Chapter 4

The men traded a look and moved in on my grandmother.

My stomach dropped. I put myself in front of her.

My grandmother had a heart condition. Stress and rough handling were the last things she needed.

But on my own I was no match for men that size.

All I could do was watch as they shoved me aside and roughly grabbed my grandmother by the arms.

"Stop!" I shouted at Sofia. "My grandmother has a heart condition. Do you want a body on your hands? Let go of her!"

Anthony hesitated and tugged at Sofia's sleeve, clearly afraid things were getting out of hand. The men paused.

Sofia rolled her eyes.

"Who cares! If these two broke nobodies die, they die. Luca will take the heat for it!

"Keep pouring! Nobody leaves until that container is empty!"

Ada saw how pale my grandmother had gone and how fast she was breathing. She found the courage to speak.

"Ms. Marino, she looks seriously ill. Her lips are turning purple. It doesn't look like she's faking!

"Please, have mercy and let them go. I'm begging—"

She never finished. Sofia's eyes hardened, and she kicked Ada hard in the chest, knocking her to the floor.

"You backstabbing little bitch, who asked you? You're fired. Get out!"

She looked at me with a twisted smile, daring me.

"I'll let her go if you get on your knees and kiss the toe of my shoe. Make me happy, and I'll spare your grandmother's life."

My grandmother's life mattered more than my pride. I gritted my teeth and started to sink to my knees.

But my grandmother forced out a few words, her voice shaking. "No... don't kneel... We're the Corsino family. We don't bow to scum like her..."

Her defiance sent Sofia over the edge.

Her face twisted and she screamed, "You old hag! Still talking back? Pour it down her throat!"

A moment later, they were forcing the foul-smelling industrial ammonia into my grandmother's mouth. It hurt so much to watch that I could barely breathe.

She coughed violently and couldn't speak at all.

Her lips were red and swollen from chemical burns. Her breathing grew weaker, and her eyes began to lose focus.

Frantic, I struggled with all my strength. My eyes were bloodshot as I screamed, "My grandmother is dying! Call an ambulance! If she dies here, not one of you walks away!"

Anthony panicked and grabbed his sister's arm.

"Sofia, having the cops shut this store down over two broke nobodies isn't worth it. Let it go."

After a few seconds, Sofia gave a contemptuous snort and grudgingly backed down. "Fine. For your sake, let them go."

The men let go, visibly relieved.

My grandmother collapsed in a heap, her face blue. The caustic liquid had made her throat swell shut. She couldn't breathe!

Shaking, I knelt on the floor and searched through the canvas bag. I found the small pill bottle in a corner.

I was about to give my grandmother her emergency medication when Sofia snatched the bottle away and tossed it into the trash can in the corner.

"Nice performance. Are you professional grifters? How much have you squeezed out of people with that act?

"It won't work on me! Take that old hag and get out before I change my mind!"

I snapped. The rage I'd been holding back came roaring up, and I hit her across the face with all my strength.

She screamed.

"You bitch, how dare you hit me! I should never have gone soft!

"Are you all blind? Hold her down!"

I fought like a cornered animal, but I was outnumbered. They had me pinned to the cold floor in seconds.

Just when I had lost all hope, a cool, familiar voice came from the doorway. "Victoria? Is that you? What... what are you doing here?"