Chapter 2

I don't know how much time passed before I woke from the darkness.

I thought I had returned to my original world, but when I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar face of my eldest brother, Luca Vito.

"You're finally awake."

His eyes were slightly dark and sunken, as if he hadn't rested well, but his tone was full of impatience.

"You're this old, why are you still so impulsive?"

"Making a fuss over every little thing, dying over nothing—where's the dignity of a Vito heiress…"

Just thinking about having to deal with this rotten world again made me feel utterly drained. I didn't even have the interest to argue.

I cut him off, my gaze hollow: "You're right. I'm a disgrace. I don't deserve to be human."

"So, let me die."

Luca's expression changed drastically. He instinctively raised his hand to slap me.

But seeing my bloodless, ashen face, the slap never landed.

"Sophia! I'm warning you, stop talking nonsense!"

His voice trembled. The impatience in his eyes faded a little, replaced by a trace of panic he didn't even notice himself.

"I paid a huge price to pull you out of those mountains, and it wasn't so you could spout nonsense here!"

I curled my lips in a cold, mirthless smile.

Paid a price? Probably afraid that if I died, there'd be no spare organ bank for Ella.

Just then, the hospital room door was pushed open, and Enzo walked in carrying medicine.

Seeing me awake, a flicker of joy flashed in his eyes, but when he spoke, his tone was still harsh.

"You're awake, so drink the medicine. Don't make me force you!"

He held the bowl out to me. The liquid was pitch black, giving off a bitter smell.

I turned my head away and closed my eyes in refusal: "No need. It's a waste of medicine."

"You!"

Enzo was so angry his hands shook, but unlike usual, he didn't force the medicine down my throat. Instead, he set the bowl on the nightstand and reached out to check my wound.

His fingertips were unusually gentle when they touched the bandage.

For the first time, there was a hint of the tenderness he showed Ella.

"As expected, with the best medicine, recovery is fast…"

He re-wrapped the bandage and glared at me: "You behave yourself. If the wound opens again, I won't stitch you up a second time!"

Despite the harsh words, I clearly saw the red blood vessels in his eyes and the barely perceptible trembling of his fingertips.

He must have stayed up late guarding me these past few days.

If it were before, I would have been moved by that sliver of tenderness.

But now, I only felt irony.

I pulled my hand free and suddenly threw off the covers, about to tear the wound open again.

As long as I could die faster, anything was fine.

"You're insane!"

Luca grabbed my arm with a grip that nearly crushed my bones.

But when I groaned in pain, he instantly loosened his grip, his voice cracking as he shouted: "Sophia, what exactly do you want?"

"To die."

My tone was calm, as if discussing something trivial.

"Letting me die is better for everyone."

"You won't have to be troubled anymore, and Ella can safely be the Vito heiress."

"So please, do me a favor and let me die quickly."