An Identity Reveal Leads to Regret

Antonio worked for two straight hours to stabilize my failing heart. He was a veteran doctor who had served the Salvatore Famiglia for two decades. He shook his head in resignation, his sighs echoing sharply through the room.

"Ms. Grazia's body is at its limit, Donna Salvatore. She already had a weak heart to begin with, and this recent trauma has worsened the situation. I don't know how much time Ms. Grazia has left, Donna Salvatore."

Antonio didn't conclude his statement. However, his meaning was understood by all.

Mamma collapsed into a chair, looking ten years older all of a sudden. She dismissed everyone and remained by my bedside, silently holding my cold hand.

Luca was restrained in the courtyard by bodyguards. His legs were broken, and his screams became increasingly piercing.

Serena was on her knees in the courtyard, crying uncontrollably. "I'm begging you, Mamma—Luca did it for my sake! You can punish me instead of him!"

Papa roared outside the door, "Do you truly intend to destroy the whole Salvatore Famiglia for the sake of a daughter who is about to die, Rosalina? Luca is the successor of the Moretti Famiglia! How are we supposed to explain your cruel actions to the Moretti Famiglia?"

I fluttered my eyes open and noticed how tired Mamma looked. I weakly tugged at her sleeve and said, "Y-You don't have to do this, Mamma. I don't have much time left anyway, so please don't fight with Papa because of me. Y-You should just let me go. I'll go away and get out of their sight, Mamma…"

Mamma tightened her grip on my hand, her eyes flashing with determination. "You're my darling daughter, Grazia. I won't let you endure a single moment of mistreatment ever again."

She then rose to her feet and threw open the door, eyeing the crowd in the courtyard. "If you believe I have no right to demand justice for my daughter, then we have nothing more to discuss. I'm divorcing you, and I'm taking my daughter back to the Vitelli Famiglia tomorrow morning.

"You and the Salvatore Famiglia are dead to me from this point forward, Vittorio."

In that instant, everyone in the courtyard went completely still.

Papa widened his eyes in shock, as though he had heard something inconceivable. "What do you mean by that? What do you mean you're returning to the Vitelli Famiglia? Have you lost your mind, Rosalina? How could you divorce me over such a trivial matter?"

Marco panicked as well. He knew that while the Salvatore Famiglia had once been one of the major Mafia Famiglias in Novarra, their influence had declined. They were now sustained mainly by the support of the Vitelli Famiglia, Mamma's Famiglia.

He understood that if Mamma were to leave, the Salvatore Famiglia would become a laughingstock among the Mafia Famiglias in Novarra, and his own future as the next Don would vanish.

He said hurriedly, "Please don't act impulsively, Mamma. I'm sure Papa was just speaking in the heat of the moment. I'm certain that all of us are devastated that Grazia is so ill, but Luca has already paid the price. Why push this to the point of no return, Mamma?"

Serena lowered her head, a ruthless glint passing through her eyes. She couldn't allow Mamma to leave as well, knowing that without the Vitelli Famiglia's support, the Salvatore Famiglia would fall—and so would her own status.

…

An eerie silence settled over the estate during the following days.

Papa and Marco made daily attempts to seek Mamma's forgiveness, only to be stopped at the door by the bodyguards.

Luca, suffering from his leg injuries, was personally escorted back to the Moretti Famiglia by Mamma.

Mamma approached Don Moretti to request the termination of the engagement with the Moretti Famiglia and also offer an apology for her sudden outburst against Luca.

Don Moretti was fuming, but because Luca was also to blame, he eventually had no choice but to accept the end of the marriage alliance.

I spent my days being stuck with needles and swallowing pills, but my health continued to fail. I could feel my internal organs aching with each injection. I managed to intercept and hide a dose of the medicine one day. I waited for Antonio, then forced myself upright to hand him the medication.

It was just as I suspected—the medication had been spiked with small amounts of stimulants. It might give a healthy person a temporary boost of energy, but it acted as a lethal toxin for someone with my failing heart and weakened state.

I didn't need to guess who was behind it. I laughed coldly to myself. I thought that since Serena wanted a game, I would participate on a significantly larger scale.

I told Antonio to hold off on telling Mamma what we had found for the time being.

It was then that a nurse walked in during dinner. "It's time for your injection, Ms. Salvatore."

I didn't resist, allowing the nurse to give me the injection.

I suddenly seized up just when Mamma was about to give me a sip of water. It wasn't long before blood began streaming from my nose, my ears, and the corners of my mouth. I was hemorrhaging from every facial orifice.

It was a gruesome sight.

Mamma immediately dropped the glass of water, which shattered on the floor. "Grazia!"