Chapter 1

I struggled to open my eyes, though blood had blurred my vision. I made a raspy sound as I opened my mouth, and the moment I tried to speak, a mouthful of blood surged out instead.

My Mamma, Rosalina Vitelli, let out a primal wail and gathered me into her arms; her custom white cashmere coat immediately stained with blood.

"What's the matter, Grazia? Please don't frighten me, Grazia!"

It was then that my fiance, Luca Moretti, leaned over the edge of the rooftop and explained impatiently, "You shouldn't let her deceive you, Donna Moretti. She jumped on purpose to frame Serena. How bad could a two-story drop be anyway?"

Serena Salvatore cowered behind Luca, weeping as she said, "It's all my fault. Grazia has every right to be mad at me. After all, I've taken her place in the Salvatore Famiglia for so many years. I shouldn't remain here anymore now that she has returned."

Mamma lifted her head sharply, her eyes brimming with killing intent as she stared at the pair on the rooftop. "Shut up!"

I leaned against Mamma's embrace, feeling as though my insides were being shredded. I was in so much pain that my entire body went into spasms.

Antonio Caruso, the Famiglia doctor, came running with his medical bag, nearly tripping. He immediately went pale the moment he placed his fingers on my wrist to feel for a pulse.

"Ms. Grazia's heart has stopped beating, Donna Salvatore."

In that instant, everything around us went still.

My Papa, Vittorio Salvatore, seized Antonio by the collar, his eyes turning bloodshot with rage. "That's impossible! Grazia was speaking just a moment ago! How could her heart stop beating so suddenly?"

Antonio trembled violently while explaining, "Ms. Grazia has a heart condition to begin with, Don Salvatore. She was frightened by the dogs, then her heartbeat quickened due to the shouting, and now she has fallen from a high place—after all this, even a robust body wouldn't be able to hold up."

It was then that my brother, Marco Salvatore, arrived just in time to catch those words and went rigid. "That's impossible! Grazia was able to walk to the rooftop herself just a moment ago!"

I could feel my life slipping away. I never thought that I would meet my end in this so-called "home" less than a day after my return.

Mamma bit down on her lip until it bled. She grabbed a gun from a nearby guard and said, "I gave birth to my daughter after nine months of pregnancy, and on her first day back, you all pushed her to death, Vittorio!

"I'll make sure the Salvatore Famiglia disappears from Novarra for what you did if Grazia dies today!"

Luca supported Serena as they came down from the rooftop, his expression shifting the moment he witnessed the scene. "Have you gone mad, Donna Salvatore? How could you stop loving Serena and turn against the Salvatore Famiglia just because you brought back your long-lost daughter?

"You've raised Serena yourself! How can you be so heartless toward her, Donna Salvatore?"

Serena kneeled on the floor, tears streaming down her face. "Please don't be mad, Mamma. I'm the one at fault here. If you're upset, you can take it out on me. Please don't argue with Papa and Marco because of me."

I heard Serena's nauseating tone, my chest heaving violently in response.

In the end, my heart, which had been still, beat once more from the sheer force of my anger. I struggled to breathe, staring at her with a fixed glare.

Antonio was overjoyed. He lunged forward and injected me with epinephrine. "Ms. Grazia's heart is beating again! Hurry up and get the defibrillator!"

Mamma threw the gun aside and pulled me close, her tears landing on my face. "You have nothing to be afraid of, Grazia! I'm right here with you!"

I weakly held onto her sleeve, my vision going dark as I stammered, "I-I'm so cold, Mamma... L-Luca pushed me…"

I slumped to the side and blacked out completely after saying that. I could hear Mamma screaming hysterically just before I lost consciousness. "Drag Luca Moretti away and break both his legs!"