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 Navigli district was a maze of dark canals and rain-blurred streetlights, but Élise didn't stop to admire the beauty of Milan tonight. She scrambled up the stairs to Zara's apartment, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The luxury of the Varese estate and the high-fashion world of the Moretti Group felt like a toxic dream she was desperate to wake up from.


​When Zara finally opened the door, she barely had time to say hello before Élise collapsed into her arms, sobbing.


​"I can't do this, Zara," Élise cried, her voice muffled by her friend's shoulder. "I just wanted a career. I just wanted to make my mother proud and send money back to France. How did it turn into this? Why am I caught between two men who look at me like I'm a ghost or a prize?"


​Zara pulled her inside, locking the door and leading her to the small, mismatched sofa. "Élise, look at me. Breathe. You're safe here."


Chapter 23 - The longing for home