Episode 5

📖 Chapter 5 – Poison at the Table

The breakfast table, on that gray Saturday, seemed colder than ever. Jade entered the room with her heels clicking on the marble, each step marked by the arrogance that had become her trademark. Her expensive perfume preceded her presence, nauseating like her words.

"So, the bastard is now going to play doctor?" she said, breaking the silence with a drawling, venomous voice. "How lovely… have you thought about doing shifts in the slums? It'll suit you."

I sighed, controlling the fury that burned inside. I raised my eyes, looked at her calmly, and replied in impeccable Italian, so that our father would understand every syllable:

"Meglio lavorare onestamente che vivere come un parassita." (It is better to work honestly than to live as a parasite.)

Jade's eyes widened, her pride wounded. She tried to hide it, but hatred bubbled in her features.

"You should have died with that little woman," she spat, in Portuguese, as if it were a cruel whisper just for me.

Before I could answer, the thunderous sound of our father's hand hitting the table echoed through the room like thunder. The crystal glasses trembled.

"Enough!" his voice sounded like a roar that made even the clock on the wall seem to fall silent. "Enough, you useless spoiled brat!"

Jade paled. The silence that followed seemed eternal.

"Learn to respect people and their achievements," Alessandro continued, his voice hard and implacable. "You're acting like an envious, spoiled child. Instead of worrying about humiliating your sister, you should worry about your wedding, which will take place on December 20th with Dimitri Volkov."

Jade's eyes widened, her face lost all color, and her haughty pose shattered like broken glass.

"Marry?" she repeated, her voice failing in a desperate scream. "Not me, Father! Please, don't do this to me!"

He stood up, imposing like a judge, his gaze as sharp as a blade:

"Enough, Jade. I've decided. The council chose you, and I approved. This alliance is great for us. Our capo is immensely happy, as he doesn't have any children yet."

She stood up abruptly, her chair falling back with a crash. Her face twisted in hatred and panic. Jade ran out, furious, slamming the door so hard that the sound reverberated through the mansion's hallways.

I sat still, my heart racing. The matter didn't concern me—but my silence was my armor. I knew that, from that moment on, something dark was approaching.

And in the depths of Alessandro's eyes, I saw the reflection of the fire that was beginning to consume our family from within.

After the horrible atmosphere that remained at the table, my father gets up, wishes me a good day and leaves, I clean myself up and leave the table, go up to my room, change to go to the course, put on the uniform, tie my hair in a ponytail, put on a purple lipstick and just an eyeliner, I don't like a lot of makeup, I like a striking lipstick but not other things. After I'm ready I call my driver so we can go.

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