Chapter 1

My mother was the Donna of the Moretti Family. Her favorite saying was, “There can be no favoritism in this family.”

Which was why she always treated my cousin Vivian better than she treated me.

She brought home a rare pair of black opal bracelets from overseas, only to fasten them around Vivian's wrists right in front of me.

“They look better on Vivian. You're too tanned. Don't waste them.”

When the Bellandi Family sent us two bottles of vintage wine, Mother gave both to Vivian before I even saw the bottles.

“You haven't even mastered basic table manners. Giving them to you would be a waste.”

Then, at tonight's family banquet, Donna Lucia Bellandi proposed an engagement between her eldest son and me.

Mother set down her wineglass and cut Lucia off on the spot.

“Donna Lucia, please withdraw your proposal. Seraphina has no manners, a terrible temper, and no sense. She isn't worthy of your son.”

Every eye in the room turned toward me. Their stares felt like needles piercing my skin.

Then Mother's thoughts entered my mind.

[So Seraphina has feelings for the Bellandi heir. But if the Bellandis choose her, everyone will assume Vivian was never good enough to be considered. Vivian already has no parents to stand behind her. I can’t let her suffer that humiliation too.]

[I'm criticizing Seraphina for her own good. It will keep her out of the Bellandi power struggle and spare Vivian any humiliation.]

In that moment, the last shred of hope I had for her vanished.

Mother protected the entire Moretti Family, and everyone under her command respected her. But she had never once protected me.

So be it.

I would go to the West Coast with the man who truly loved me.

From now on, half a country would lie between us—and whatever bond remained between mother and daughter would end here.

...

“Valentina, that's enough.”

The woman who spoke was Elena Bellandi, the family’s former Donna and the current Don’s ex-wife. After Donna Lucia replaced her, Elena left for the West Coast with her younger son, the heir’s half brother.

Elena gave Mother a troubled look. “Seraphina isn't nearly as bad as you claim. If only you knew—”

“Elena!”

Mother cut her off.

“I know exactly what kind of person my daughter is.”

“Vivian is different—”

She drew Vivian to her side and smoothed her hair.

“She's sensible and knows her place. I've already decided to transfer the family shares and territory dividends originally reserved for Seraphina to Vivian. She will represent the Moretti Family in the marriage alliance with the Bellandis.”

I looked up at Mother.

[Lucia only cares about the Moretti Family's power. If one of our girls must marry into her family, Vivian will do just as well.]

[Once Seraphina's shares and territory dividends are transferred to Vivian, she'll have every qualification to become the Bellandi Family's future Donna.]

At last, I understood.

Mother had destroyed my reputation in public simply to clear Vivian's path.

My family shares, my territory dividends, and even my right to choose this alliance had all been handed to Vivian.

Whispers quickly spread through the room.

“I'd heard Donna Valentina favored her niece. Now I've seen it for myself...”

“You can't put all the blame on her mother. If her own mother speaks of her that way, the girl must have done some disgraceful things in private...”

Donna Lucia frowned slightly.

After a few seconds, she said, “If Donna Valentina is willing to give Vivian the Moretti shares and territory dividends, then Vivian is qualified for the alliance. She will have the engagement.”

Vivian raised her glass. “Thank you for your approval, Donna Lucia.”

“However...”

Donna Lucia looked at me.

“Seraphina is still the biological daughter of the Moretti Don and Donna. She could also move into the Bellandi residence as collateral for our families' partnership.”

Everyone understood Donna Lucia's plan.

Vivian was only a niece, so the engagement alone did not carry enough weight.

If the Bellandis kept the Don and Donna's biological daughter under their roof, the Morettis would not dare betray them. They would also be forced to support the eldest son in his struggle with his brother.

Elena shot to her feet.

“Donna Lucia's concerns are understandable, but a marriage must still respect the young woman's wishes.”

Everyone looked at me again.

I stood and faced Lucia calmly.

“Thank you for the proposal, Donna Lucia, but I won’t accept this marriage arrangement, and I have no intention of moving into the Bellandi residence.”

After the banquet, Mother summoned me to her study.

She poured a cup of coffee, pushed it toward me, and spoke with surprising gentleness.

“You behaved reasonably tonight. At least you knew better than to fight Vivian for that marriage.”

My voice trembled.

“When you humiliated me in front of everyone tonight, did you ever think about how people would see me afterward?”

Mother slammed her palm on the desk, sending coffee over the rim of the cup.

“Why must you compete with Vivian for everything? Her parents aren't here, and she's terrified of being looked down on. ”

“You're the only daughter your father and I have. You've lacked nothing since the day you were born. What is so difficult about letting her have this one thing?”

I looked down at myself.

I lived in the most remote bedroom in the estate, used worn-out belongings, and even wore the clothes Vivian rejected.

What did I have, really?

My nose stung.

Ever since I could remember, I had been able to hear Mother's thoughts.

I used to make excuses for her.

She was the Donna of the Moretti Family, and everyone watched her every move. Vivian had lost her parents, so it was only right for Mother to give her a little more care.

That was why, every year, the moment Father's birthday gifts for me arrived, Mother had them taken to Vivian's room.

Back then, my parents were constantly away handling family business, sometimes for months at a time.

I kept telling myself they were simply busy, not that they did not care.

When the family's position finally stabilized and Mother no longer had to travel constantly, I thought everything would get better.

But once she stayed home, I discovered that I still had to surrender anything Vivian wanted.

On Vivian's eighteenth birthday, Mother postponed an emergency confrontation and drove back from an out-of-town base just to fasten a diamond necklace around her neck.

On my eighteenth birthday, I waited from morning until late at night.

Mother never came.

She sent only a message.

“One of the family's shipments was hijacked. I can't leave. Celebrate without me.”

That day, I finally understood.

There was room in Mother's heart for the family, for her people, and for Vivian.

But never for me.