One innocent fumbled paper. Two warring brothers. A world of ice and silk where silence is the only survival.
When Élise Laurent left France for a prestigious internship in Italy, she expected hard work and high fashion. She didn't expect to be caught in the crosshairs of a decades-old blood feud. During her interview, a single moment of vulnerability caught the eye of Adriano Moretti the "Ice CEO" of Milan. He is cold, untouchable, and powerful enough to crush anyone in his path. But for the first time in his life, the man who has everything has found something he refuses to share.
Enter Pedro the charming, friendly neighbor who helped Élise move in. He’s the man who knows her coffee order and her floor plan. But Pedro is no stranger. He is Adriano’s brother, the shadow in the Moretti legacy, and he’s spent his life waiting for the perfect weapon to destroy the Golden Son. He found that weapon in Élise.
Now, trapped in a luxurious estate on the cliffs of Varese, Élise is no longer just an intern. To Adriano, she is a prize to be guarded at any cost. To Pedro, she is the ultimate bait. And to Lucia, the vengeful socialite promised to Adriano, she is a threat that must be eliminated.
As the secrets of the Vigna del Sole begin to unravel, Élise realizes that in the Moretti family, love is a liability and "protection" feels a lot like a prison. Caught between the brother who wants to own her and the brother who wants to use her, Élise must find her voice before the ice closes in forever.
In this game of kings, the silent pawn is the most dangerous player of all.

​The morning light in the Milan penthouse was soft, but it couldn't hide the tension that still hummed between them. They sat at the minimalist breakfast bar, the city of Milan waking up beneath them. Adriano looked refreshed after a few hours of sleep, but his eyes were still guarded.


​Élise pushed her plate away, her heart hammering. She knew that if she was going to stay, she couldn't stay as a prisoner not even a gilded one.


​"I can't stay here like this, Adriano," she said, her voice steady despite the nerves. "I can't be locked in a penthouse or an estate while you go out and fight the world. If I'm staying in Italy, I need a life. I need to work."


​Adriano's jaw tightened. "Work? Élise, Pedro is out there. My mother is out there. Every camera in Milan is looking for the 'French girl' who vanished from my side. It's too dangerous."


Chapter 25 - The Glided bargain