When the Canary Sings for the Principessa

As the Principessa of the Costello family, I found Angelina, the goddaughter of our family's Consigliere, wearing my heirloom necklace. This necklace was a symbol of our family’s power, one I was supposed to wear for the first time at my birthday gala tonight. I was about to make her regret it.

Suddenly, a stream of live comments materialized before my eyes.

"This pathetic side character is just jealous the female lead rocks that necklace better than she ever could!"

"Don't worry, the male leads are coming to save the damsel in distress!"

"Just you wait. Let's see how arrogant this side character can be after her family is destroyed!"

Right on cue, my brother and my fiancé appeared. They shielded Angelina behind them, staring at me as if I were some unforgivable tyrant.

I sneered and ordered my bodyguards, "Seize them. All three of them."

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1

Angelina Gallo, the goddaughter of our family's Consigliere, showed up at my birthday gala wearing the heirloom necklace that symbolized the succession of the Costello family. Just as I was about to order my men to rip the necklace from her throat, a stream of comments, like a holographic feed, appeared before my eyes.

"This pathetic side character is just jealous the female lead pulls off that necklace better than she ever could!"

"Just because she's a mafia Principessa, she thinks she's better than everyone! Once the male leads crush her family and sell her off to Mexico, we'll see how high and mighty she is!"

Almost instantly, my own brother, Marco, and my fiancé, Nico, stepped in front of Angelina, shielding her. "Scarlett," Nico snapped, "must you humiliate her in front of everyone over a necklace? How can you be so cruel?"

I sneered and ordered my bodyguards, "Seize them. All three of them."

I was about to show them what true cruelty looked like.

...

"It's just a necklace, Scarlett! What's the big deal if Angelina wears it for a bit? Why are you being so aggressive? Don't think this is how you get my attention. Let me be clear: even if you were wearing that necklace, you wouldn't be worth a single strand of her hair!"

That shrill, piercing voice made my temples throb.

I frowned, looking at the man and woman before me—Nico DeLuca and Angelina Gallo. One was my fiancé in name; the other was the goddaughter of my family's Consigliere, Sal Marino.

The two of them stood shoulder to shoulder, as if I were some venomous monster trying to tear apart a sacred love.

The necklace Nico mentioned was custom-made for my birthday gala by a master European jeweler, and I'd paid a hefty price for it. More importantly, the diamonds set in it were from my mother's own heirloom, symbolizing the transfer of power within the Costello family.

Without a doubt, Angelina knew exactly how important that necklace was to me. She had said to me more than once, "Aren't we friends, Scarlett? You have so much stunning jewelry anyway, why can't you just give this one to me?"

After I refused her yet again, she offered to organize my jewelry room. Instead, she secretly pocketed the necklace when no one was looking and had the audacity to wear it to my birthday gala, standing beside Nico.

Their coordinated outfits made them look like a perfect couple.

When I discovered it, I had stormed over to confront Angelina, but Nico shielded her and accused me of making a scene over nothing.

I sneered, a retort sharp on my tongue, when a series of comments materialized out of thin air before my eyes.

"Sorry I'm late! Is that the side character? She's average, kinda tacky actually."

"Who is she to say our sweet Angelina doesn't deserve that necklace? She's the female lead! Who's more qualified than her? It's just a stupid necklace. Only a trashy mafia Principessa like Scarlett would care. She's just jealous Angelina looks better in it!"

"It's okay. Nico is here, and Angelina's second suitor will be here soon! They'll definitely teach that vicious Scarlett a lesson!"

"She won't be arrogant for long. Soon, this side character's family will be destroyed, and she'll be sold to Mexico, tortured, and die a miserable death."

"She thinks she can do whatever she wants just because she's a mafia Principessa! I can't stand people like her!"

While I was reading the comments, Nico mistook my silence for guilt. He lifted his chin, announcing arrogantly, "I've told you countless times, Scarlett. Even if you use our engagement to force me to be with you, you will never have my heart!"

Then, he turned to Angelina, who was cowering behind him like an innocent lamb. His gaze softened.

"Give the necklace to her," he commanded, "and I'll forgive your insolence."

I couldn't help but let out a low chuckle. I was finally starting to understand. Were these comments predicting my future?

Even if I were dragged down to the depths of hell, I would claw my way back over a mountain of corpses and through a sea of blood to exact revenge on those who betrayed me. I would never die so easily.

I beckoned over our family's Consigliere, Sal Marino. "Taking without asking is stealing," I said coolly. "And this thief is a bold one, daring to touch something that belongs to the Costello family."

"Go get the security footage. Make sure all my guests see exactly who the thief is before my birthday gala officially begins."

Sal left with a few of his men, and the floating comments scrolled faster than ever.

"What the hell? How dare she call our sweet Angelina a thief? She just wanted to try on a beautiful necklace she'd never seen before, what's the big deal?"

"Exactly! Isn't Scarlett Costello the daughter of Chicago's top Don? Making such a fuss over a necklace? So petty!"

"Ha! She thinks she can do whatever she wants because she's the Principessa of the Costello family. Just you wait. Once Angelina's second admirer, Marco Costello, shows up, she'll be on her knees begging for mercy!"

"A Principessa is nothing compared to the heir! Scarlett, that vicious side character, will never win. She should just hurry up and die!"