CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR : WHEN THINGS GO WRONG

Isabella had never imagined that a simple charity visit could turn into such a disaster.

She stood in the children's home's small activity hall, holding a clipboard while Elena spoke with the director. The children had gathered around a table, excited about the new educational supplies the foundation had promised to provide.

Everything had been going well.

Until Bianca arrived.

Isabella noticed her near the entrance and immediately stiffened.

“What is she doing here?” she whispered.

Elena followed her gaze.

“Do you know her?”

“She's my stepsister.”

Elena's expression changed slightly.

Before she could say anything, Bianca approached them with a bright smile that didn't reach her eyes.

“Isabella! What a surprise.”

Isabella forced a polite smile.

“Bianca.”

“I heard you were doing charity work now. How wonderful.”

Her eyes travelled over Isabella's clothes before returning to her face.

“I must say, you've adjusted to your new life very quickly.”

Elena stepped forward.

“Good afternoon. And you are?”

“Bianca Rossi. Isabella's sister.”

“Step-sister,” Isabella corrected quietly.

Bianca laughed.

“Oh, there's no need to be formal. We're family.”

Isabella said nothing.

She knew that tone. Bianca was never kind without a reason.

“What brings you here?” Isabella asked.

“I came to see what my sister has been doing. I thought perhaps I could help.”

Elena smiled politely.

“That's kind of you, but this is a scheduled foundation visit.”

“Of course. I wouldn't want to interfere.”

Bianca turned towards the children.

“Hello, everyone!”

A few children waved.

She took out her phone and began taking pictures.

Isabella watched her uneasily.

“Bianca, please don't take pictures of the children without permission.”

Bianca lowered her phone.

“Relax. I'm only taking pictures of my sister's wonderful charity work.”

She smiled again.

But Isabella didn't believe her.

---

An hour later, the trouble began.

The foundation director approached Elena with a worried expression.

“Mrs. Moretti, there's a problem.”

Elena turned.

“What is it?”

“Someone has posted pictures from today's visit online. The caption suggests the foundation is using vulnerable children for publicity.”

Isabella's stomach tightened.

“What?”

The director showed them his phone.

Several photographs of Isabella distributing books had been posted alongside a caption suggesting that she was using the children's suffering to improve her public image.

The post also included an old photograph of Isabella outside her father's house.

The caption read:

Some people will do anything to look respectable after marrying into money. Perhaps the children deserve better than being used as props.

Isabella stared at the screen.

She recognised the account immediately.

Bianca.

Her fingers began to tremble.

“I didn't know she was going to do this.”

Elena took the phone and examined the pictures.

“Did you give her permission to photograph the children?”

“No. I asked her not to.”

The director looked uncomfortable.

“We'll need to address this before it spreads further. Some of our donors have already started asking questions.”

Isabella felt her chest tighten.

“I can speak to her. I'll ask her to remove it.”

She hurried towards the entrance, but Bianca was already leaving.

“Bianca!”

Her stepsister turned.

“Oh, Isabella. What's wrong?”

“Please take those pictures down.”

Bianca raised an eyebrow.

“Why? They're lovely pictures.”

“You know that's not what I mean. You're making it look as though we're using the children.”

“Are you?”

Isabella stared at her.

“What?”

Bianca shrugged.

“I'm only asking questions. People should know what goes on behind those expensive doors.”

“Please don't do this.”

Bianca leaned closer.

“Why? Did you think marrying a rich man would make everyone forget where you came from?”

Isabella's eyes filled with tears.

“Bianca, stop.”

Her stepsister smiled.

“Enjoy your new family, Isabella. Let's see how long they'll keep defending you when you become an embarrassment.”

Then she walked away.

---

Isabella returned to the activity hall with her head lowered.

Elena immediately noticed her expression.

“Did she agree to remove the pictures?”

Isabella shook her head.

“I'm sorry.”

“For what, dear?”

“For bringing her here. I should have known she'd cause trouble.”

Elena gently touched her shoulder.

“Isabella, you didn't invite her. And you didn't post those pictures.”

“But the foundation is suffering because of me.”

“Then we'll address the problem. That's what families do.”

Isabella looked at her.

For a moment, she couldn't find the words.

In her father's house, this would have been different.

Roberto would have accused her of bringing shame to the family. Claudia would have called her careless, and Bianca would have laughed while everyone blamed her.

But Elena wasn't shouting.

She wasn't asking why Isabella had failed to control her stepsister.

She was simply standing beside her.

“Come,” Elena said gently. “Let's go inside and work out what needs to be done.”

---

When Alessandro arrived that evening, he found Isabella sitting quietly in the sitting room.

He had received a call from Elena earlier and already knew something had happened.

He removed his jacket and sat beside his wife.

“Come here.”

She moved closer.

“ mother told me about Bianca.”

Isabella looked down.

“I'm sorry.”

He frowned.

“Why are you apologising?”

“She came because of me. Now people are questioning the foundation.”

“Did you ask her to post those pictures?”

“No.”

“Did you give her permission to use the children's photographs?”

“No.”

“Then why are you apologising?”

Isabella swallowed.

“I don't know. I just feel like I should have prevented it.”

Alessandro took her hands.

“You cannot control every foolish thing another person decides to do.”

She looked at him.

“Your mother wasn't angry.”

“Why would she be?”

“She said we would work it out together.”

A small smile touched his lips.

“That's because she's sensible.”

Isabella laughed weakly.

He brushed his thumb across her knuckles.

“Tell me exactly what happened.”

She explained everything, including Bianca's comments and the post.

Alessandro listened without interrupting.

When she finished, he kissed her forehead.

“I'm proud of you.”

She blinked.

“Proud of me? But I couldn't fix anything.”

“You asked her to stop. You tried to protect the children. You didn't create this mess, Isabella.”

He stood and offered her his hand.

“Come. We're going to the dining room.”

“Why?”

“Because my family is waiting.”

---

When they entered the dining room, Elena, Vittorio, Lorenzo and Valentina were already seated.

Valentina immediately pulled out a chair for Isabella.

“Come sit. We've been discussing your stepsister.”

Isabella looked nervous.

“I'm sorry about everything.”

Vittorio put down his glass.

“Mrs. Moretti, I hope you don't intend to spend the entire evening apologising for someone else's behaviour.”

She looked at him.

He continued.

“The foundation has dealt with criticism before. We will issue a statement explaining the purpose of today's visit and confirming that the children's privacy is being protected.”

Elena nodded.

“I've already spoken with the director. We'll also review our photography guidelines.”

Valentina leaned forward.

“And I've reported the post for using the children's images without permission.”

Lorenzo smiled.

“See? Everyone has a job. You don't have to do everything yourself.”

Isabella looked around the table.

Nobody was blaming her.

Nobody was telling her she had embarrassed the family.

They were simply trying to solve the problem.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Vittorio nodded.

“Remember something, Isabella. Being part of this family doesn't mean you will never make mistakes. It means you won't have to face every difficulty alone.”

Her eyes filled with tears.

Alessandro reached beneath the table and took her hand.

---

Later that night, Isabella stood in front of the bedroom mirror, removing her earrings.

Alessandro approached from behind.

“Still thinking about today?”

She nodded.

“I kept expecting someone to tell me it was my fault.”

He met her eyes through the mirror.

“Did anyone?”

“No.”

“Then perhaps you should start getting used to being treated differently.”

She turned towards him.

“I think I like your family.”

He smiled.

“Only think?”

She laughed.

“I like them very much.”

He pulled her gently into his arms.

“Good. Because they're not going anywhere.”

She rested her cheek against his chest.

For once, when something had gone wrong, Isabella hadn't been made to feel like a failure.

She had been encouraged.

Protected.

And reminded that she belonged.

But across the city, Bianca was far from finished.

She stared at her phone, furious as the foundation's official statement began circulating online.

Her attempt to embarrass Isabella had failed.

And the worst part was that the Morettis had defended her without hesitation.

Bianca clenched her jaw.

“If she thinks she's better than me now, I'll remind her who she really is.”

She opened her contacts and found a number she hadn't called in months.