Chapter 4

After that day, I became the joke of the whole company.

I didn't want to accept the humiliating demotion to assistant, but Lorenzo insisted.

He sat on the edge of the bed with a bowl of my favorite seafood chowder, blew on a spoonful, and held it to my lips.

"Beatrice, the company can't run without you right now.

"Help Giuliana. I promise, once this project is done, you'll be vice president again."

A year ago, when I had a high fever, he had sat at my bedside just like this, caring for me day and night.

He'd given me medicine, sponged me down, and fed me homemade seafood chowder by the spoonful.

Everyone said I was lucky to be so adored by the Falcone heir.

I believed them. I thought I'd found my place.

But it had only been a dream.

And now I was awake.

"I'll finish this project for you. After that, we won't owe each other anything."

Lorenzo smiled, satisfied.

"I knew you'd be reasonable, Beatrice. When the project's over, I'll give you the vice presidency back."

He had no idea I'd already accepted my friend Claudia's offer.

In a month, I would be gone.

On my first day back at work, Lorenzo took me to my father's office.

My parents, my brother, and Giuliana were all inside.

The moment I walked in, my brother pushed me down by the shoulders, forcing me to my knees.

Lorenzo didn't stop him. He didn't even look at me. He walked straight to Giuliana.

I fought with everything I had.

"What are you doing?!"

My father spoke, low.

"You hurt Giuliana that day, and you still haven't apologized."

Tears rushed up, and the shame of that day washed over me again.

"You threw me out of the office and made me a laughingstock. Wasn't that enough?!

"It was Giuliana who took my job in the first place. She took the credit for my work. She's the one who..."

Before I could finish, my mother slapped me.

"Don't you slander Giuliana!"

Lorenzo touched my swollen cheek with what looked like tenderness. His voice was gentle.

"Stop fighting it. It's only an apology. It's what you owe her.

"You know that in my family, people who do wrong apologize by cutting off a finger. Kneeling is nothing."

My brother sneered.

"Are you going to press your forehead to the floor and apologize to Giuliana, or do I have to make you?"

When my forehead was forced to the floor, I broke completely.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have slandered Giuliana. I shouldn't have hurt Giuliana. It's all my fault."

My brother let go, satisfied. The humiliation was finally over.

After that, no matter how Giuliana tried to provoke me, I said nothing.

I only wanted to finish the project and settle everything between us.

But two weeks later, they stormed into my office.

My father slapped me in a fury, and my barely healed cheek swelled again.

"You sold the project's internal files to outsiders?!"

My mother pointed at me and screamed.

"How did I end up with a daughter like you!"

Then I remembered: two days earlier, Giuliana had suddenly asked to review all the project files.

"It wasn't me. It was Giuliana!"

I lunged at Giuliana to drag her to the security room.

Panic flashed in her eyes.

"Don't accuse me!"

She shoved me hard, and the back of my head struck the edge of the desk.

She stumbled back two steps and bumped her head on the wall.

A sharp pain tore through my belly. Without thinking, I reached for Lorenzo.

"Help me..."

Giuliana was crying and looking at him too.

"My head hurts so much."

Lorenzo hesitated. In the end, he only glanced at me.

"I'll have the bodyguard take you to the hospital. Don't be afraid."

The room spun, and I collapsed.

The last thing I saw was the others gathered around Giuliana, carrying her away with care.

When I woke, I was in a hospital bed.

The doctor told me I'd been two months pregnant. I'd arrived too late, and the baby was gone.

If I'd arrived even ten minutes earlier, he said, the baby might have survived.

I nodded numbly and signed the chart. Then I curled up alone beneath the blanket, pressed my hands to my belly, and cried for a long time.

The last thread between Lorenzo and me was gone.

In the seven days of recovery, no one came to see me.

They were all in Iceland watching the northern lights and fussing over the injury to Giuliana's hand.

On the day I was discharged, I booked a flight and asked my friend Enzo to deliver my medical records, divorce papers, and resignation to Lorenzo.

Before boarding, Enzo called.

"When Lorenzo saw the records, his knees buckled. He nearly fell down the stairs.

"He's like a madman. He's determined to find you."