The day I was released from prison, rain poured from the sky. I followed my husband to the cemetery to visit our daughter. Rain hammered against the tombstone. Vincent Moretti, Don of the Moretti family, suddenly spoke in a calm voice. “The day our daughter drowned, I was the one who had the surveillance footage from the lake by the docks destroyed.” I froze. The next second, I turned and met my son’s eyes. There was not a trace of guilt in them. Aiden’s tone was light, almost careless. “I testified that you abused my sister. I helped clear Celeste of suspicion.” The torment of more than a thousand days and nights in prison could not compare to one fraction of the pain of that truth tearing me open. Something bitter and metallic surged up my throat. I grabbed Vincent by the collar and broke down. “What did I do wrong? Why would you do this to me…” My son gave a soft laugh. “My sister is already dead. What, were we supposed to let Celeste go to jail?” “You are a wife with no real skills and no power. So what if you had to spend a few years behind bars?” Vincent pried my fingers loose one by one, his voice cold. “You enjoyed all the prestige of being Mrs. Moretti, while Celeste gave birth to my child and still could not even call herself my wife. I already owe them too much.” “So, Evelyn, as long as you stop causing trouble for Celeste and Pearl, I won’t send you back a second time.” … I collapsed in front of my daughter’s grave, chilled to the bone. Vincent bent down and brushed the wet hair from my face. “Evelyn, you’re the one who insisted on hiring someone to investigate Celeste.” “So I arranged for a few people to teach you a lesson. I wanted you to behave.” “I just didn’t expect them to go that far and leave you crippled.” The dull crack of metal striking bone exploded again beside my ears. That day, I had just found a lead proving Celeste had drowned my daughter. I was about to confront Celeste when a group of family bodyguards pinned me to the floor and brought iron rods down on my legs again and again. Lying in a pool of blood, I used the last of my strength to crawl, inch by inch, toward the door. “Help me…” But all that remained in the hallway was the sound of Vincent’s footsteps fading farther and farther away. The pain and despair of that day were still vivid. I took a deep breath and looked at the son in front of me. He felt like a stranger. Cold. Unreachable. My son glanced down at me in the mud and rain. “Stop acting like you’re the victim.” “Celeste was about to be honored by the family elders. You were the one who insisted on causing trouble for her.” “Father didn’t even want to hurt you. You pushed him into it.” My own flesh and blood was taking my enemy’s side. The last string in my mind snapped. I forced myself to stand and slapped my son hard across the face. “Smack!” The sharp sound cut through the rain. My son held his cheek, stunned. Vincent lunged forward and shoved me away. “Evelyn, why are you hitting a child?” I crashed into the tombstone. Fresh blood mixed with rainwater and ran into my eyes, dyeing the whole world red. Two family bodyguards dragged me into a car and took me back to the Moretti estate. Vincent pushed an adoption agreement in front of me. “Pearl will be adopted under your name.” Pearl Moretti. His daughter with Celeste. I swept everything off the coffee table, my eyes bloodshot. “Vincent, you want me to claim my enemy’s daughter? Dream on.” “She killed my daughter. I will never raise that bastard child.” Shards of porcelain cut the back of my hand. Blood dripped onto the carpet. Vincent frowned and pressed a handkerchief against the wound. “Evelyn, stop making a scene.” “If you could be a little more gracious and accept Celeste and Pearl, you will still be the wife I love most. Your place as Mrs. Moretti will always be yours.” Nausea rolled through me. I yanked my hand back. Vincent’s expression darkened. “Evelyn, you need to calm down.” “When you’ve thought this through, you can come out and talk to me.” He turned and left the room. The door slammed shut behind him. Silence returned. Blood kept seeping from my hand, carrying away the last trace of warmth in my heart. I immediately booked a ticket to the West Coast. I would never return to a home like this.
The servants’ gossip drifted in from outside the door. “The Don treats Miss Pearl so well. Tomorrow’s adoption banquet is even grander than his wedding to Mrs. Moretti back then.” “But isn’t tomorrow Miss Elsie’s death anniversary? Why would the Don choose that day?” “An unloved daughter only gets what she gets. Don’t waste your pity. Remember, tomorrow’s banquet will be livestreamed across the city. From now on, the Moretti family will have only one princess.” My nails cut into my palm, and blood welled out. On Elsie’s death anniversary, Vincent planned to step over his own daughter’s remains and throw a lavish banquet for his enemy’s child. Before long, the door opened. Vincent placed a cup of warm milk gently by the bed. “Evelyn, I had someone contact the best orthopedic specialist in New York.” “Your leg can still be treated. We’ll arrange rehabilitation next week.” He reached out to touch my hair, but I slapped his hand away. The tenderness on Vincent’s face vanished, and his voice turned hard. “I’ve done everything for your sake. I found you the best doctor. How long are you going to keep punishing me?” I looked at him coldly. “For my sake? Is that why you had my leg broken?” “For my sake? Is that why you protected the murderer who killed our daughter?” Vincent sighed, his tone full of helplessness. “You spoiled Elsie. She was so young and already pointing at people and calling them names.” “Celeste was insulted by her. She only pushed her once. Who knew she would fall into the lake?” “Even now, Celeste still blames herself. She’s suffered enough. You can’t put all the blame on her.” It felt as if my heart had been ripped apart. I could barely breathe. To protect that murderer, he was willing to smear a five-year-old child. When I was eighteen, I had collapsed on the floor covered in blood. At my feet lay the body of my abusive father. Beside him was my mother, who had just slit her wrists. Vincent rushed in and held my trembling body tightly in his arms. “Don’t be afraid, Evelyn. From now on, I’ll protect you with my life.” But now, the vicious face before me turned all the love I once felt into stagnant water. “Vincent, let’s end this marriage. I’ll get out of your way.” “All I ask is to take Elsie’s ashes with me.” Vincent fell silent. His expression grew more and more terrifying. In the end, he laughed coldly. “Divorce? Don’t even think about it.” “Tomorrow, you will attend the adoption banquet as Mrs. Moretti.” “If you refuse, you’ll never find out where Elsie’s real ashes are.” He released me and slammed the door on his way out. I stumbled out of the room, but stopped in front of that familiar door. When I pushed it open, all I saw were princess dresses, couture gowns, and a wall full of expensive jewelry. Elsie’s desk, toys, and bed were all gone. Oversized portraits of Celeste and Pearl hung on the walls. The closet was filled with limited-edition handbags and jeweled necklaces Vincent had bought. The room had been turned into Celeste and Pearl’s private dressing room. “Pretty, isn’t it?” Celeste leaned against the doorframe, swirling a glass of red wine. “When that little bitch died, she kept screaming for Mommy to save her.” “I pushed her under the water again and again.” “She struggled for five whole minutes before she stopped breathing. Her eyes were so wide when she died.” My blood roared in my ears. I raised my hand and swung at her face as hard as I could. Celeste did not dodge. A mocking smile curved her lips. Suddenly, a violent wave of dizziness hit me. My vision went black, and I collapsed heavily to the floor.
A bucket of ice water was dumped over my head. My eyes flew open. Family bodyguards forced me into an ill-fitting gown and dragged me roughly into the banquet hall. Under the glaring crystal chandeliers, my wretched appearance was exposed to everyone. “So this is the vicious woman who abused her own daughter to death?” “She still has the nerve to show her face after getting out? How unlucky.” “The Don really brought this on himself, marrying a crippled madwoman like her.” Laughter rose from every direction, each sound landing like a slap. Celeste walked over holding Pearl’s hand. She wore a familiar white gown and looked radiant. “Evelyn, you must have suffered so much.” Celeste’s eyes were red, her voice gentle. I stared at the dress on her body. It was the same style I had worn on my wedding day with Vincent. My stomach turned. Pearl suddenly threw herself into my arms and kicked my left leg hard. Pain shot through me like a drill. I cried out and shoved her away. Pearl used the momentum to fall to the floor and burst into tears. “What are you doing?” My son rushed over and picked Pearl up. “Didn’t you spend enough time locked away? Now you won’t even spare Pearl?” Vincent grabbed my wrist. “This is an important occasion. I won’t allow you to lose your temper again.” I struggled free and limped toward the doors. Celeste’s eyes reddened as if she were about to cry. “Evelyn Hawthorne, abusing your own daughter was bad enough. Why won’t you even spare innocent Pearl?” “As someone Vincent treats like a sister, I shouldn’t interfere in your family matters, but I truly can’t stand by and watch this.” “Pearl is so little. How can your heart be so cruel?” Her pitiful act drew sighs from the guests around us. The big screen suddenly lit up. Reporters bought off by the Moretti family swarmed around me. “Ms. Evelyn, according to our investigation, your father repeatedly committed domestic violence, and your mother brutally killed him.” “Did you inherit your parents’ violent tendencies? Is that why you murdered your own daughter?” The screen flashed wildly, and their accusations were shoved in my face. I froze in place as their voices drilled into my skull. After a long while, I finally came back to myself and screamed myself hoarse. “I was framed!” “Celeste is not his sister. She is my husband’s mistress. She inserted herself into our marriage.” “Pearl is her illegitimate daughter with Vincent. They are the ones who killed my daughter.” The entire hall fell silent. Celeste’s face turned white. Her body swayed, and she nearly collapsed. Vincent quickly reached out and caught her in his arms. Holding Celeste protectively, Vincent sighed. “I’m sorry, everyone. My wife was traumatized while she was locked away. Her mental state has been unstable.” He turned and leaned close to my ear. “Apologize to Celeste. Clarify that she isn’t my mistress. Say you accused her because you were jealous.” I clenched my teeth and stared at him. “Never.” Vincent unlocked his phone. A prepared message appeared in front of my eyes. Destroy Elsie’s ashes. Now. My entire body shook. A chill shot from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. “Vincent, you’re insane. That’s your own daughter.” “You won’t do this. You won’t.” Vincent looked at me coldly and pressed send without hesitation. “No!” I dropped to my knees, tears spilling from my eyes. “I’m sorry. I was jealous of Celeste. I framed her.”
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