Chapter 5

That day marked the anniversary of Rosetta's death. She was Silvia's mother and also the person who saved Dante's life.

Years ago, she shielded him from a car crash explosion that would've killed him outright. Without her, the man known as the Don wouldn't exist.

On that day every year, regardless of where his arms business took him, he cleared his schedule. He wore a dark, formal suit and accompanied Silvia to the cemetery, where they knelt in silence.

Dante had spoken of it plainly. His biological mother died in childbirth. Rosetta, his nanny, raised him as her own and gave him the care he'd otherwise never known. She later died protecting him.

That exchange of lives became a burden he carried with him always, and he'd never dare forget it.

By 6:00 am, Silvia was already kneeling before the grave. She remained there through the slow hours, from early light to noon, until dusk settled in.

Cold had worked its way into her bones. Rain weighed down the bandage, soaked through and pulled at her skin, while the wound beneath it throbbed with a bloated, stinging ache that had gone nearly numb.

She took out her phone and placed the 33rd call.

"Sorry. The number you have dialed…"

It was the first time Dante was absent.

She was just about to text him when Lucia's update appeared without warning. The caption was all hearts, followed by a single sentence.

"Thank you, Dante, for helping me find my childhood again. This is the happiest day of my life!"

A carousel of nine photos showed none of the cold cemetery or the rain. They showed a carousel, cotton candy, and a fireworks display.

Dante wasn't wearing his usual suit. He had on a casual matching outfit that leaned almost juvenile, a pink balloon in his hand.

His eyes held no menace now. All that remained was his open affection for Lucia.

The photo in the center was taken at the highest point of the Ferris wheel. Fireworks burst across the sky behind them.

Inside the narrow car, Dante, the man everyone feared, cupped Lucia's face and kissed her deeply.

It was Rosetta's death anniversary. Silvia knelt in mud and rain for 12 hours waiting for him, and he spent the day with Lucia at an amusement park, kissing her high above the ground.

This was what "never dare forget" looked like in practice.

…

It was late at night when Silvia returned home.

Dante was seated with ointment in hand, gently working it into Lucia's ankle. "You must've had too much fun today. Your skin's rubbed raw."

The tone carried reproach, but his touch remained gentle.

Silvia entered at that moment. She brought the cold in with her and dropped her phone hard onto the coffee table.

"Do you even remember what day it is?"

Dante kept his focus on Lucia's ankle. His face stayed calm. "I do. It's Rosetta's death anniversary."

Silvia pointed at the rain streaking down the window. For the first time, she lost control and shouted at him, "Then, why weren't you there? I waited for you at the cemetery the entire day!

"My mother died saving you. She was blown to pieces for it! And on her death anniversary, you were kissing another woman on a Ferris wheel?"

Lucia looked startled. "Mi dispiace, Silvia. I wasn't feeling well today. I started thinking about my parents who passed away—"

Silvia cut her off, eyes cold, "Zitta! This isn't your place to speak!"

Dante moved Lucia behind him and finally lost his temper.

"Silvia Serra! Are you out of your mind? Lucia broke down today. She almost had a depressive episode. If I didn't stay with her, was I supposed to let her spiral?"

Silvia answered with a bleak smile, "What kind of illness gets cured by kissing someone else's husband? If you're so clear on priorities, why didn't you die in my mom's place back then?"

"Living people matter more than the dead!"

The blunt reply struck hard, breaking through everything Silvia had been holding together.

"Try to think rationally, Silvia. Rosetta's been gone for years. Whether I visit her or not, she can't feel it. That's something the living do for themselves. But Lucia's here. She's sensitive.

"She needs someone to protect her. You expect me to abandon her for some ritual meant for the dead?"

Silvia trembled, her chest rising and falling out of rhythm.

"If my mom hadn't shielded you with her own body, you'd be the one lying in the mud right now, waiting for people to perform empty rituals, Dante Valenti!"

Dante snapped like he'd heard it too many times already. "Enough! The Valenti family took you in and gave you the title of Donna Valenti. That settled that debt long ago! Stop guilt-tripping me with Rosetta's death!

"If Rosetta were alive and knew what Lucia's going through, she'd understand. She was loyal and kind. She wouldn't cling to old scores the way you do!"

Rosetta's life, and the last words she left Silvia with, the charge to protect Dante at all costs, were reduced to nothing but guilt-tripping.

He had broken their marriage vows, and he'd abandoned the very sense of honor the family held sacred, all for Lucia.

Silvia chose not to argue further. She studied him for a long time before saying, "You make me sick."

Dante turned a little, avoided her gaze, and said through clenched teeth, "Think whatever you want."