CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY SIX - BENEATH THE SURFACE

But as she looked around the room, Amelia could see doubt creeping into the eyes of her family members. Eloise was looking at her with a mixture of pity and concern, while Giovanni seemed unsure of what to believe. "Perhaps we should all calm down," Eloise suggested, her voice gentle but firm. "It's been a long day, and emotions are running high. Why don't we discuss this in the morning when we've all had a chance to rest?" Amelia wanted to scream in frustration. How could they not see what was happening? "No, we need to deal with this now. Mari is--" "Amelia," Giovanni cut her off, his tone warning. "That's enough. We'll discuss this tomorrow. For now, I think it's best if everyone retires to their rooms." As the family began to disperse, Amelia caught Mari's eye. For a brief moment, the mask slipped, and Amelia saw a glimmer of triumph in Mari's gaze. It was gone in an instant, replaced by a look of hurt and confusion, but Amelia knew what she had seen. Later that night, as Amel