Chapter 3 - The Starving Game
The transition into the Romano empire was ruthless. Dante provided her with a massive wardrobe, unlimited black cards, and the absolute protection of his name. But he was a man consumed by his syndicate, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night. In his absence, Mina was thrown to the wolves of New York's high society.
The women in Dante's circle were lethal. They had ruined reputations with a smile and destroyed marriages over brunch. And none was more venomous than Camila Bianchi.
Camila had spent years grooming herself to be Dante’s queen. When Dante brought home a woman with wide hips, thick thighs, and a soft stomach, the whispers began. They were insidious, delivered with air kisses and fake concern.
“Dante is a man of absolute control, darling. He despises excess.”
“It’s a shame about that dress, Mina. It simply isn’t designed for a woman with your... proportions.”
“Dante’s mother was a saint of discipline. He expects nothing less from his wife.”
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Mina, isolated and desperate to prove she was worthy of the formidable, broad-shouldered man she was slowly falling in love with, internalized every poisonous word. She stopped eating the rich foods of her childhood. Then, she stopped eating altogether. She traded her warmth for hollow cheekbones, mistaking starvation for the "discipline" Camila praised. Dante, blinded by his own empire and assuming her weight loss was just a byproduct of stress, didn't notice the terrifying reality until she collapsed in his Tribeca penthouse.
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