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Chapter 7

Author: Lianne
Salvatore had no answer.

Sophia’s breathing suddenly quickened. She gasped for air, her voice shaking. "I'm sorry… It's my fault… Don't blame my sister, Salvatore…"

The moment he saw her condition, panic took over his face.

"Driver, get to the hospital! Now!"

Then, he glanced at me, still sitting in the car. "Irene, you've gone too far. Get out. You can head back on your own."

He left me on the side of the road.

The car sped off.

I stood there, but I did not feel sad anymore. I looked up at the night sky. At some point, snow had begun to fall.

It was snowing in Sicelia.

I did not expect to see the first snow of the year before I left.

I walked all the way back to the Moretti estate. The entire place was brightly decorated and filled with excitement. My parents were busy preparing for Sophia's wedding.

"The wedding is set for the day after tomorrow. It's the perfect date. We have to make Sophia's wedding grand and flawless," Natalie said with a smile.

Vincent sighed. "Time really flies. I can't believe our daughter is getting married already."

They were both overjoyed, yet reluctant to let her be married off. I stood at a distance, watching them as the realization slowly settled in. They truly, deeply loved Sophia.

When I was younger, I once watched a television program about families being reunited. It featured a little girl who had been trafficked to a rural area in Sicelia and renamed Aurora.

She later became a fashion designer, and when she finally found her real family, she kept telling the host that her mother would never have abandoned her, that she had to be out there still looking. The host gently told her that her mother had been searching for her all along, that she had never stopped loving her.

Aurora was not her real name. Her mother had named her Stella.

On screen, the designer broke down in tears, repeating again and again that she had always known her mother would never have abandoned her. Back then, sitting in front of the television, I cried just as hard.

That was when I made up my mind to find my own mother.

I suddenly felt regret as I watched Vincent and Natalie. I regretted finding my family again.

If I had not, I would still be able to think of them as kind, loving people.

I did not greet my parents and went straight back to my storage room.

Tomorrow night at nine, I would leave. After that, the world would open up to me, wide and boundless, with nowhere I could not go. I would not have to long for family or love anymore.

…

The day after tomorrow was Sophia and Salvatore's wedding. Christina organized a pre-wedding party at the estate, drawing a crowd of wealthy young guests, including classmates Sophia and I both knew.

By the next morning, the estate was buzzing with life. My room did not have a bathroom, so I had to go outside to wash up. As I passed the living room, I saw them gathered around for a game of truth or dare. Sophia and Salvatore sat at the center, surrounded by everyone else.

"Salvatore, you lost. Truth or dare?" One of the rich boys grinned.

"Dare," Salvatore answered.

"You have to kiss Sophia for one minute."

Sophia lowered her head, her cheeks turning red.

Christina laughed. "Come on, it's their last day of being single. Can't everyone just have some fun?"

The man's gaze suddenly shifted and landed on me.

"In that case, Salvatore, you can pick any woman here and kiss her for one minute."

The room instantly buzzed with excitement.

Then, he pointed straight at me.

"Irene, didn't you use to like Salvatore the most? He's about to get married. Why don't you give him one last kiss to remember you by?"

Salvatore stood up and walked toward me.

When he was about two feet away, Sophia's voice stopped him.

"Salvatore…" She looked fragile, almost pitiful.

He turned back to glance at her, then looked at me again. His voice dropped. "There are so many people here. I'm about to marry Sophia. I can't embarrass her.

"You understand, right?"

I gave a calm nod.

"Mhm."

I turned and walked away to wash up.

Behind me, I could hear the cheers as Salvatore kissed Sophia, and in that moment, I finally understood something I had always known. I might have grown up without love, but I was not stupid. When it came down to choosing between the two of us, I was almost grateful he did not choose me.

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  • The Silenced Songbird Sings Again   Chapter 22

    Salvatore stayed in Napleton City for seven days.He did not try to see Liliana again.Every morning, he parked his car at the corner across from the shipping company and watched her walk into the warehouse.In the evening, he watched her come out, then get into the car Joseph had sent and leave.The way she walked had changed. Her left leg still carried a slight stiffness, but she no longer kept her head down or her shoulders drawn in.She walked steadily, her back straight.Sometimes she would greet the workers, smiling as she said a few words.They respected her. Not the kind of politeness people faked, but real respect.She was doing well in the Conti family.On the seventh evening, Salvatore saw a man come to pick her up. The man wore a sharply tailored black coat and had a tall, solid build. He stepped out of the car and opened the door for her.Joseph.Liliana walked up to the car. Joseph leaned in and said something to her.She smiled.It was a smile Salvatore had

  • The Silenced Songbird Sings Again   Chapter 21

    Napleton City. Three days later.Liliana stood at the entrance of the shipping warehouse, a cargo list in her hand.By now, she was used to checking the incoming and outgoing shipments herself every morning.Lucas said she was too meticulous, but she would just smile and keep going."Miss Liliana." A worker ran up to her, looking nervous. "There's someone outside asking for you."Liliana looked up. "Who?""He didn't give a name. He just said he's an old friend."An old friend?Liliana's fingers tightened slightly. "How many people?""Just one."She set the list aside and walked out of the warehouse.The wind at the port was strong, carrying the salty scent of the sea. A cargo ship sat in the distance while workers loaded and unloaded goods. Seagulls circled overhead, their cries sharp in the air.A man stood at the warehouse entrance.He was wearing a black coat and had a tall figure. His back was to her, facing the sea.However, Liliana recognized him immediately.She s

  • The Silenced Songbird Sings Again   Chapter 20

    Sicelia, Palemore.Salvatore stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in his study, a glass of whiskey in his hand. Outside, the rain had been falling for three straight days.A full year had passed since Irene disappeared. He had searched all of Itania, Francia, Suisse, Austriel, and Germaria, yet he had found nothing.Joseph's methods were even more thorough than he had imagined. Irene had vanished from the world, as if she had never existed at all.However, Salvatore had not given up. He hired the best private investigators and planted informants across multiple countries. He had even gone to Napleton City himself three times. Each time, he was ‘politely’ escorted out by the Conti family.He could not see Joseph.He could not see Irene.A lot had happened to the Moretti family over the past year.Sophia's ‘illness’ had miraculously disappeared after Salvatore called off the engagement. She tried to win him back. She even asked Natalie to speak for her, but Salvatore did

  • The Silenced Songbird Sings Again   Chapter 19

    Three days later in the Conti Estate.Liliana stood at the entrance to the basement.The space was vast and brightly lit. The walls were made of rough stone, lined with portraits of past dons of the Conti family.At the center hung Joseph's father, a man with a shadowed, brooding gaze. Beside him were photos of Marco in his younger years, along with even older ancestors.Core members of the Conti family sat along both sides of a long table. Marco sat at Joseph's right, and the other capos were seated in order of seniority.Joseph sat at the head of the table. He wore a black suit, the silver eagle crest of the Conti family pinned to his chest.Candlelight flickered across his face, deepening the sharp lines of his features."Liliana."His voice was not loud, but every person in the room heard it clearly.Liliana stepped forward.She wore a fitted black suit, and her hair was pinned up, revealing the slender line of her neck. Her left leg still carried a slight stiffness, but

  • The Silenced Songbird Sings Again   Chapter 18

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  • The Silenced Songbird Sings Again   Chapter 17

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