Chapter 2

The next afternoon, we arrived at the Moretti estate in North Ridge.

Vincent had canceled a family meeting. Celeste brought the hot chocolate I had once mentioned liking, and Luca had his men close the mountain road so we would not be disturbed.

It was the first time in either of my lives that the four of us had gone anywhere together like a real family.

We were less than half an hour from the summit when the family steward, Henry, hurried toward us.

“Don.”

Vincent stopped.

Henry glanced at me before lowering his voice.

“There’s been an incident. Miss Sofia overheard the family discussion. She learned that Miss Elena would be formally recognized as your biological daughter and that she would remain in the family as your adopted daughter. She locked herself in the bathroom and cut her wrists. By the time the staff found her, she had lost a great deal of blood.”

The thermos slipped from Celeste’s hand into the snow.

“Where is she?”

“North Ridge Hospital.”

Luca turned immediately and started down the mountain. Vincent was already calling the driver and ordering the Moretti physician to meet them there.

Celeste took several steps before remembering me.

“Elena, Sofia may be in danger. We have to go.”

“I know.”

She seemed about to say more, but Vincent called from ahead.

“Celeste. Now.”

She followed them.

Three black cars pulled away within minutes.

Snow covered the hot chocolate spilled at my feet.

I watched the road until the cars disappeared.

I did not hate them.

In my first life, all three had risked themselves for me. In the end, they had given me the only chance to survive the sinking yacht.

They were not monsters.

They simply loved Sofia more.

Whenever they had to choose between us, I was the one left behind.

Instead of continuing to the summit, I went to the old house behind the estate.

My grandmother, Bianca Moretti, lived there alone. In my first life, she had been the one who insisted that the family bring me home.

She frowned when she saw me enter by myself.

“Where are Vincent and the others?”

“Sofia was hurt. They went to the hospital.”

Bianca’s expression darkened. She had a servant bring a blanket and placed it around my shoulders herself.

“You walked here alone in this weather?”

“Grandmother, I came to say goodbye.”

Her hands stopped.

“Goodbye?”

“I’m going somewhere that won’t allow contact with the outside world. I may never come back.”

She stared at me.

“Why?”

I hesitated.

“Because if I stay, they all die.”

Her face changed.

“Explain.”

So I told her about my first life.

I told her Sofia had died in a car accident after I came home. I told her about the ten years that followed, and the yacht that sank in the storm. I told her Vincent, Celeste, and Luca had given me the last life ring and died believing my return had destroyed their family.

“Their last wish was that I had never come back to the Moretti family.”

I looked down at my hands.

“Now I’ve been given another life. I’m leaving.”

Bianca said nothing for a long time.

“You can call it a nightmare if you want. I just won’t gamble with their lives again. Sofia can remain their daughter, and I’ll disappear.”

I stood and hugged her.

In my first life, when the rest of the Morettis could barely stand to look at me, Bianca had still made room for me.

“Thank you for wanting me here.”

She caught my wrist.

“Elena, you are Moretti blood. This is your home. You do not need to surrender your place to anyone.”

I gently pulled free.

“But the family they want does not include me.”

I left before she could stop me.

By the time I reached the summit, night had fallen.

The first meteor crossed the sky, then another, until streaks of light moved above the snow-covered mountains.

I had waited two lifetimes to see it.

I was alone, but at least this regret was over.

Footsteps sounded behind me.

I turned just as my father reached me.

Vincent crossed the last few steps between us and caught my wrist. His grip tightened so hard that pain shot up my arm.

“What did you tell your grandmother?”

Celeste stood several feet away, her eyes red from crying. Luca was beside her.

“I only told her I was leaving.”

“You’re still lying?” my mother said.

“Your grandmother called your father. She said Sofia could remain with the Moretti family because she has been our daughter for twenty-six years, but she is no longer allowed to use the Moretti name..”

Luca stepped closer.

“Sofia heard what Grandmother decided. She panicked and tore open the stitches in her wrist. She lost a lot of blood and had to go back into surgery.”

Vincent grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the snow.

“Your grandmother has always favored you. You knew exactly what Sofia would hear if you went to her with this. She has spent twenty-six years believing she was our daughter, and now she thinks you wanted Grandmother to take that identity away from her.”

His grip tightened.

“We underestimated you.”

Pain shot through my arm, but I stopped trying to explain.

Whenever Sofia was involved, they decided I was guilty before I spoke.

Celeste’s phone rang.

She answered, and the color drained from her face.

“There’s none left in the blood bank?”

She listened for several seconds, then ended the call with a shaking hand.

“North Ridge Hospital has used the last compatible units. The next shipment of B-negative blood won’t arrive until tomorrow.”

No one spoke. Vincent immediately called the Moretti physician, while Luca started asking whether another hospital could send blood by helicopter.

I looked at Celeste. “I’m B-negative.”

All three of them turned toward me.

“If the doctor says I can donate, use mine.”

Celeste stared at me. “Elena, you don’t have to do that.”

“I know.”

Then I walked toward the car on my own.