Lorenzo smiled, though a trace of melancholy lingered in his eyes.
"Once Gia is officially entered into the Falcone bloodline, you won't have to worry about her anymore."
"If anything ever happens, come to me."
"Oh... and this."
He placed a small velvet box into Ambra's hands.
"A little gift before the blood union."
Ambra laughed, her smile playful.
"Another one?"
"Lorenzo, honestly, how many presents have you bought me this year?"
"My closet is already overflowing."
"If Serafina ever found out, she'd probably lose her mind."
Despite her teasing, she accepted it without the slightest hesitation.
Beside her, Gia giggled happily, clutching Ambra's skirt.
"Mamma..."
"Mamma..."
She repeated the word over and over, each time lifting her little face expectantly, waiting for praise.
At that moment, the matron hurried into the office.
She pushed open the door, clearly preparing to finalize Gia's legitimization papers.
The instant Lorenzo saw me standing outside, every ounce of color drained from his face.
"Serafina?"
His voice caught.
"What are you doing here?"
I kept my expression perfectly calm.
My thumb slowly turned my mother's ring.
"Relax."
"Ambra does charity work here."
"I only came to say hello..."
"And to finish Gia's paperwork."
Ambra adjusted Gia on her hip before smiling warmly at me.
"Serafina."
"It's been a long time."
I returned the smile.
"It has."
"I'll take a look around."
"You two are busy."
"I won't interrupt."
"I'll wait in the car."
Without another word, I turned my wheelchair toward the exit.
Lorenzo must have mistaken my silence for hurt.
He hurried after me.
"It isn't what you're thinking."
"Ambra comes here often."
"The children all call her 'Mamma.'"
"Once the paperwork is finished..."
"I'll explain everything to Gia."
I looked at him.
At the panic hidden beneath his carefully composed expression.
At the desperation in his eyes as he searched for words that might convince me.
For a moment...
I almost laughed.
He had orchestrated everything.
The staged hit.
My broken spine.
The operation.
Every lie.
Every sacrifice.
All so that his daughter could enter the Falcone bloodline without anyone asking questions.
He already had everything he wanted.
So why did he still look guilty?
I smiled gently.
"Relax."
"I'm not angry."
"Finish the paperwork."
"I'll wait outside."
Then I turned away.
He remained where he stood, watching me leave.
Only after I disappeared down the hallway did he finally let out a long breath of relief.
The staff passing nearby didn't bother hiding the smug looks they exchanged.
I ignored every one of them.
Instead, I quietly took out my phone.
With a few taps...
I erased the legitimization request.
Gia's name would never appear in the Falcone Family records.
Not through me.
That evening, to celebrate Gia officially joining the Family, the Falcones held a lavish dinner at the estate.
I claimed I wasn't feeling well and stayed upstairs.
Even with my bedroom door tightly shut...
Their laughter still drifted through the halls.
A family mansion built to hide secrets could never hide happiness.
I wheeled myself toward the landing at the top of the staircase and looked down.
There they were.
Lorenzo.
Ambra.
Gia.
A picture-perfect family.
Lorenzo carefully picked out every dish Gia liked, placing each one neatly onto her plate.
Ambra laughed softly.
"At this rate, you're going to spoil her."
Lorenzo smiled without a trace of embarrassment.
He gently straightened the tiny crown resting on Gia's head.
"She's my daughter."
"She deserves the very best."
Something inside me finally broke.
I quietly turned away.
Back inside my room, I gathered everything Lorenzo had ever given me during the past five years.
Every letter.
Every piece of jewelry.
Every carefully wrapped gift.
One by one...
I tore them apart.
Paper shredded beneath my fingers.
Photographs split cleanly down the middle.
Jewelry boxes smashed shut before being thrown into the trash.
When I pushed the overflowing bin aside, it tipped over.
Everything spilled across the floor.
At that exact moment...
Ambra appeared in the doorway.
She walked toward me slowly.
Deliberately.
A smug smile curled across her lips.
Without warning...
She drove her foot into my wheelchair.
The chair overturned instantly.
Pain exploded through my body as I crashed onto the hardwood floor.
Ambra simply stood over me, smiling.
"Serafina."
"It must be exhausting..."
"Living like this."
"So helpless."
"So useless."
She slowly crouched beside me.
Her voice overflowed with mock sympathy.
"You really are pathetic."
"You watched your blood union become mine."
"You watched your husband bring my daughter into his home."
"And after all that..."
"You still swallow every bit of humiliation without a word."
She tilted her head.
"Honestly..."
"I almost pity you."
I clenched my teeth and struggled to push myself upright.
Before I could even move...
Ambra suddenly stumbled backward.
Her eyes widened theatrically.
Then she screamed.
Her body tumbled down the staircase.
Everything happened so fast that my mind went blank.
Before she could strike the marble floor, Lorenzo rushed forward and caught her in his arms.
He held her tightly.
As though she were the most precious thing in the world.
Then he looked up at me.
His eyes burned with fury.
"Serafina!"
His voice thundered through the mansion.
"Have you completely lost your mind?"
"Ambra only came upstairs to invite you to dinner..."
"And you attacked her?"
