Chapter 5

Vera froze. "I didn't—"

Smack.

The slap cracked across her face. She hit the ground, hard. The cut on her knee ripped open again, blood seeping into the carpet.

For a split second, she thought Carlo reached for her—something like regret in his eyes.

Then Gina whimpered, and his hand snapped back to her instead.

Vera blinked fast, swallowing the sting. 'Yeah right. As if he'd ever feel bad for me.'

"You've let me down," he said coldly. "I taught you to fight to protect yourself—not to hurt people. Apologize to Gina. Now."

She stared at him, quiet and hollow.

Even in this life, he didn't hesitate—just believed Gina. Didn't even let her speak.

Back then, whenever she got into it with someone, Carlo always had her back. Right or wrong.

He used to say he stood by his own—not the truth.

Now Gina was the one he stood by. And Vera? She was just... an outsider.

So even after stepping down, she wasn't family anymore.

The weight of that hit like a brick. She didn't even have the strength to fight back.

Guests whispered. Servants watched, smug.

She knew Gina would come for her. She just hadn't expected the worst blow to come from Carlo.

Vera squeezed her eyes shut, pushed through the pain in her leg, and stood.

She bowed.

"I'm sorry, Gina."

Then she limped away. The second she was out of sight, tears smeared her vision.

She ditched the banquet and grabbed a cab to the hospital.

When the doctor said, "The nerves in your ankle are damaged again. There's a good chance you'll limp for the rest of your life," she went numb.

Back when Carlo was about to take over the Quaranta Family, hits came nonstop. She'd taken bullets for him. Dragged him out of kill zones more than once.

That ankle had shattered back then. The nerves were already fried. The doctor had warned her—one more injury and it'd be permanent.

In her last life, after she married Carlo, the orphanage burned. Her legs were broken. She spent the rest of her days in a wheelchair.

She never thought this life would end with her broken too.

Vera lay there, sobbing till her chest hurt.

'Why do two months have to feel this long?' She was barely hanging on.

That night, she dragged her limp leg back to the estate. From a distance, she spotted Carlo by the gate.

Before, that would've meant he was waiting for her.

Not anymore.

Sure enough, the second he saw her, his face hardened. "So you DO remember where you live?

"You vanish without a word and stroll in past midnight. You think nobody's worried?

"Gina's hurt and still thinking about you, scared something happened, blaming herself.

"You're not a kid. Keep this up, and you can leave for good."

"Don't be mad at her." Gina showed up, bandaged and fragile, voice all sweet. "She just counts on you too much. I'm fine. It's just a surface cut."

She gave Vera a soft smile and reached out, all warm and sisterly.

Vera stepped back. Not playing that game.

Gina flinched like she'd been slapped, clutched her bandaged hand. Blood bloomed through the gauze.

"Gina!" Carlo barked.

He scooped her up, yelling for the family doctor.

Vera froze. She'd never seen him panic like that.

She just stood there, stunned.

She hadn't even touched Gina. All she did was step back. There was no way she caused that.

But Carlo looked at her like she was filth.

"Get out," he growled. "I don't have a sister as cruel as you."