The Silenced Songbird Sings Again

Seven years later.

"Irene, once you're out, make sure you live well. Don't look back."

I took my faded backpack from the prison guard, bowed slightly, and limped out of Palemore Prison.

A black Maserati Quattroporte was already waiting outside.

As the window rolled down, my fiancé Salvatore Vitale came into view, his sharp, handsome features exactly as I remembered.

"Irene."

Seven years, and he had not changed at all.

I lowered my head without thinking and got into the car. I caught sight of my own reflection in the rearview mirror. My face was gaunt and sallow, as if all the life had been drained out of me.

"You've suffered for the past seven years. I'll keep my promise and marry you."

Salvatore reached for my thin, bony hand. I looked at the hollow version of myself reflected in his eyes, then slowly pulled my hand away, my interest fading.

"Mhm."

Seven years. 2,557 days and nights spent behind bars. That was more than enough time to see Salvatore and my family for what they really were.

They had never loved me. I did not want to marry him anymore.

Salvatore noticed my distance and quickly tried to explain.

"Sophia knows you're coming back today. Thinking about the accident seven years ago triggered her condition to worsen again. Your parents and your sister are at the hospital with her now."

I listened quietly and closed my eyes.

Twenty-five years ago, when I was only two, I got lost in Napleton City. My mother, Natalie Moretti, heartbroken and desperate, adopted a girl from the orphanage who looked a lot like me. That girl was Sophia.

However, when my parents found me again at fifteen, they no longer loved me. They always made me give Sophia whatever she wanted.

Seven years ago, they even had me take the fall for her crimes and go to prison.

Even though Sophia was the adopted one, I felt out of place and unfavored in my own family.

On the way, cars seemed to part for Salvatore as if by instinct, clearing a wide path ahead of us.

An hour later, we arrived at the Moretti family estate.

Only the butler and a few servants were there. When they saw me, their eyes filled with quiet disdain.

My father and mother loved Sophia, not me, their biological daughter, so the servants did not really see me as the respected Miss Irene of the Moretti family.

"Mr. Vitale, welcome back." The butler greeted Salvatore respectfully, then finally turned to me. "Miss Irene, Mrs. Moretti said that now you've returned, you should avoid showing yourself too much, so you don't bring shame to the family."

Shame…

I went to prison in Sophia's place. How was I the one bringing shame to the family?

The thought crossed my mind, but it did not stir much in me anymore.

Back on that night seven years ago, when they sent me off in a police car, I had already stopped expecting anything from them.

"I understand," I said.

I turned to go inside.

Just then, Salvatore's phone rang.

After hanging up, he looked at me. "Irene, Sophia's condition has worsened again. She needs me, so I'm going to see her. You just got back, so get some rest. I'll come see you tomorrow."

He left in a hurry, barely waiting for a response. I watched his figure disappear, then limped back to the storage room that was my bedroom.

When I pushed the door open, dust filled the air.

I was too tired to care. I walked in and collapsed onto the bed.

That night…

Half asleep, I heard my younger sister Christina's voice coming from the living room.

"Dad, Mom, Sophia's condition is so serious now. Maybe we should make Irene move out. Every time Sophia sees her, she gets triggered."

My father, Vincent Moretti, let out a sigh but did not say anything.

Natalie replied, "No matter what, she's still a daughter of the Moretti family. If we make her move out, what will people think of us?"

"Then what do we do? We can't keep Sophia in the hospital forever," Christina pressed.

After a pause, Vincent finally spoke. "How about this? When Sophia comes back, Irene should stay out of her sight. She can just remain in her room."

Hearing that, my eyes stung.

At that moment, my phone vibrated.

I picked it up. It was a text message.

[Irene.]

It was just one word.

However, I knew exactly who it was.

Joseph.

Back in the orphanage, everyone called me ‘that cripple’. Joseph was the only one who said, "I know you have a name. You’re Irene."

He was eight years older than me. When he was sixteen, a man from Napleton City came to take him away.

That man wore a perfectly tailored suit and had six bodyguards behind him. Even the nuns at the orphanage bowed their heads in front of him.

Later, I learned who he was.

Joseph was the younger brother of the Conti family’s don, the man who controlled the entire San Camptonia region.

The old Don had no children, so he raised Joseph as his heir.

Ten years had passed, and Joseph was the new Don of the Conti family. People now called him Don Joseph or ‘the Ghost’.

He earned the nickname because he could make a person disappear from every earthly record, as if they had never existed.

I stared at my phone.

More messages came in.

[Ten days.]

[December 10th. 9 PM.]

[I'll come get you.]

[You’ll leave this place.]

[For good.]

I looked at the screen for a long time, then I replied with four simple words.

[I'll wait for you.]