Chapter 2

The organizer called for me to get onstage and prepare for my opening speech.

I hurried to the dressing room to put on my custom necklace, only to find the jewelry box empty.

Looking up toward the end of the hallway, I saw Victoria wearing my necklace, leaning into Enzo's arms with a bright smile.

That necklace was a custom piece I'd designed three months ago to match Enzo's.

The moment Victoria noticed me looking, the smile on her face froze.

Enzo frowned and instinctively shielded her behind him. "It's just a necklace. I'll order you a new one tonight."

But before I could tell him not to bother, Victoria's foot slipped, and she lunged straight into the display. As she fell, she "accidentally" splashed red wine across the painting in front of her. The frame crashed to the floor and broke.

The painting was my proudest piece. I'd stayed up countless nights to finish it and planned to make it the grand finale of the exhibition.

Victoria sat on the floor, her eyes red as she began to cry in panic. "I'm sorry, Franca. I didn't mean to. I just wanted to get a closer look at your painting…"

Enzo rushed to her immediately, wrapping her in his arms and murmuring soft, comforting words.

The guests gathered around her, all comforting the poor Principessa. No one cared about the painting I'd poured my heart into or even noticed me standing right beside it.

Mamma had been looking at Victoria with concern, but when she turned and saw my indifferent expression, she suddenly stiffened.

"Franca, I remember you used to love collecting famous paintings." Her voice softened. "How about I have your Papa cancel the family meeting tonight and go to the auction house to bid on that genuine Picasso for you?"

It sounded like a mother spoiling her daughter. But I knew she was only trying to keep me from making a scene over Victoria like I used to.

They had forgotten that I no longer had the right to compete with Victoria, let alone challenge their real daughter.

I shook my head with a wry smile. "I'm not a Moretti by blood, so I have no right to accept a gift this expensive. The painting is already ruined. There's no point making a fuss over it."

Mamma's smile froze. A complicated look flashed across her eyes.

By then, Victoria had completely stolen the spotlight at my exhibition. After enjoying the attention and flattery from the guests, she walked toward me, smiling as she held a bouquet of blue roses from one of them.

"Franca, congratulations on a successful show," she said, pulling a dried leaf from the bouquet and handing it to me.

Every eye in the room turned toward me. I calmly took the leaf and thanked her.

Seeing that I didn't lose my temper like I used to, a flicker of disappointment crossed Victoria's eyes.

She immediately threw herself into Papa's arms and said, "Papa, did you forget to prepare a gift for Franca? Don't neglect her just because I've woken up."

The entire room fell silent. Papa's expression turned awkward, and Mamma looked away.

Before Victoria woke up, my parents had indeed prepared an extravagant gift for me—20 percent of the Moretti family's assets in Enwora.

It was even more than the share my older brother Giovanni Moretti had received. But after Victoria woke up, everyone quietly acted as if it had never happened.

My parents went quiet, clearly at a loss for words. I broke the silence for them. "I'm only an adopted daughter. I have no blood ties to you, so I don't deserve something this valuable. It was always meant for Victoria."

Enzo stood nearby, his brow furrowed. I followed his gaze to the blue diamond ring gleaming on Victoria's ring finger.

He had once promised to propose to me with that very ring in front of everyone at my exhibition. But now it was on Victoria's finger instead.

I looked away, unusually calm. I had nothing left to lose.

I had turned down an offer to become chief designer at Slento's leading design institute, all so I could stay home and be by Enzo's side. Now, it was finally time to get my life back on track.