Liliana's POV
Immediately Nadina saw them standing by the door. She ran toward them and clutched Giacomo's hands.
"She hurt baby Angela!" she cried. "I just brought her soup to cheer her up and she threw it away."
"You wanted to poison me. You know I'm allergic to seafood!" I snapped.
"I swear I had no idea, Giacomo," Nadina said, and started sobbing pitifully again.
I scoffed. The fact they fell for her fake tears was pathetic.
Giacomo and Pietro marched toward me like soldiers defending their queen's honor.
"How could you be so vicious, huh?" Pietro sneered at me.
"A night locked up hasn't done much to reform you, huh? You want more punishment?" Giacomo snarled.
I stared at them blankly. "What more do you want to do, huh? You've done everything you could ever possibly do to hurt me."
Giacomo's eyes softened for a bit before the baby's cries sounded again and they hardened.
"I'll let you off the hook just this time!" he snapped as he left with Nadina and the baby.
"Let me off the hook?" I scoffed, laughing like a crazy person. "Do you even know what I've been going through all these days? Do you even know that I lost—"
"We need to take Angela to the doctor," Nadina's teary voice interrupted me.
And just like that she managed to silence me once again as the boys rallied around her and left with the baby while she gave me a smug smirk before leaving.
I stayed in the hospital for a few more hours and they didn't return.
When the doctor discharged me he gave me a strict warning.
"If you don't rest, you will die, and I'm not joking here," he said.
I nodded. "I understand, doctor."
When I got back to the Russo compound they weren't back yet. I went into the room I had shared with Giacomo for four years and I brought out a big box.
I carried the box outside and I lit a fire in the big metal drum in the courtyard, the one the soldiers used to burn documents that couldn't survive a raid. Then I opened the box and was assaulted with years of memories.
Inside, the box was filled with photographs from the ceremony, gifts Giacomo and Pietro had given me over the years whenever I celebrated the anniversary of my union with the Family.
As I tossed them into the flame it felt like I was liberating a piece of myself. How naive I was, to love two people who hated me this cruelly.
Every piece of paper, jewelry, picture, dress, everything I burnt had a story behind it, but I realized it wasn't a true story. Everything was just a reminder that I had been lied to over the years.
As I picked up the last item in the box I stared at it a bit longer. It was a braided bracelet I had made with the boys six years ago, the three cords knotted together the night Pietro swore his oath to me.
"I promise to never ever let anyone hurt you. I'll die before I let someone lay a finger on you," Pietro had promised.
"You already know I love you, Liliana. I'll love you forever and never let anyone hurt you," Giacomo had promised, kissing me.
Now as I held the bracelet and their voices sounded in my mind I smiled bitterly and tossed it into the flames.
That was the exact moment the boys arrived and saw the bracelet. They ran toward me.
"Have you lost your mind? That's our bracelet!" Pietro snapped as he tried to retrieve it but ended up getting burned.
"Why are you burning up our things and throwing a tantrum, Liliana?" Giacomo asked.
I scoffed. "They're old and need to be discarded. They don't matter again."
Then I walked away and went upstairs ignoring them.
As I entered my bedroom my phone rang. It was my mother.
I picked up the call immediately and her worried voice sounded through the phone.
"What happened, Liliana? Where have you been? I've been worried sick!"
I chuckled softly, feeling lighter now that I'd erased all memories I had with the boys.
"I'm sorry, Mom, I didn't mean to worry you but I assure you, I'm fine," I said.
My mother sighed, relieved to hear my voice.
"Your father is still a bit upset with you because you ran off fifteen years ago and didn't come or call home."
I always knew my father was the difficult one. Don Lorenzo Valentino didn't forgive easily, and he didn't forget at all.
"I'll make it up to him when I'm back," I said.
My mother giggled cheerfully. "He's happy that you've finally agreed to the wedding though. The reason I was calling was because I wanted you to pick out your wedding dress. I sent a couple of pictures."
"Mom, don't worry. I'll come back soon so we can go shopping for wedding dresses instead, how does that sound?" I asked.
She chuckled happily. "Oh that sounds wonderful, Liliana. I'll be waiting."
"Alright then, Mom, I'll be back in time for the wedding dress shopping," I said and hung up.
Just then the door was pushed open and the two boys stood before me, their eyes wide with horror.
"Wedding? What wedding?" Giacomo asked.
