Chapter 3

To punish me, Vito replaced me with Giuliana at the Corti family's annual gala.

She wore my custom gown, looking radiant under the chandeliers, while I sat alone in the corner like an outsider watching their absurd performance.

Vito walked her around, introducing her to every guest. "This is Giuliana, my… friend."

A vague title, but enough for everyone to understand her position. The guests kept glancing between us.

Halfway through the evening, Giuliana approached me with a wine glass, swaying gracefully. She stopped a few steps away, right in front of Mamma's oil portrait hanging on the wall behind me.

I'd commissioned Emaly's most renowned painter for that piece, wanting her to watch over me always.

She raised her glass with a smile. "Madre, sitting here alone must be so dull. Let me toast you."

Just then, she stumbled. The red wine spilled from her glass in a perfect arc, splashing across Mamma's portrait. Crimson liquid slid down her gentle face.

Giuliana let out an exaggerated shriek. "Oh no! I'm so sorry, Madre. I didn't mean to…"

Apologies poured from her mouth while malice gleamed in her eyes. Rage blinded me.

I shot to my feet and slapped her hard across the face. The entire ballroom fell silent. Everyone froze at the sudden violence.

Giuliana clutched her cheek and stared at me in disbelief as tears welled up. "You… you hit me?"

I met her gaze with ice in my eyes. "Hit you? I'm going to kill you."

I lunged forward and grabbed her throat, slamming her against the wall. In that moment, I forgot everything. I only wanted this woman who'd defiled Mamma's memory to pay.

"Stop!"

The shout snapped me back to reality. Vito strode over and shoved me aside, pulling the trembling Giuliana behind him protectively.

The force sent me stumbling backward into the dining table. My wrist cracked against the corner, sending pain shooting through my arm.

"Apologize to Giuliana."

I stared at him in shock. "What did you say?"

He repeated each word slowly. "I said, apologize to her."

I looked at him, at the woman putting on such a pitiful act in his arms, and felt the absurdity of it all. I screamed. "She's the one who needs to apologize! She deliberately destroyed Mamma's portrait!"

Vito's expression darkened further. "All I saw was you acting like a wild woman at my gala, challenging my authority in front of everyone."

He swept his gaze across the watching guests, barely concealing his anger.

"Guards."

Two Soldati stepped forward immediately.

"Take the Madre to her room. No one visits her without my permission."

His words hit me like a physical blow. I couldn't believe these words came from the man I'd loved for so many years. The two guards seized my arms with bruising force.

I thrashed wildly. "Let go of me! Vito! You can't do this to me!"

In my struggle, I lost my balance and crashed into a massive marble column. Searing pain exploded in my forehead. Warm liquid trickled down my cheek.

The world spun before my eyes. In the last moment before I lost consciousness, I saw Vito's cold, indifferent expression and the triumphant sneer curling Giuliana's lips.

Darkness swallowed me whole.