Chapter 2

Mom's furious shouting filled the church.

Something stirred deep in my mind, and Vittorio's cold whisper brushed through it.

[Finally, some backup.]

My eyes stung, and before I could stop it, they filled with tears.

Mom marched up the red carpet toward the altar steps.

The guards and the priest, Father Michael Doyle, didn't dare make a sound. They all lowered their heads and got out of her way.

"Which bitch has the nerve to come to my daughter's wedding and..."

Mom broke off as Selena stepped gracefully out from behind Carlo, smiling.

The second Mom saw her, the anger froze on her face.

Then came a thud.

In front of every guest in the church, she dropped to one knee.

It was a formal gesture of allegiance to Selena.

"Ms. Rossi, I had no idea you were here on important business... Elsie doesn't know any better. Please don't be angry with her!"

I stood frozen. My blood ran cold.

Mom got up and yanked me over to her.

She hissed through her teeth, "Why aren't you apologizing to the Don and Ms. Rossi right now?!"

She didn't even glance at my torn dress.

She leaned in close and warned me in a voice only I could hear.

"If your dead father hadn't saved the Don's life, do you really think Carlo would give you the time of day? Everyone in the family knows the Don and Ms. Rossi are perfect for each other! Stop making a scene and say you're sorry!"

This was my own mother.

She cared only about what she could gain, and she would trample me whenever it suited her.

As Mom scolded me, the dark look on Carlo's face eased a little.

"Elsie, even your mother gets it. Why can't you?"

He straightened his bow tie and looked down his nose at me.

"I don't expect you to help me with the business the way Selena does. But you could at least behave."

I didn't help him?

I was the one who kept the prisoners' families calm. That was why the prisoners fell in line so quickly.

I was the one who nursed the wounded day and night.

Yet none of that blood and sweat counted as helping him.

Selena sighed softly.

She went over to Mom and took her arm, all sweetness and concern.

"Mrs. Marino, please don't blame Elsie. She just cares about Carlo too much, and it got the better of her."

Mom grabbed Selena's hand right back, beaming.

"Ms. Rossi, you're the best mind this family has. Please don't stick up for this girl! The Don and I spoiled her rotten, and she can't see the bigger picture!"

They played off each other perfectly.

Playing the loving mother and devoted daughter, they branded me an unreasonable brat.

My stomach churned with nausea.

I didn't look at any of them again. I turned and walked straight for the church doors.

"Stop right there!"

Carlo's voice cracked like a whip.

"Where do you think you're going without my say-so?"

Click!

All around me, guns were drawn in a sharp, deafening chorus of clicks.

More than 12 guards in black thumbed off their safeties at the same time.

Every black muzzle pointed at me.

Mom went white with fear and rushed to block my way.

"You've lost your mind! Your brother's tuition, the upkeep on the estate, we depend on the Don for all of it! And you'd defy him?"

I stopped with my back to them and gave a cold, thin smile.

That was when I heard it.

The voice that had gone quiet deep in my mind let out a low, sinister sigh.

[Tsk. What kind of mother acts like that? Poor thing, give me a little more time. I only need a bit more strength to break this damn curse holding me back.]

His voice dripped with bloodthirsty rage, making my skin crawl.

But I didn't have the strength left to answer him, not even in my head.

I was so tired.

After ten years of giving him everything, all I'd earned was betrayal and a gun aimed at me.

I turned my head and looked at Carlo.

"Go ahead. Shoot."

I looked him right in the eye. My voice was strangely calm.

Carlo froze for a second. His grip on the gun tightened, and panic flickered in his eyes.

"Elsie, don't make me do this."

"I'm not making you do anything." I pointed at my heart. "Right here. One shot, quick and clean."

Behind him, Selena tugged lightly at Carlo's sleeve.

"Carlo, it's still your wedding day. Spilling blood would be bad luck."

Carlo seized the excuse and lowered his gun.

"Lock her in the dressing room. Nobody lets her out without my permission."

Two guards stepped up right away and grabbed me by the arms, one on each side.

I fought them with everything I had, but their hands were like iron clamps.

Then the velvet box in Carlo's hand let out a piercing alarm!