The Don's Most Bitter Fruit

The same female soldier who had mocked me before jumped in to add fuel to the fire.

"She's obviously jealous the Don is taking care of Sera, so she's deliberately making trouble. She's acting like a lunatic!"

"Seems the Donna isn't as capable as she used to be. A little chemical smoke, and she's a pathetic mess. What a liability."

"And after all these years, she hasn't even given the Don an heir. The Don is already being generous by not kicking her out."

"If you ask me, Miss Sera is a better fit for Donna than her."

Accusations flew from all sides, each word a blade stabbing at me until I could barely breathe.

I let out a cold laugh. Ignoring the excruciating pain of the poison gnawing at my bones, I slowly straightened my back.

"A better fit? She's a parasite clinging to a man for survival, and you're a pack of dogs who would have starved to death without my family's channels. Who the hell are you to judge me?"

The soldiers instinctively recoiled, cowed by the sheer ice in my eyes, their arrogant bluster gone in an instant.

Caspian frowned, his patience clearly gone.

"What is this now? How long are you going to keep this act up? Apologize to Sera. Now!"

"Apologize? She's not worthy," I hissed.

Sera, as if frightened by my tone, began to sob quietly.

Caspian pulled her into his arms, patting her back soothingly.

"Don't cry. She's just getting old and bitter. Jealous that you're young and beautiful."

Leaning against Caspian's chest, Sera choked out, "Does the Donna really hate me that much? I'm sorry, it's all my fault. When we get back, I'll leave the family right away, so you two won't have to fight anymore..."

Caspian's gaze on me turned to ice. His words were slow and clear.

"You've done nothing wrong. She's the one with the twisted mind. Don't worry, when we get back, I'll make things right for you."

I shook my head and laughed, a bitter, broken sound.

The Don I once took a bullet for was now nailing me to a pillar of shame in front of everyone.

Nestled in Caspian's arms, Sera shot me a victorious little smirk.

"You listen to me."

Caspian looked down at me, his voice frigid.

"Either you kneel and apologize to Sera right now and admit you had a psychotic break and harmed yourself. Or, after this firefight, I will report you to the family council for mental instability and malicious framing of a comrade. I'll have you sent to a mental institution."

I raised my head and looked at the two of them, clinging to each other.

At the celebration all those years ago, I had shielded him from an assassin's bullet. Time and again, I had pulled him from the jaws of death.

And in his eyes, it was all worthless.

"I did nothing wrong. I will not apologize."

As the words left my mouth, a wave of intense dizziness washed over me.

Before my consciousness faded completely, I pressed the emergency beacon on my watch, transmitting my location.