That evening, I went back to the mansion.
For the next three days, I existed like a shadow drifting through my own home. I stayed quiet. I obeyed every instruction. I pretended the sedatives were working exactly as they expected. I cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner without complaint while Bianca happily chattered about the extravagant celebration she had planned for my birthday.
"It'll be the biggest event anyone's talked about all year," she said excitedly during dinner on Thursday evening as she poured wine into her glass before filling Lorenzo's. "Every important investor is coming. It'll be the perfect chance for everyone to see how much better you're doing."
I kept my eyes lowered to my plate.
"That sounds wonderful," I murmured. "Thank you for putting in so much effort."
"We only want what's best for you," Lorenzo replied warmly, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand.
His touch made every nerve in my body recoil.
Still, I smiled.
Over those three days, I wasn't healing.
I was collecting evidence.
Whenever Lorenzo and Bianca left for the office, I slipped into the home server using my administrator credentials.
I copied every email they thought I'd never see.
Every message they exchanged.
Every fraudulent transfer.
Every hidden transaction.
Every conversation that proved they had conspired against me.
I stored everything inside an encrypted drive.
Digging deeper uncovered even more.
Lorenzo had opened offshore bank accounts under my name and quietly funneled company money into them, setting me up to take the fall if anyone ever investigated.
By Friday morning—the day before my birthday party—I was finally ready.
Lorenzo was locked inside his study, trying to finish a conference call.
Judging by the irritation on his face, the meeting wasn't going well.
Perfect.
I knocked lightly before stepping inside with a clipboard tucked beneath my arm.
"Lorenzo?"
He covered the receiver with one hand.
"Not now, Alessandra."
"I'm sorry for interrupting."
I deliberately let my voice shake.
"It's about St. Jude's."
His attention shifted to me.
"What now?"
"They called this morning."
I held out the paperwork.
"They need my guardian's signature before they'll approve my admission tomorrow night. If the forms aren't submitted today, they'll give my room to someone else."
His expression darkened with annoyance.
"Seriously?"
He held out his hand.
"Give them here."
I placed the clipboard in front of him.
The document on top really was an admission form from the psychiatric facility.
Everything beneath it, however, had been prepared by my aunt's legal team.
The ownership transfer for the mansion.
The paperwork revoking his power of attorney.
Several financial declarations.
And hidden among them, a legally binding confession acknowledging his affair and fraudulent conduct, disguised beneath the formatting of standard liability documents.
Lorenzo never looked past the signature lines.
He wanted the interruption over as quickly as possible.
Without reading a single page, he scribbled his name again and again while keeping one eye fixed on his computer monitor.
"There."
He shoved the clipboard back toward me.
"Happy now? Go pack your things."
I accepted it with both hands.
"Thank you."
I forced gratitude into my smile.
"You've probably saved my life."
"Yeah."
He waved dismissively.
"Whatever."
That night I remained awake long after the rest of the house had gone quiet.
From the guest room, I could hear muffled voices drifting from the master bedroom.
My bedroom.
I slipped into the hallway and crept silently toward the closed door.
Leaning closer, I pressed my ear against the wood.
"Did she finally fall asleep?"
Bianca.
Her voice carried easily through the room.
"She's completely out."
Lorenzo sounded relaxed.
"The sedatives worked."
They hadn't.
I'd flushed every pill down the toilet.
Bianca laughed softly.
"I can't believe tomorrow's finally here. She actually agreed to commit herself. I always knew she was too weak to fight forever."
Her tone changed.
"But what about us?"
There was a brief pause.
"I don't want to stay your mistress forever, Colt. I want us to have a baby. I want to be your wife."
"You will."
Confidence filled his voice.
I heard sheets rustling.
"As soon as Marino Tech is legally mine, I'll divorce her even if she's locked away. Once that's done, everything belongs to us."
He chuckled quietly.
"The company."
"The house."
"The money."
"It's only a matter of time."
"I love you."
Bianca's voice was barely above a whisper.
"I know."
That was all he said.
I walked back to the guest room without shedding a single tear.
Instead, a quiet satisfaction settled inside me.
They were celebrating far too early.
The following morning, the mansion buzzed with activity.
Florists moved through the gardens arranging centerpieces.
Caterers carried trays in and out of the kitchen.
Decorators hurried across the lawn while Bianca marched around issuing orders like she owned the place.
Around noon, Lorenzo found me sitting quietly on the living room sofa wearing my bathrobe.
He was already dressed in an immaculate tuxedo.
Ready for what he believed would be the greatest triumph of his life.
"Bianca and I are heading over to the venue," he said. "We need to make sure the sound system and everything else are ready."
He adjusted his cuff links.
"You stay here and rest."
"The driver will come for you at six."
I nodded obediently.
"All right."
"See you tonight, birthday girl."
Bianca smiled as she slipped her arm through his.
The moment their car disappeared beyond the front gates, I stood up.
I had no intention of waiting for the driver.
Instead, I called the private car my aunt had arranged.
I collected the encrypted drive.
The signed legal documents.
My passport.
Before leaving, I slipped off the engagement ring Lorenzo had once given me and placed it neatly on the kitchen counter.
Forty minutes later, I stepped onto the private airfield.
Alessio stood beside the waiting jet, glancing down at his watch.
He looked up as I approached.
"You're cutting it close."
Despite the words, amusement lingered in his eyes.
"I had one last mess to clean up," I replied.
I checked the time on my phone.
5:55 p.m.
By now, guests would already be arriving.
Perfect.
I tapped Lorenzo's number.
He answered immediately.
"Alessandra? Where are you? The driver just called. He says you never came outside."
I forced panic into my voice.
"I'm sorry..."
A sob caught in my throat.
"I can't do this."
His patience vanished instantly.
"What are you talking about?"
He lowered his voice, no doubt because people were standing nearby.
"Everyone's already here. Ms. Harrington is asking where you are. Get into the damn car."
"I can't!"
I cried harder.
"I can't breathe. Everything feels like it's closing in around me. I don't want to ruin your party."
"You already are."
His words came through clenched teeth.
"So tell me where you are."
"I'm going to St. Jude's."
Another lie.
"I'm admitting myself tonight instead of tomorrow."
I let my breathing shake.
"It's better this way. I'm not well enough to face everyone."
Silence.
Then...
Relief.
I could practically hear him smiling.
He believed I'd handed him exactly what he wanted.
"Okay."
His voice softened into that familiar performance of concern.
"If that's what you think is best, then go."
"We'll explain everything."
"We'll tell everyone you had another medical emergency."
I sniffled into the phone.
"Thank you."
Then I paused.
"Oh... one more thing."
"I had a package delivered to the party."
"It should be arriving right about now."
"A package?"
Suspicion crept into his voice.
"What kind of package?"
Another pause.
"Don't tell me you've decided to resign."
He actually sounded hopeful.
"Are you finally signing Marino Tech over to me?"
Alessio extended his hand toward me at the foot of the aircraft stairs.
I took it.
A smile slowly spread across my face.
"It's much better than that."
My voice lost every trace of fear.
Cold.
Steady.
Final.
"What are you talking about?" Lorenzo demanded.
I looked toward the jet.
Then back at the city in the distance.
"Goodbye, Lorenzo."
I ended the call.
As the engines thundered to life and the aircraft began preparing for takeoff, I pictured the celebration unfolding exactly as planned.
The guests.
The investors.
The board members.
The courier walking into the ballroom carrying the package that would expose every lie, every crime, every betrayal Lorenzo and Bianca had carefully hidden.
For months, they'd planned a birthday party meant to destroy me.
They had no idea it was about to become the beginning of their own downfall.
I smiled to myself.
The real celebration was only just beginning.
