a second skin—that didn’t co life to one’s will Giovanni had told her how Raphael had taken VA public, ains they hadn’t seen in the last decade He’d been ruthless about the changes he’d enforced, wasn’t the least bit sentimental about what needed to be done, but his execution was always effective, she’d been told by her grandfather, curiously with soret in his eyes

More profits Better stock prices He had no friends he trusted, no one was indispensable to him No weakness was allowed in himself or tolerated in others

The shadow of his father’s suicide, Pia realized noould forever cast a black shadow on Raphael’s life, and would never let hi but a man who loathed weakness

“If you’re wealthy, then ould your mother worry?” she countered

He shrugged, but Pia could see it bothered hirew up in a very wealthy family and my father kept her in the same style When we lost the house and our lifestyle, a lot of her friends and connections turned their backs on her She took it very hard—wouldn’t leave her bedroohost”

“It couldn’t have been harder on her than it had been on your father, could it?” Pia was unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice

She waited for a cutting comeback He simply frowned

“I’m sorry, that was unkind It’s just that…your father was betrayed by people he trusted People hom he shared his fears and dreams and hopes Your mother still had him and you and your sisters What’s a fortune when you have family and friends who love you?”

“You really believe that, don’t you?”