Chapter 2

My phone pinged with a reminder for the Junior Knight Investiture at the equestrian club.

I had just finalized the last cross-border smuggling run and reported it to Charlton Family headquarters.

I decided to go anyway.

It was my first and last time attending Luca’s investiture.

I never expected to be stopped by security at the front gate.

“ Sorry, ma’am. Only registered guardians and guests are allowed entry today. ”

I froze.

I pulled up Luca’s birth certificate on my phone and held it out.

“ But I’m Luca’s biological mother. ”

The security guard shook his head, his tone final.

“ Master Luca’s guardian is already inside, ma’am. Please leave. ”

My stomach dropped.

I called Dante.

Before the call connected, the club manager walked out with a family of three in matching dark green riding uniforms.

Lena’s face went pale the second she saw me.

“ Mr. Voss, Miss Lena. This lady insists she is Master Luca’s mother. ”

The manager looked between them and me.

“ Do you know this woman? ”

Dante patted Lena’s shaking hand. His voice was low and steady.

“ No. We don’t. ”

The second the words left his mouth, my eyes burned.

“ Dante. What did you just say? ”

He didn’t answer.

He just looked at me like I was a stranger off the street.

Then my phone buzzed with a message from him.

【 I’m sorry I didn’t tell you ahead of time. But today is Luca’s first Junior Knight investiture. Lena is the guest of honor. The family elders take her very seriously. The ceremony schedule is already set. 】

【 You haven't been doing well lately. You’d only make a scene and embarrass yourself. Go home. Don’t make things hard for Lena. 】

Lena’s message came right after.

【 I’m sorry, Seraphina. Luca begged me all last night to present his sash. I really couldn’t say no. Wait till I get home, and I’ll explain everything, okay? 】

I locked my phone and slipped it back into my pocket.

My eyes fixed on Luca.

I asked him, my voice steady and stubborn.

“ Even you? You’re going to pretend you don’t know me? ”

I looked at that little face, so much like mine.

Some small, stupid part of me still hoped.

But Luca didn’t even glance at me.

He walked straight up to the security guard and spoke in a cold, sharp little voice.

“ Sir, this woman was sent by our rivals to cause trouble. ”

“ She says I’m her son and keeps harassing my mom and dad. ”

“ I hate her. Can you make her leave? ”

Three short sentences. The crowd around us erupted into whispers.

“ Oh wow. She came here to start trouble. She looks so put-together, too. ”

“ My son is on the equestrian team too. He always says Luca’s mom is a famous ballerina, such class… What's going on? ”

I listened to the whispers and suddenly felt like a joke.

So in his eyes, the woman who broke her right leg teaching him to ride, who gave up her position in the family to stay home with him for two years, was just a crazy woman causing trouble.

My chest burned like it was dipped in boiling water.

I turned and walked out of the club gates, humiliated, letting the cold wind hit my face.

In a daze, I saw a café across the street.

A family of three sat by the window.

The man wiped cream off the woman’s mouth.

The child held up a fork and fed her cake. Their laughter was bright and clear.

I watched two little girls in riding uniforms run side by side into the candy shop next door.

Everyone had somewhere to go.Only me, abandoned in the cold wind.

I don’t know how long I stood there.My phone pinged in my pocket.

【 Welcome back, Underboss Seraphina. The Charlton Family awaits you. 】

I wiped the tears off my face and took a long, slow breath.

Three days. That was all I needed to wrap everything up here.