With just one sentence, Serafina had turned my world upside down.
Those words echoed through the room like a gunshot, shattering any trust my family had in me. Suddenly, I was no longer their daughter or sister but a villain, blamed for Serafina's abduction by the traffickers. My parents looked at me with eyes full of disgust, as if I were a curse the blood had cost them. The warmth of their love disappeared overnight, replaced by cold indifference that seeped into every corner of my life.
Even now, years later, their resentment lingered in every glance, every word, every silence.
At the feast held in Serafina's honor, she noticed Lorenzo and me entering the grand hall of the Bellandi compound and immediately walked over. Her gown, a cascade of glittering gold and silk, shimmered under the crystal chandeliers, making her the undeniable star of the evening, the cherished lost daughter returned to the Family.
Her bright smile was as dazzling as ever. "Sis, Lorenzo, you're finally here! I thought you weren't going to come."
Then, as though struck by a sudden realization, she placed a manicured hand over her lips and added, "Oh, I'm sorry, sis. I forgot you're deaf. I should be using sign language, but I don't know how... You wouldn't blame me for that, would you?"
Her words carried a saccharine sweetness, but her wide, innocent eyes betrayed a flicker of malice. Her smile held a half-second too long before it reset, and she smoothed a lock of hair behind her ear.
My mother, who had been standing close behind, crossed her arms and let out a harsh, derisive snort, her fingers drifting to the strand of pearls at her throat. "If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have been taken in the first place. How could she possibly blame you? If anyone's to blame, it's her, for being deaf and bringing shame to the Bellandi name."
Her voice was sharp, slicing through me like a whip. My father, the old Don, said nothing, but his gaze bore into me with disdain so tangible I could feel it. The silver head of his cane rested beneath his palm, still.
I lowered my eyes, my breath catching for a moment. It wasn't the first time they'd treated me like this. It wouldn't be the last. But the familiarity didn't dull the pain. It only made it worse.
Before I could muster a response, Lorenzo stepped forward, his usual calm demeanor unshaken. The conversations nearest us seemed to thin, the way they always did when the Don of the Falcone Family moved. He placed a steadying hand on Serafina's shoulder and said warmly, "Mirabella isn't that petty. There's no need to apologize to her."
He then handed Serafina a small velvet box, his movements unhurried and deliberate, as though presenting a priceless treasure. "Serafina, this is for you."
Serafina's face lit up with a radiant smile as she accepted the gift. "Thank you, Lorenzo. You're always so thoughtful."
As she tilted her wrist to adjust the box, a flash of silver caught my eye. My heart stopped.
The bracelet.
The Falcone signet bracelet, a token of succession and belonging passed through the blood. The one that Lorenzo had told me was lost years ago.
I had once asked him why he never gave it to me, back when our union was new and I still believed there might be something beneath the contract our families had signed. His expression had faltered for just a moment before he dismissed it. "It's just an old trinket. It doesn't mean anything. What matters is that my heart belongs to you."
Now, the truth stared back at me, glinting under the ballroom lights. The bracelet wasn't lost. It had never been meant for me. It was always hers.
A sharp, searing pain spread through my chest, like a blade carving through my heart. My hands trembled, but I forced myself to stay composed. My thumb pressed against the bare band of my ring finger, the absence I had chosen. I couldn't let them see how much it hurt.
"I need some air," I muttered and quickly stepped away, weaving through the crowd toward the back of the compound.
The garden outside was dimly lit, with the pool at its center shimmering under the moonlight. The cold night air prickled against my skin, but it was a relief compared to the suffocating tension inside, where every smile hid a knife and every toast was a wager.
I leaned against the railing by the pool, trying to steady my breathing. My reflection on the water's surface seemed like a stranger's, haunted, broken and utterly alone.
I didn't expect Serafina to follow me.
When she appeared, her expression was no longer sweet or apologetic. The facade she wore so well in public vanished, replaced by a sneer that twisted her delicate features.
"I really don't know how you have the audacity to come here," she hissed, her voice low but dripping with venom. "Can't you see that no one wants you here? Your thick skin is truly impressive."
The words stung, but I didn't respond. I kept my gaze fixed on the rippling water, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me react.
Her tone grew sharper. "You deaf freak, did you actually think Lorenzo bound himself to you because he loved you? He only did it to keep you from ruining my union with Gabriele. The night the alliance was sealed, he came to me and explained everything. He told me the one he truly loves is me."
She stepped closer, her perfume wafting in the air, cloying and suffocating. "Accept it. No one loves you. If I were you, I'd just kill myself already."
Every word was like a dagger, plunging deeper and deeper until it felt like my very soul was bleeding. My hands clenched into fists, my nails digging into my palms as I fought the tears threatening to spill.
Seeing my silence, Serafina let out a cold laugh. "Still unwilling to let go of Lorenzo? Then let me help you out."
Before I could react, she flung herself into the pool, the sudden splash breaking the stillness of the night.
"Help!" she screamed, thrashing wildly in the water. "Someone help me!"
The echoes of her cries pierced the air while I stood frozen, not knowing what to do.
