When Serina returned home, Danica—who was supposed to have left—was still there.
Not wanting to share any more glances, Serina lifted her foot to leave—but Danica called after her.
"Sister, I have nowhere else to go, so I'll just stay here for a while. You won't mind, right?"
Serina's expression remained flat. "Do as you please."
Seeing the redness on her face, Danica's eyes glimmered with barely hidden triumph.
"But I haven't been sleeping well, so I'll need the master bedroom," she added, her voice growing more audacious.
Serina paused at her audacity, then lifted the corners of her lips with a faint, icy smile. "Suit yourself."
Without another word, she returned to the master bedroom to pack her things. She had no reason to waste time lingering in one room—she was leaving soon anyway.
As she packed up, she noticed the exquisite gifts displayed in the closet—tokens Valerio had given her over the years. She had once treasured them as symbols of love. Now, they only seemed glaring and empty.
After quickly tidying up the bedding, Serina moved to the guest room.
She was just about to lie down when Valerio entered.
He applied ointment carefully to her swollen face, then wrapped her in his arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"She wants the master bedroom. I'll sleep here with you," he murmured, lying down with her without waiting for a reply.
To any outsider, he seemed like a devoted, attentive partner. If she hadn't seen through his mask, she might have been fooled.
Feeling the hypocrisy of it all, she tried to pull away—but he held her tighter.
It wasn't until the middle of the night that she could finally close her eyes.
At dawn, the pounding of heavy rain pulled her from sleep. She instinctively reached behind her, only to find the space beside her empty.
The man who once held her through the night was gone.
She got up and went to the master bedroom. Through the slightly open door, she heard wet, intimate sounds and a woman's soft moans.
Her fingers curled against the doorframe as she hesitated to turn away—then a sudden thud echoed from within.
The box she had once placed in the master bedroom had been knocked over, its contents spilling across the floor.
The couple on the bed paid it no mind, lost in their fevered embrace.
That box had held the nine hundred and ninety-nine love letters Valerio once wrote to win her heart. She could still recall his delighted, tender smile as he handed them to her. Now, those vows of devotion lay scattered like meaningless scraps.
Serina’s gaze lingered on the scattered love letters until a chill seeped through her bones. Only then did she turn and leave.
She had barely slept that night. When she woke up again, Valerio was gone.
Heading downstairs for breakfast, she came face to face with Danica once more.
Danica’s eyes gleamed with provocation as she tugged her collar lower, exposing a trail of fresh kiss marks.
“Sister,” she said with a mocking smile, disdain flickering in her gaze, “I’ve just arrived in Sicily and don’t know my way around yet. Would you mind taking me out for a walk?”
"Find someone else. I have something to do," Serina intoned coldly.
After finishing her words, Serina turned to leave—but just as she reached the door, her phone rang. It was Valerio.
“Serina, take Danica out for a while. Don’t keep staying at home.”
When she turned back, Danica was already holding up her own phone, grinning at her provocatively.
Serina ended the call in silence, then walked over. “Where do you want to go?”
Danica smirked. “That’s better. Otherwise, I’d have to call Val again.”
The overly intimate way she addressed him made Serina’s gaze darken.
Ever since coming to Sicily, Valerio had introduced himself to outsiders only as Salvatore. For three years, she had known his real name alone.
But now...
Her lips curved in a cold, mocking smile. Without another word, she got into the car with Danica.
...
Sunlight poured down warmly, streaming through the streets of Palermo.
At the dock, Danica suddenly spoke. "Sister, you go ahead—I want to explore by myself."
The afternoon sun scorched the stone streets. Serina felt like she might melt from the heat. By the time she returned home, her skin was red from the sun.
Opening the door, she was met by Valerio's stormy expression.
"Serina, what did you do to Danica?"
Serina looked up, confused, and saw Danica cowering behind him.
She looked like someone had doused her with liquid. Her hair was wet and clinging to her face, clothes soaked and hanging loosely, looking utterly pitiful.
Danica sniffled, eyes wide with false grievance. "Sister got mad because I took her room, so she dragged me to the dock, poured wine on me, and even wanted to..."
She bit her lip, struggling to say it.
Valerio's brow furrowed. "Wanted to do what?"
"She... called a group of fishermen to try to assault me!" She gestured to her torn clothes and shot Serina a smug smile.
