The Don's Hidden Heiress: Last Week AliveWhen I drink the amber-colored poisonous wine, I can hear the joyful melody of a toast song coming from the manor.
The wedding between Emanuela Romano and my ex-fiance, Benedetto Martini, is being held there right now.
The elderly butler, Vincenzo Romano, puts away the wine glass with a blank expression. The way he speaks is as somber as one sounds when they give a speech at a funeral.
"You know the Don's will very well, Ms. Andreotti. Five years are officially up, yet neither Mr. Andreotti, Mr. Martini, nor Dr. Foscari is willing to pledge their loyalty to you via the blood vow. According to the rules, you must take your own life within seven days.
"The Don had left the Ashwine to you as a means of protecting… what little pride you have."
Scorching pain begins spreading from my throat. I just smile at Vincenzo in return.
Pride?
Does a bastard spawn of a loose Iernian woman deserve to retain pride of any sort in the cruel Andreotti family?
I begin making my way toward the banquet hall, which is brightly lit. As I walk past the shimmering waters of the pond in the family garden, I can tell that the waters are insanely cold.
Then again, nothing is as cold as my icy heart right now.
After taking a deep breath, I fall face-first into the pond… only to feel an iron-clad grip wrenching me backward. As such, I collapse onto the lawn heavily.
My older brother, Alessandro Andreotti, has bits of grass covering his expensive suit. Disgust is written all over his handsome face.
"Eva!" he grits out through his teeth, his voice lowered. "Must you spoil the mood on Emanuela's big day?"
He then scoots closer to me, his alcohol-tinged breath fanning over my face. "You want to die, huh? Go ahead and do that, but can you die somewhere further? Don't stain the Andreotti land!"
Alessandro turns to walk in the direction of the radiant lights, leaving me on the lawn, completely covered in mud. I can feel the countdown of my lifespan burning my insides.
Seven days… I only have seven days to live.
Meanwhile, my very own brother wants me to die somewhere further away.