Chapter 4

The night before my departure, I returned to Villa Santoro.

I only wanted to collect a few things my grandfather had left me: his old photo albums, his camera, and the original property documents.

The estate was legally mine, but my parents had continued living there for years.

When I entered the security code, the lock flashed red.

I tried again.

Access denied.

The housekeeper eventually opened the door. She looked uncomfortable when she saw me.

"Miss Giulia..."

"What happened to the access code?"

Her eyes shifted toward the staircase.

"Donna Viviana changed it. It's Natalia's birthday now."

I nodded and walked inside.

Since Natalia's divorce, Mother had gradually moved her belongings into my old bedroom.

I hadn't expected her to take over the entire room.

But when I opened the door, I stopped.

My bedroom had become her dressing room.

My graduation photograph was gone. The trophies from my university years had been stuffed into cardboard boxes.

The little wooden rocking horse my grandfather had made for me was being used to support a row of shoes.

Natalia stepped out of the bathroom wearing my silk pajamas.

She looked surprised to see me.

"Giulia? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"It's such a mess in here. I didn't want you to see it."

I looked around.

"This is my room."

Natalia bit her lip.

"Father said you're getting married soon. A daughter who marries into another family eventually becomes a guest in her childhood home."

"My things were taking up too much space, so they let me move in here."

She lowered her voice.

"Surely you don't begrudge me one empty room?"

I didn't answer.

I walked toward the wardrobe, looking for my grandfather's belongings.

His old camera was inside Natalia's suitcase.

"Give it back."

Natalia instinctively covered the suitcase.

"Matteo promised to take me to Aspen. I wanted to borrow it for the trip."

"Give it back."

Her eyes reddened.

"I know you hate me, Giulia. But I really was only borrowing it."

She picked up the camera.

Then her fingers suddenly loosened.

It hit the floor.

The lens shattered, and the body struck the wooden boards with a sickening crack.

Natalia turned pale.

"I'm sorry."

"If you're angry, you can hit me."

She grabbed my hand and suddenly pulled it toward her face.

A sharp slap echoed through the room.

At that exact moment, the bedroom door swung open.

My parents and Matteo stood outside.

Natalia covered her cheek and fell to the floor.

Mother rushed forward and shoved me away.

My lower back struck the edge of the dressing table. Pain shot through me.

"You hit her?"

"I didn't."

"Shut up!"

Father pointed at me, his expression furious.

"Her face is right there! And you still dare to lie?"

Natalia began crying.

"Dad, it was my fault. I broke Giulia's camera."

"She has every reason to hate me."

Father glanced at the shattered camera and sneered.

"That worthless thing belonged to a dead man. Was it worth hurting your sister over?"

"Your grandfather spoiled you so much that he turned you into this."

Matteo helped Natalia to her feet.

He looked at me with undisguised disgust.

"Giulia, you're pathetic."

"Someone doesn't love you, and you want everyone else to suffer."

"Have you ever wondered why your own parents would rather protect your sister than you?"

Mother immediately joined in.

"Because she doesn't deserve it!"

"I would have been better off giving birth to a stone. At least a stone wouldn't spend every day giving me that miserable look."

Natalia tried to calm them.

"Please stop. Giulia will be upset if she hears all this."

Mother wrapped an arm around her.

"She deserves to hear it."

"If she had any conscience, she wouldn't resent you for having a happy life."

I stopped explaining.

Instead, I took out my phone and called my lawyer.

"Proceed with terminating the nominee arrangement for the shares my father holds on my behalf."

"And revoke Santoro Holdings' free licenses to all three of my proprietary security-system patents. The termination notice I approved earlier is final."

Father's expression changed.

"Are you threatening the company?"

"The company isn't mine."

I picked up the property documents from the floor.

"But the shares and patents are."

Mother pointed toward the door.

"Get out!"

"Leave today, and even if Matteo abandons you and you beg on your knees outside this house, we will never recognize you again!"

I put the documents into my bag and walked downstairs.

Natalia followed me outside, carrying an umbrella.

She pressed it into my hand and leaned close enough that only I could hear her.

"Look at us, Giulia."

"We're twins, but they still choose me."

Then she stepped back, her expression changing instantly.

"Giulia, please take the umbrella."

"I don't want you to think I'm taking one more thing from you."

"I'll be fine in the rain."

My parents and Matteo immediately turned toward her.

I placed the villa key on the console beside the entrance.

As the door closed behind me, I heard Mother laugh.

"Give her three days. She'll come crawling back."

At five the next morning, I got into the car waiting outside.

I didn't look back at Villa Santoro.

By ten, my parents, Matteo, and Natalia had arrived at the hotel dressed for the anniversary banquet.

They were expecting me to show up and apologize.

But when the hotel manager saw them, he looked genuinely surprised.

"Don Alessandro? Donna Viviana? What brings you here?"

Father frowned.

"Today is our fortieth wedding anniversary. Why are you asking such a ridiculous question?"

The manager hesitated.

"Sir... the ballroom reservation was canceled three days ago."