I walked all night, from the Augustine Academy for Young Women back to the Ricci estate. By the time I arrived, the sky was just beginning to lighten.
All night, my phone had remained silent.
I stood outside, and through the massive glass doors, I could hear the music and the clinking of glasses from within. I could even hear Isla's bright, tinkling laughter.
A servant opened the door, and the light from inside illuminated my uniform. The academy uniform had been washed so many times its color had faded to a dull gray.
Lorenzo turned and saw me, his brow furrowing. "You came back dressed like that? Who are you trying to guilt-trip this time?"
I lowered my head.
This was the only outfit I had.
He sized me up. "Look at this pathetic act. Are you putting it on to make us feel guilty?"
"I'm fine," I answered softly.
Those were the first three words I had learned at the academy. There, showing any emotion was a mistake.
My mother, Elena, seemed a little surprised by my obedient demeanor. "We were going to pick you up, Seraphina. It's just that Isla suddenly felt unwell, so—"
Marco cut her off. "That's right. We were delayed by an urgent matter."
"It's alright," I said quietly.
They all breathed a collective sigh of relief. My obedience was a balm to them, a return to the familiar hierarchy of command and compliance.
Lorenzo sneered, "It seems you finally learned some manners in there."
Elena looked pleased. "Now that you've corrected your bad habits, you're part of this family again. As long as you remain obedient, we can all start over."
I gave a faint smile. "Thank you, Mother."
The smile on her face froze.
Just then, Isla glided over, wearing an antique sapphire necklace.
It was supposed to be mine, the heirloom passed down to the heiress of the Ricci family.
She looked at me, her smile gentle and harmless. "I've already forgiven you, Seraphina. Let's just let bygones be bygones, okay?"
I stared at her, my mind reeling back a year. It was she who had orchestrated the whole thing. She’d lured me to a hotel, snapped photos of me in a "secret meeting" with a member of a rival family, and sent the "evidence" straight to Julian's desk. The Ricci family, desperate to prove their loyalty to the Valachis, needed a scapegoat. I became their traitor.
And just like that, I was sent to the Augustine Academy.
In that entire year, not a single one of them had come to see me.
Now, Isla stood before me, offering a hollow pardon.
I nodded calmly. "Okay."
She let out a relieved, satisfied smile, thinking I was the same girl as before, still seething over the betrayal.
But I only cared about one thing: retrieving my forged documents and leaving this place for good.
Elena joined in the laughter, Marco raised his glass, and Lorenzo refilled it for him. Julian sat beside Isla, whispering something that made her laugh softly.
I stood by the door, a ghost in my own home.
I had once tried so hard to belong to this family. Now, I finally understood that leaving was the only way to preserve what little dignity I had left.
