Seeing Adriana lying lifelessly on the floor of the storage room,curled up and pale,the Donna felt fear for the first time.She immediately ordered the household staff to carry her to the Family's private physician.
Thankfully,due to the timely intervention,Adriana's fever subsided.
When Salvatore was summoned to the infirmary,he was startled to the core.He never imagined things would escalate to this extent.Even now,he couldn't quite understand why he had been so furious at the time.
Yet,when he saw the look of resentment on Adriana's face,a chill had run down his spine.His thumb dragged once across his right knuckle,the hand that had once shaken on a promise to her,and he stilled it before anyone could notice.
'She's my sister.How could she look at me like I'm her sworn enemy?'he thought.
Adriana,who had always been meek and eager to please him,circling around him like a lapdog,suddenly declared,"I will never waste another ounce of emotion on a piece of garbage like you,for anything,ever again."
'What gave her the right to say that?'he internally muttered.
The Donna harshly reprimanded Salvatore,her voice low and cutting in the way only a woman who held the bloodline and the name could manage.
Gianna hurried forward,tearfully defending her brother."Big Brother didn't mean it.Besides,it was Sis who made him angry first."Her fingers brushed her collarbone,a small wounded touch,a beat too quick.
"She was upset about being promised to the Morettis and took it out on Big Brother.He's been so distressed these past two days he hasn't even eaten properly."
"Mamma,please don't scold him anymore.If Sis still won't forgive Big Brother,let her take it out on me instead.She can hit me or yell at me.I'll take it."
As she spoke,Gianna began to sob pitifully.
The Donna immediately embraced her younger daughter."Alright,alright.Adriana isn't the type to hold grudges.She'll be fine in a couple of days."Her hand drifted to the heavy mourning ring on her finger,turning it in slow,unconscious circles.
No one noticed that Adriana,lying on the infirmary cot,had already opened her eyes.She watched the scene before her with icy indifference.
The next day,the physician released her.
Although he had advised her to rest two more days,the following day was the Moretti Family's final deadline.There was no negotiating a deadline set by a Family that strong.
The Donna arranged her release.Initially,she planned to collect Adriana herself,but as she was about to leave,Gianna clung to her arm.
"Mamma,you promised to take me to have my gown fitted today.Don't tell me you've forgotten?"Gianna pouted.
"But I also promised Adriana I'd come for her today,"the Donna hesitated.
Knowing Adriana would be handed over to the Morettis the next day,the Donna felt a twinge of guilt.
"But this gown is being made by a designer I worked so hard to find..."Gianna's eyes turned red as she continued,"You always kept your promises to me before.Is it because Sis is back that I've become less important to you?"
"If that's the case,then I'll just go.After all,Sis tried to leave me in the woods back then."Her fingertips touched her collarbone again,quick and practiced.
At the mention of the past,the Donna's expression darkened.She turned the mourning ring once more,then told the driver to collect Adriana later and left with Gianna on her arm.
The Family's driver was a shrewd man who had long read where Adriana stood in the household,which was to say nowhere.After a subtle word from Gianna,he never bothered to drive out that afternoon.
Adriana waited at the infirmary gate for three hours.Finally,with a bitter smile,she muttered to herself in self-mockery,"As expected."
She had already known this would happen.After all,tomorrow she would be delivered to the Morettis,never to return.
As she was about to flag down a cab,a car pulled up in front of her.
Marco stepped out from the driver's seat.When he saw Adriana,he barely recognized her.
In just three days,how had Adriana become so frail?
"Adriana,what happened?Why are you coming out of the infirmary?No wonder I couldn't find you at the Castellano estate,"he said,his voice filled with worry.His thumb turned the Fontaine signet on his finger,around and around.
"Do you know how scared I was when I couldn't find you?I nearly put men on every road in the territory."
