Chapter 3

Late that night, after everyone at the estate had gone to bed, Eduardo went to the underground punishment chamber alone.

He held a flashlight in one hand. His face was tense.

Before he even reached the door, he caught a terrible smell.

"Dear God..." he whispered.

His eyes turned red.

The smell grew stronger as he approached. Something dark had leaked from beneath the heavy stone door, and flies had gathered around it.

Eduardo stopped.

He knew something was terribly wrong.

My spirit stood right in front of him, but he couldn't see me. I tried to stop him.

"Go back, Eduardo. Don't open that door. You don't need to see what's inside."

Of all the people at the estate, Eduardo had been one of the few who'd shown me kindness.

He'd even tried to convince my father to let me go. But he was only a butler. He had no real power, and he couldn't risk losing his job.

Eduardo stared at the door for a long moment.

Then he took a few steps back and left.

The next morning, Vincenzo was in a good mood.

After breakfast, he took an expensive gift box from a cabinet and waited until Stella was nearby.

"Happy birthday, Stella. I got you something."

Her blue eyes lit up.

"Thank you, Vincenzo! You remembered!"

She opened the box.

Inside was a sleek black gun case. A custom-made pistol rested in the velvet lining, decorated with silver and gold and engraved with her initials.

It was far more expensive than the old pistol he'd taken from me.

"Liliana's gun was outdated. You deserve something better," Vincenzo said proudly. "I had this made just for you."

Stella picked it up and admired it.

"I love it. It's perfect."

She smiled as she examined her new gift.

Just then, Eduardo stepped forward.

He looked uneasy, but he forced himself to speak.

"Sir, shouldn't Miss Liliana be released now?"

Vincenzo frowned.

"Eduardo, why are you bringing her up again?"

"Sir, it's been ten days. No one could survive in that chamber for this long."

The smell from the night before had made Eduardo fear the worst. He'd spent the entire night thinking about what might be behind that door.

"He's right, Vincenzo," Stella chimed in. "Liliana must have learned her lesson. Let her out."

As soon as Stella spoke, Vincenzo's expression softened.

"Fine. If that's what you want."

Then he turned to Eduardo.

"Once she's out, tell her I've frozen all her bank accounts. She can find a job and support herself. I won't keep a daughter like that under my roof."

I almost laughed.

Everything Vincenzo had—the estate, his position as underboss, his business empire—had come from my mother's family.

Without her family's support, he would never have gotten where he was.

My mother had barely been buried before he'd moved on with Helena.

And now he'd killed his own daughter.

At Vincenzo's order, Eduardo gathered several servants and headed for the chamber.

The closer they got, the worse the smell became.

Everyone covered their noses. One servant couldn't take it and turned away, gagging.

"What is that smell?"

"Is there a dead body in there?"

Vincenzo and Helena followed behind, with Stella between them. Even they looked disgusted.

But when Vincenzo saw the servants hesitating, he lost his patience.

"What's wrong with all of you? Do your jobs!"

"It's coming from Liliana," he snapped. "She's been locked in a sealed room for ten days. Of course she smells. Get her out and have this place cleaned. I don't want to hear another word about it."

Then he turned to the servants.

"Open the door! Get her out now, or you're all fired!"

No one dared disobey.

One of the servants stepped forward and pushed open the heavy iron door.

Everyone froze.

A body lay on the stone floor, curled up in the corner.

It was barely recognizable.

It was me.