All Chapters of The Family Never Forgives: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

At four in the morning, I woke up like usual and dialed my makeup artist's number.She sounded confused. "The Valenti family called last night. They said the wedding's off. You didn't know?"I bolted out of the bedroom. Dante Valenti stood in a custom tailored suit, heading for the door with his parents.His father, Enzo Valenti, was the old Don's Sottocapo in Nooklyn. He had over 30 Capos under him and controlled every gray market operation across New Yis's boroughs.His mother, Carmela Costa, wore thick gold chains around her neck year-round."Where are you going? Why didn't anyone tell me the wedding was canceled?"Carmela walked over with a fake smile plastered on her face. "Serena, you got pregnant out of nowhere. Calling off the wedding is for your own good. People in our circle talk. If you walked down the aisle with a belly, where would that leave the Valenti name?"Then the door shut.I stood alone in the empty living room. My wedding dress hung on the bedroom rack, wh

Chapter 2

The abortion procedure was over quickly. It was less than half an hour from start to finish.The baby was only a month along and had not formed yet.I had listed Dante's number as the emergency contact on the prenatal registration form. The hospital notification text already went through.Several voice messages popped up in a row."What was that text message about? You made up some fake story to trick me?"I get that you're upset about the wedding being called off, but you don't need to make up lies to get back at me."The rest were all accusations. He said I was immature, unreasonable, and inconsiderate of the Valenti family's situation.Over the years, I learned the rules. I learned to cook. I learned how to smile graciously at family gatherings.Enzo liked espresso, so I ground the beans every morning at six.Carmela could not remember to take her medications. I kept track for her. During holidays, I cooked for a dozen people by myself because she did not like the help's co

Chapter 3

Before I left, I needed to visit my parents' graves one last time.I bought two bouquets of white roses and a bottle of the Grappa that Papa loved.When I pushed open the bedroom door, the fruit basket I had prepared was knocked over on the floor.I had shipped blood oranges, figs, and candied lemons from Sicania. Every single item was something my parents loved when they were alive.All of it had been half eaten and tossed everywhere.Liliana sat on my bed clapping for her child. "Eat more, cara. It's free fruit anyway."I rushed over and shoved her aside. "Those were for my parents! What gives you the right to touch them?"Dante burst into the room. He only saw Liliana stumble back a step.He slapped me hard enough to knock me to the floor."You're going to fight over a few pieces of fruit? It was bad enough when you threw a fit over the dowry, but now you're being cheap about fruit too?"Liliana immediately covered her face and started crying. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know.

Chapter 4

The next day, Dante said he had an emergency and told me to get dressed without him. I stood in front of the mirror wearing that cheapest wedding dress for three hours.The photographer pretended to adjust his equipment. The shop staff whispered among themselves.My phone buzzed. Isabella Caruso, a friend who worked at City Hall, sent me a message."Is this your man? He's here getting a marriage license right now. The woman next to him is wearing a wedding dress that costs at least 800 thousand dollars."The photo was not very clear, but I recognized that dress immediately. It hung in the center display window of this very shop, pure white Duchesse satin with hand-sewn Swarovski crystals and a ten-foot train. It was the most expensive gown in the entire store.I went into the dressing room and took off the cheap, wrinkled wedding dress I was wearing. It took three tries to undo the buttons."I'm sorry. My husband can't make it today."The photographer sighed but said nothing.

Chapter 5

Liliana stood in the doorway on crutches. "Dante, what are you talking about?"Dante held the surgical record in front of her face. Liliana glanced at it and sighed."That's fake. She's obviously upset and made a fake report to get your sympathy."Then her voice cracked with tears. "Dante, I'm sorry. I've secretly loved you for so long. I knew you were with Serena, so I never dared to say anything. I could only trick myself with stupid games and pretend I was your woman. I didn't mean to cause you trouble."I'll leave right now. I'll take the baby and go."The child wailed in her arms. She comforted him while stuffing clothes into her suitcase.Dante softened. He put the clothes back in the closet and took the baby from her, patting him gently."It's not your fault. Stay as long as you want. She's the one who's paranoid all the time. I try to explain things to her and she won't listen."Let's see where she can go without me. She'll come crawling back within a month."Liliana t

Chapter 6

The plane landed in Lalermo at 5:30 in the morning.The air was completely different from New Yis. No exhaust fumes or cooking oil. Just sea breeze, earth, and the scent of lemon blossoms.I took a bus from the airport to the small town, then walked 20 minutes along a gravel road from the town entrance.I stood in front of the old house and looked at the lemon grove that had been abandoned for over two years.My parents spent most of their lives here. The oldest lemon tree in the yard was planted by Papa the year I was born.He said by the time the tree bore fruit, his daughter would be all grown up.After they died, no one took care of it. The weeds grew up to my knees, but the old tree was still alive. A few crooked green fruits hung from its branches.My neighbor, Zia Rosaria, saw me and ran out to pull me into a tight hug."Madonna mia, Serena! You're so thin! What happened to your face?"She did not ask too many questions. She brought out a plate of cannoli and cut me a s

Chapter 7

Watching him beg so pathetically only made the fire in my chest burn hotter.Back then, the wedding date kept getting pushed back. Papa's heart grew weaker, and Mamma deteriorated day by day.I begged him the same way he was begging me now.I told him the dowry could be negotiated. I told him Papa's body would not last much longer and asked if we could just have the wedding first. I even said please. He never softened once.Enzo and Carmela said to my face, "Your dowry is practically nothing and you still have the nerve to make demands?"Dante sat beside them without saying a word.My parents just kept waiting and hoping until, one by one, they died. Now he wanted me to give in? Too late."Thank God you looked down on me because at least I finally saw your true face. Selfish, fake, full of lies. I wasted eight years on you."Get out. If you come back again, I'll beat you every time I see you."I grabbed the hoe leaning against the wall and swung it at him. The iron blade flew

Chapter 8

Before she could finish cursing me out, I hung up, blocked the number, and deleted it.The following weekend, I went to Lalermo for an agricultural training course on organic certification and export logistics. I got back close to midnight.The town had no streetlights. Clouds covered half the moon and a few dogs barked in the distance.Footsteps suddenly sounded behind me, heavy and urgent, getting closer. A strong smell of alcohol hit me.A pair of hands locked around me from behind."Serena, I miss you so much. Come back with me. I don't blame you for the abortion. We can have more children later."Dante's full weight pressed against me and his breath reeked of Grappa.I struggled with everything I had but it was useless. He was too strong."Let me go! Help!"The night was quiet and my voice carried far. Lights turned on in the surrounding houses one by one as doors were pushed open.Old Giuseppe ran out first, over 70 years old and holding a machete. Behind him came Zia R

Chapter 9

I heard what happened next from Zia Rosaria. Her niece worked as a nurse in New Yis.Liliana brought the baby and caused a scene outside the Valenti family villa for an entire week."The Valenti family tricks people and steals their money! They made me have their baby and then divorced me without paying a cent of child support!"She knelt on the cement ground in the middle of summer while the baby wailed under the sun. A cardboard sign next to her was covered in accusations.People on the street did not know the full story. Word spread from one person to ten and from ten to a hundred.The Valenti family scandal spread through the entire mafia circle.For an ordinary family, this would just be a scandal, but the Valentis were not an ordinary family.In their world, reputation was everything. Once your reputation was ruined, people refused to pay protection money, business partners looked down on you, and the five Don families at the top reckoned that if you could not even manage

Chapter 10

The last time I saw Dante was at my parents' grave.That day, I bought two bouquets of white roses and brought a bottle of Grappa. I took a three-hour bus ride to the cemetery.I wiped the dust off the headstone, arranged the flowers, and poured a small cup of liquor in front of it."Papa, Mamma, the lemon grove had a good harvest this year. I found an exporter in Lalermo. The first shipment goes out next month."I crouched in front of the headstone and talked for a long time. The sun moved west and my shadow stretched long.When I stood up to leave, there was movement in the bushes at the edge of the cemetery. A person slowly crawled out.I almost did not recognize him.His hair was a tangled mess and his face was covered in grime and dried cracked wounds.A beard covered half his face, his clothes were wrinkled and reeked of sour sweat, and his shoes had holes in them with blackened toes sticking out.This was Dante Valenti, the same Dante Valenti who once wore custom tailor

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP