All Chapters of Keep the Crest, I'm Going Home: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

After the ceremony, Vera ducked behind Carmela and made a face at me."Sorry, Elsa. You lost the crest to me again this year."Carmela ruffled her hair affectionately. "You little brat, rubbing it in after you've already won.""Come on, I had the butler order those pastries you love."Their laughter faded as they walked away, and the rest of the family dispersed one by one.Leah, who'd grown up with me, approached with red-rimmed eyes. "You found the weapons the Moretti family had hidden before anyone else. If Vera hadn't barged in with her people to steal the credit, she wouldn't have exposed you. You barely made it out alive."I touched my neck. A bullet had grazed right past it during the firefight. Another fraction of an inch, and it would have killed me.Leah continued, seething. "Besides, your mother promised to let you pass this year! Vera already has the crest. What does she need another one for? But if you don't pass next year, you'll be sent to the shooting range as a live ta

The next day was the birthday I shared with Vera.I was a foundling. Carmela didn't know my real birthday, so she'd given me the same one as Vera.My childhood friend, Cole Marino, came too, bringing two gifts.He handed me a small bag. "Open it. It's for you."I unwrapped it. Inside was an elegant keychain with a tiny Hermes logo.My nose stung, and I smiled and thanked him.In the four years since Vera came back, he was the only one who still remembered to get me a birthday present.Beside us, Vera let out a soft scoff. Carmela and Cole both turned to look at her.She folded her arms, looking smug. "See? I told you. Elsa only deserves the freebie."She casually lifted the bag Cole had given her. The logo matched the one on my keychain. It was a limited-edition Hermes bag."I'm not that easy to please. Who treats a keychain that came free with a bag like some kind of treasure?"The servants all kept their heads down. No one dared say a word.The metal edge of the keychain dug into my

The car pulled away smoothly. I leaned back against the rear seat and closed my eyes.At the villa entrance, Luca watched until the car disappeared from sight, then turned and went inside.Before long, Carmela returned with Vera and Cole.The cut on Vera's neck was barely a scratch, but Carmela still patted her back and murmured, "It's all right. It's all right. My poor baby, you must have been terrified."Cole hovered beside them, his face tight with concern. "Don't ever do anything that dangerous again. I worry about you."The three of them walked into the living room and sensed something was off.Normally I would already be standing in a corner with my head down, waiting to be summoned. Today, I was nowhere to be found.Cole turned to Luca, who was standing to the side. "Where's Elsa? Tell her to come apologize to Vera."Luca answered flatly. "She left.""Left?" Carmela's face darkened. "Where could she have gone? If she's throwing a tantrum, she could at least choose a better time.

After coming home to the Rossi family, my mother Ivy found a new way to cook for me every day. From breakfast to late-night snacks, she always made things I liked.Lorenzo brought me into the family business and patiently taught me how to handle its affairs. No one put trials in my way. No one told me to step aside for someone else.Slowly, I settled into being treasured and put the years in the Gallo household behind me.At the same time, the Gallo family was beginning to notice something was wrong.They'd assumed I was just being jealous and petty, that running away was a ploy for attention. But days passed, and I hadn't returned or sent a single word.Cole cracked first.He sent me over a dozen messages, his tone shifting from impatient demands to a show of forced bravado.[Elsa, you've had your tantrum. Come home.][Elsa, if you're willing to come back and apologize to Vera, I'll drive out to get you myself.][What are you so busy with? Why won't you answer my messages?]After the

Lorenzo's gaze swept across the room and settled on the three members of the Gallo family."Twenty-two years ago, the Moretti family engineered an audacious plot to take over both the Rossi and Gallo families."They had the newborn heirs of both families kidnapped. Their plan was to kill the real children, then years later stage their miraculous return with Moretti agents in their place."Gasps rippled through the crowd.Every eye turned to Vera.Could she be the imposter?Carmela staggered. "No... that's impossible..."Vera was the daughter she'd reclaimed. The child she'd doted on for four years. How could she be a fraud?"My daughter Elsa survived because the killer assigned to the job had a moment of mercy. He abandoned her on the outskirts instead of killing her, and she was lucky enough to be found and adopted by Mrs. Gallo."Lorenzo continued, his voice icy. "But Mrs. Gallo's own daughter was not so fortunate. The Moretti family killed her twenty-two years ago."The words hit th