Chapter 3

Sophia had updated her social media status and tagged me in the caption: [Everyone, put your hands together and say thank you to @camillacaramel for sponsoring this vacation for us!]

Some mutual friends left comments.

[But where is Camilla?]

[She's too busy with work to join us. Besides, she says she doesn't like getting a tan, so she declined our invitation!] Bianca replied.

Sophia added: [She was very insistent about not joining us. We couldn't change her mind.]

I was cutting fresh fruit into bite-sized pieces at the time. I ignored the comments, but Lucia's hands were shaking as she read them.

"Mooom! You gotta respond and tell them none of that is true!"

I handed her a fruit fork. "Have some apple slices."

"But they're lying! They're lying about you!"

I smiled and pinched her cheeks.

She looked at me in confusion and asked, "You're not mad?"

"No. They don't deserve my attention, not even the negative kind."

…

The next morning, the Grieco family gathered outside with their suitcases.

Maria wore her new floral dress and waved at the camera. "Time to go!"

Bianca pushed her sons to the foreground. "Quick, thank your grandma for taking you to Caspian Isola!"

Sophia took a group photo with her selfie stick, careful to include part of my bedroom window in the frame. She then tagged me in the photo with the caption: [No one in the family gets left behind on a vacation like this!]

Even Anna, the maid, was grinning from ear to ear, with her new sunbonnet perched on her head.

Later that day, Sophia uploaded another photo of the family at the harbor and tagged me again.

Sophia: [Thanks for taking care of the house while we're away! We'll definitely bring you gifts, @camillacaramel!]

Comments soon flooded in beneath the photo.

[Camilla is such a generous soul.]

[It's actually a good thing she's not going! Someone has to take care of the house!]

…

Lucia stormed into the kitchen with her phone.

After I saw the comments, I packed a bag and left with Lucia for my childhood home.

On the way, Lucia rested her head against my arm and asked, "Mom, was it wrong of me not to go?"

I ruffled her hair. "If you want to see the sea, sweetie, I'll take you there someday. Just the two of us."

She sniffled. "Okay, Mom. And I wanna stay in a room with a window overlooking the ocean."

"No problem." I held her hand and stared out the window, my heart heavy.

I had been Matteo's wife for eleven years. I had learned to brew my father-in-law's favorite coffee, tended to my mother-in-law's every need, wired money to Luca whenever he needed it, and always made sure I was the last to take a seat at family gatherings.

But I should never have had to do any of that. My status was far higher than theirs. My husband was merely a capo. When I first married him, everyone said we were mismatched in status and that I could have chosen someone better. But I hadn't. I had been patient. I had endured.

And in the end, my reward was to be deemed so unimportant that Sophia could replace me on a family vacation. They truly treated me as though I had never been part of the family at all.

…

We arrived at my family's estate.

When my mother opened the door and saw Lucia, her eyes reddened. She silently took my bag and asked, "Are you hungry, Camilla?"

I changed into my bedroom slippers and settled onto a familiar little stool. I could feel myself relax. "I'm ravenous."

"What would you like?"

In the end, we asked the cook to prepare something simple but filling and ate lunch in front of the TV.

My phone kept vibrating inside my handbag, so I took it out. The family group chat was practically overflowing with messages from the usual suspects.

I ignored the notifications without reading a single message, then switched off my phone.

Lucia took it from me of her own accord and shoved it under a cushion. "You don't need to check your phone, Mom. No one has the right to bother you."

My mother ladled more chowder into my bowl. "You can take a nap after lunch, sweetie. Nothing's gonna happen, so don't worry."

After we finished eating, Lucia rested her head on my shoulder as we watched TV. The comedy show was loud and lively, but I found the entire afternoon remarkably peaceful.

I tucked her hair behind her ear and asked, "Sleepy yet?"

She shook her head, then nodded. "You can take a nap, Mom. I'll protect you."

I laughed and pulled her into my arms. "You're just a baby. How are you gonna protect me?"

"Well, however I can, I'm on your side."

I closed my eyes and rested a hand on her back.

My phone had finally gone silent. Good. I was done talking to them.

I curled up on the couch and pulled an old blanket up to my chin. Its sun-kissed scent surrounded me as I drifted off to sleep.