Chapter 3

My unnervingly calm reply made Vittorio's expression turn dark. He scowled and said, "Sofia is only seven years old."

"She already has a mind of her own," I said evenly.

That was the truth. Sofia was already capable of many things on her own—like pushing me into the sea, like tearing apart Mamma's memorial portrait and scattering her ashes like they meant nothing.

Vittorio snapped, "Are you still upset about what happened earlier today?"

I didn't answer. I simply turned and resumed packing my things.

He strode over and seized my shoulder.

"You're the one who failed to raise her properly over the past seven years. You were her nanny, and you let her come to hate you. I didn't even ask why, and you should be grateful for that. What makes you think you have the right to abandon your responsibilities?"

Hearing his accusations, I couldn't help but let out a cold, humorless laugh.

In Vittorio's eyes, I was nothing but Sofia's nanny. That was all I would ever be.

I was the Ferrari family's illegitimate daughter, born on the wrong side of the sheets and forever treated as an afterthought.

And yet, it was I who was originally promised to Vittorio.

That changed the night he went to a banquet and met my sister, Lucia Ferrari. He fell in love with her the moment he saw her.

In those days, Vittorio was nothing but a nobody with nothing to his name. But for Lucia, he was willing to risk everything. He gambled his life on dangerous ventures, all for a chance to build a future worthy of her.

Against all odds, he succeeded. He clawed his way to the top and became the Don.

The very first thing he did after seizing power was break off our engagement.

The Ferrari family valued his newfound status and needed to rely on him, so they happily agreed to cancel the marriage arrangement.

Afterward, he and Lucia lived a loving marriage, becoming the envy of everyone around them.

But fate had other plans.

After Sofia was born, Lucia was kidnapped by their enemies and killed in a hail of gunfire.

Vittorio was devastated. He loved her so deeply that he swore never to marry again.

At that time, Sofia was still young. Vittorio came to Las Amelios and found Mamma and me, asking me to take care of Sofia until she was old enough to understand things, all because I was Sofia's aunt.

I had never taken a single penny from him, and he never once stopped to think about giving me even a decent position within the family.

What made it even more ridiculous was that Sofia had never acknowledged me as her Madre's younger sister.

When Sofia treated me like a lowly servant, I told myself she was just a child. I endured it over and over again, swallowing every slight and every insult.

Now, the time we had agreed upon was long past. It was time I started thinking about my own future.

"Our agreement was only until she became sensible," I said firmly. "I don't want to stay in a family where my existence is never acknowledged. I have my own life to live."

Vittorio finally saw the resolve in my eyes. He rubbed his temples wearily and lowered himself into the chair.

"Since you're the one asking…" Vittorio said, letting out a sigh. "After the child is born, I'll give you a proper place in this family. You can move to the villa on the outskirts."

"You and the child will reside there. I'll ensure you receive regular financial support and that you're treated fairly. Does that meet your approval?"

For just a moment, the softness in his voice made me forget everything, and I almost believed he loved me.

I took a deep breath and turned back to my packing.

"I only want to leave this place."

I had lived this life before. My padre had sent Mamma and me to live on the outskirts of Las Amelios, with food deliveries that came and went at his whim.

As an illegitimate child, I was denied the right to work, and I was never permitted to reveal my identity to anyone.

There were times when my padre's legal wife would block the supplies from reaching us, and Mamma and I would be left with nothing to eat.

I was only ever summoned by the Ferrari family when I could be of service to them.

I had spent my entire life bearing the weight of being the Ferrari family's illegitimate daughter. How could I possibly allow my child to suffer the same fate?

My resolve only deepened Vittorio's frustration.

He stepped forward and grabbed my wrist, his eyes blazing with anger. "What exactly are you trying to do? I've already given you what you wanted. Why are you still pushing me?"

"Carla Ferrari, I'm not going to hold this against you. Stay home and calm down for the next few days. Think carefully about what you did wrong!"

He shoved me onto the bed, and I felt the impact jar through my body. Red marks bloomed around my wrist where his fingers had dug in, and the bandage on my injured ankle was now drenched with fresh blood.

Pain shot through me, and tears streamed down my face.

When he heard my pained gasp, he paused at the doorway and glanced back at me. He frowned briefly, then turned and walked out, locking the door behind him.

I looked down at my bleeding ankle and wiped away my tears, feeling a deep sense of injustice settle in my chest.

He was always like this.

On the day I first set foot in this place, Mamma had pulled me aside and warned me about Vittorio. She told me to obey him, to yield to his wishes, and never to test his patience—or I would suffer for it.

I should have listened more carefully. She had been right about every single thing.

Vittorio spoiled Sofia endlessly. He couldn't even bring himself to scold her, let alone punish her.

Even at the tender age of five, Sofia had a dark streak. She once knocked out a housekeeper's tooth with a single punch and blinded her classmate with one of her vicious pranks.

Despite everything, I wasn't allowed to say a word.

Whenever I tried to discipline her, she would run to Vittorio crying. And Vittorio, who could never say no to his daughter, would blame me instead.

I eventually realized I had no control over her, so I asked to leave.

He responded the same way he always did—with empty promises and small bribes.

But when he realized I wouldn't back down, he locked me in my room for days.

I had lost track of how many times he had done it. The first few times, I had cried and begged. Now, I just felt tired. I knew what was coming before he even reached for the key.

This time, I was truly leaving.

I climbed over the balcony to the neighboring room, knowing a spare key was hidden there.

However, I didn't expect the railing to break. It snapped with a loud crack, and I fell from the second floor.

I landed on the grass with a heavy thud. Pain shot through my back, knocking the air from my lungs.

Then I heard a laugh I knew too well.

Sofia appeared with a bucket of water and dumped it over my head.

"I knew you'd try the balcony again. I broke it on purpose. Who told you to keep hanging around my house like a stray dog? You deserve to fall to your death."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me break.

I remembered the first time I had climbed that balcony. Sofia had broken the lock on her door and trapped herself inside, crying in fear. Without a second thought, I had climbed up to the fifth floor, ignoring the danger, just to reach her and calm her down.

But after that day, she refused to let me enter through the front door. From then on, the balcony was my only way in.

Sofia must have known Vittorio had locked me in again. And since the balcony was my only escape, she had tampered with the railing beforehand.

For seven long years, I had put up with their cruelty.

Vittorio never once saw me as anything more than a convenience, and Sofia would have been happy to see me dead.

I had stopped hoping for anything better a long time ago.

Now, all I wanted was to walk away and never look back.