Chapter 2

Elowen's face lit up instantly.

She practically bounced over to Vincent and kissed him loudly on the cheek.

"Thank you, Dad! You're the best!"

Then she turned to me.

Her concern looked painfully fake.

"Sylvana, you smell a little..."

She wrinkled her nose.

"Different."

"Living out in the middle of nowhere all those years, you probably didn't get to shower very often, did you?"

She smiled sweetly.

"But don't worry. The Moretti Grand Hotel has excellent employee facilities."

"You can shower in the staff locker room after your shift."

"Isn't that great?"

I stared at her.

For one serious moment, I considered calling the institute and asking whether they could send someone to investigate this family.

Are the Morettis secretly working for a hostile foreign government?

The adopted daughter gets trained by the consigliere, while the biological daughter gets sent to scrub hotel toilets?

What kind of third-rate Mafia drama is this?

Vincent's hand, still resting on Elowen's head, stiffened.

Jasper gave a dismissive laugh.

"You think just anyone gets to work for a Moretti business?"

"Even the hotel cleaning staff gets full health coverage, retirement benefits, paid leave, and housing assistance."

He looked me up and down.

"You probably don't even know what half of that means."

I sighed inwardly.

I don't really pay attention to benefits at the institute.

But I vaguely remember my senior researcher saying our federal package covers practically everything, plus research grants and lifetime patent royalties.

Is basic health insurance really supposed to impress me?

The smug look on Jasper's face froze.

Besides, I own five medical patents.

I'm not exactly broke.

Why does everyone here think I'm some starving hillbilly who survives on kitchen scraps?

This is exhausting.

The atmosphere around the table became even stranger.

Elowen, completely unaware, happily ate the shrimp everyone had peeled for her.

Every few bites, she glanced at me with a smug little smile.

I felt nothing.

Not anger.

Not jealousy.

Nothing.

Her attempts to provoke me were almost childish.

"Enough."

Vincent sounded irritated.

"If she doesn't want to eat, don't force her."

He waved a hand toward one of the housemaids.

"Take Sylvana to her room."

I stood and followed the maid upstairs.

As we walked, I went back to mentally reviewing the final stage of my experiment.

At the end of the corridor, the maid stopped beside the smallest door.

"This is your room."

I looked inside.

She continued in a flat voice.

"Miss Elowen is a light sleeper, so unless it's absolutely necessary, don't leave your room at night."

I glanced toward the hallway bathroom.

The maid immediately blocked my view.

"You won't be using that."

She pointed to a bucket inside my room.

"You can take care of yourself in here. Empty and clean it in the courtyard every morning."

I stopped.

Interesting.

One of the most powerful Mafia families on the East Coast, and this was how they treated their newly recovered daughter.

Apparently, if I didn't draw a line now, even the servants would think they could walk all over me.

I looked at the maid.

Then I stepped closer and lowered my voice.

"I can tolerate the Morettis being stupid."

"Unfortunately, we're related by blood."

Her expression changed.

"But you?"

I smiled faintly.

"You're an employee."

"Who gave you the nerve to treat me like this?"

The maid froze.

"I... I didn't..."

"Didn't you?"

I gave a quiet laugh.

I was about to call out exactly what she was doing when she suddenly shoved me.

Hard.

I hit the floor.

The crash immediately drew footsteps from downstairs.

Within moments, the family appeared at the end of the corridor.

Elowen arrived first.

"What are you doing?"

She rushed toward the maid without even looking at me.

"Why are you attacking Agnes?"

Agnes immediately straightened.

With Elowen beside her, the fear vanished from her face.

"Miss Sylvana didn't like the room."

She looked at me accusingly.

"She threw herself onto the floor and tried to blame me."

Jasper folded his arms.

"I knew bringing her back was a mistake."

His voice dripped with contempt.

"She's been here for a few hours and she's already scheming against the staff."

My mother frowned.

"If you didn't like the room, Sylvana, you could have told us."

"There was no reason to create a scene."

She placed a comforting hand on Agnes's shoulder.

"Agnes has served the Moretti family for more than ten years. We know exactly what kind of person she is."

I stared at them.

Unbelievable.

Believing Elowen without question was stupid enough.

Now they're siding with a maid too?

I'm the daughter you supposedly spent years trying to find.

Even if I were a complete stranger, shouldn't someone at least ask why a servant thought she had the right to shove me onto the floor?

Seriously.

How did a family this stupid survive this long in the Mafia?