Never Forgiven

Sienna's laughter woke me the next morning.

I walked into the hallway and found her clinging to Dominic's arm, acting like a spoiled child.

When she saw me, a flicker of unease crossed Dominic's face.

He walked over and whispered, "Sienna wants to learn perfumery. You're the expert, teach her for me."

I frowned. Before I could say anything,

Sienna had already pushed open the door to the scent lab herself.

"Oh my god, is this all real oud and ambergris?" Her shriek cut through the hallway. "Dominic, you spoil me rotten!"

My fingernails dug into my palm.

That was the raw material collection my father left me.

Every bottle was a treasure gathered from around the world by the Moretti family.

Some were long out of production, some were priceless.

Dominic explained softly from the side.

"Sienna needs a new perfume. The formula needs to be done in two weeks. She gets the credit. We've been married so many years and I haven't given her much. This can be a gift for her. No problem, right?"

My heart sank.

"Are you kidding me?"

"You know, Sienna grew up with me. She's like a little sister. She's finally interested in perfume, and you, her sister-in-law, can't help her?" Dominic looked at me, his amber eyes full of certainty.

I understood. This was an order, not a request.

Sienna leaned against the doorframe, a smug smile on her lips. "Sister Elena, you won't refuse, will you? After all, you're the Moretti family's best perfumer."

She deliberately emphasized the words 'Moretti family.'

As if reminding me my family was gone.

After my father died three years ago, the Moretti family fell apart.

The spice routes were redrawn, and even my father's painstakingly built lab was seized.

Only Dominic reached out.

He said he loved me, that he would protect me, let me continue doing what I loved, and give me a home.

The price was marrying him, becoming the Donna to the Luciani family.

For the past few years, being able to continue as a perfumer has been thanks to Dominic's support.

I took a deep breath. "Okay. I agree."

In the lab, it was just Sienna and me.

Away from Dominic's eyes, she let loose completely, running her hands over the absolutes and bases in the lab.

I watched it all expressionless, telling myself to endure.

"Don't be so cold," she said, walking behind me, her gaze sweeping over the workbench. "By the way, what's that amber-colored bottle?"

I followed her gaze. It was the perfume we finished together the first time my father taught me perfumery.

"Don't touch it," I warned.

Sienna smiled. "So tense? It must be precious."

She reached for the bottle.

"I said don't touch it!" I grabbed her wrist.

Sienna violently shook me off, stepping back.

The bottle slipped from the shelf, arcing through the air.

Bang.

Glass shards scattered on the floor.

My father's last breath was evaporating and disappearing right now.

I knelt on the floor, trying to cup the liquid with my hands, but it flowed through my fingers, leaving nothing.

Seeing my face grow paler, Sienna's eyes darted. She suddenly grabbed a shard of glass and cut her own arm.

"Ah!" Her eyes instantly reddened, and she collapsed on the floor, looking pitiful.

The next second, Dominic rushed into the lab. The first thing he saw was the blood on Sienna's arm.

He kicked aside the broken glass bottles on the floor and turned to check Sienna's injury with concern.

"You hurt her?" His brow furrowed, his dark eyes shifting to me.

"I didn't mean to..." Sienna sobbed. "I just wanted to look at that perfume, but Elena suddenly went crazy, pushed me down, and cut me..."

"I didn't!" I stood up, my voice trembling with anger. "She herself—"

"Enough," Dominic cut me off, his gaze cold as he looked at me. "Elena, apologize."

Three years of marriage, this was the first time he looked at me like that.

In that moment, I thought I had misheard.

"What?"

"Apologize to Sienna," he repeated, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

I looked at him, the man who once said he would always believe me, the untouchable Don of New York's underworld.

"I didn't do anything, why should I apologize?"

"And Sienna, she knocked over my father's legacy. Shouldn't she be the one apologizing?"

"Besides..." My throat tightened, I looked him straight in the eye. "About how my father was betrayed back then, don't you have anything to say?"

Dominic's expression shifted for a moment.

He averted his gaze unnaturally. "It's all in the past. I dealt with the traitor for you. What more do you want?"

"Since you refuse to apologize, you'll stay in the lab tonight to reflect. Come out when you've figured it out."

"Dominic!"

By the time I reacted, the door was slammed shut.

Then, the lights went out.

Darkness swallowed the entire space instantly.

He forgot I have claustrophobia.

My breathing started to quicken.

There was no switch in the room. I beat desperately against the door.

No matter how much I called for help, there was no response.

I don't know how long it was before I lost consciousness.