Chapter 3

For three days after that family gathering, I practically ran through every high-end jewelry store and restoration workshop in New York. Every person who saw the fragments of Bianca's necklace just shook their head and sighed.

"An antique of this caliber would need at least three months for complete restoration," the fifth jeweler told me. "And even if we fix it, it could never return to its original perfection."

I returned to the estate exhausted. Marco was in the living room, chatting and laughing with Lucia. The moment he saw me walk in, he immediately stood up.

"How did it go?"

"At the very least, it needs three months, and..." I took a deep breath. "The restorer said even if it's repaired, it can never be completely restored to its original state."

Marco's face instantly turned ashen. "What do you mean?"

"The historical value will be severely compromised. The necklace will have obvious repair marks."

Marco slowly turned around, looking out the window. "So you're telling me that Bianca's most precious heirloom is permanently ruined?"

"Marco, I did everything I could..."

"Everything you could?" He spun around, fury blazing in his eyes. "If you really did everything you could, we wouldn't be in this situation!"

"That's not fair, Marco. I didn't break that necklace."

"But you're the lady of this house! When something goes wrong, it's your responsibility!" His voice echoed through the living room. "Bianca never would have disappointed me. Never!"

Lucia stepped forward at just the right moment, gently stroking Marco's arm. "Marco, don't treat Valentina like this. She's tried so hard. Maybe... some things, once lost, can never be found again."

Every word was a reminder that I could never replace Bianca.

Marco gave me a long, hard look, said nothing more, and walked toward his study. Leaving me standing there in the living room.

---

After Marco left, only Lucia and I remained in the living room. The perfect expression of sympathy on her face instantly disappeared, replaced by naked satisfaction.

"Looks like you really disappointed him, sweetheart." She elegantly settled back onto the sofa, crossing her legs. "Though I told you from the start, some positions aren't meant for just anyone to fill."

"You're enjoying all of this, aren't you?" I walked toward her. "Starting with breaking the necklace."

Lucia laughed softly. "Breaking? I was just so excited, wanting to feel Bianca's presence again. If you truly had the capability to handle these things, this wouldn't even be an issue."

"You did it on purpose." My voice was low. "You deliberately let that necklace fall."

"Proof?" She tilted her head, expression innocent. "And so what if I did? Marco sees your incompetence now. Isn't that a good thing? At least he doesn't have to keep wasting time on the wrong person."

"You fucking bitch..."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Such language doesn't suit the lady of the Santangelo house. Though you're right—you were never really the true lady of the house, were you?" Lucia stood up and walked toward me. "You're just a temporary replacement. And now, Marco finally realizes that."

"You think you've won?"

"I know I've won." She stopped in front of me, her voice dripping with malice. "You heard what Marco just said. Bianca never would have disappointed him. And you? You've disappointed him completely."

My hands unconsciously clenched into fists. "Our relationship isn't something you can destroy."

"Relationship?" Lucia burst into laughter. "You think you have some kind of relationship? Sweetheart, you're just a convenient bed partner. You're there when Marco needs you, and when he doesn't, you're invisible."

"And me? I'm Bianca's cousin, a true family member. You? You're just some little girl of unknown origins, deluding yourself into thinking you could fill Bianca's void."

"Marco will never truly love you, because you can never become Bianca." Lucia moved closer. "And now, he's lost even basic trust in you. The necklace incident was just the beginning. Next, he'll start questioning everything about you."

"Shut up!" I shoved her away.

But Lucia was clearly prepared for this moment. She deliberately stepped back several paces, then pretended to lose her balance, crashing hard into the coffee table.

"Ah!" She cried out in pain, and the crystal vase on the coffee table shattered.

I froze. I hadn't even used much force. There was no way she could have fallen that hard.

Lucia sat on the floor, several glass cuts on her arm with blood beading up. She looked at me, a flash of triumph in her eyes, then immediately switched to a terrified expression.

"Valentina, have you lost your mind?" she said in a trembling voice.

Just then, Marco strode out, obviously having heard the commotion.

The scene he saw was: Lucia sitting on the floor, arm bleeding, surrounded by broken glass. And me standing over her, anger still written across my face.

"What the hell is going on?" Marco's voice was ice cold.

"Marco..." Lucia choked up. "I was just trying to comfort Valentina, telling her the necklace incident wasn't her fault. But she suddenly... she pushed me, said I shouldn't meddle..."

I opened my mouth to explain, but the words stuck in my throat. How could I explain? Say she deliberately provoked me? Say she faked the fall? Would Marco believe any of that?

Marco walked to Lucia's side, carefully helping her up. "You're hurt."

"It's nothing, just some small cuts." Lucia smiled weakly. "I understand Valentina's anger. Losing Bianca's necklace must be tremendously stressful for her..."

Every word was digging me deeper into a hole. The perfect victim image, understanding forgiveness, while I was the unhinged villain.

"Valentina, explain." Marco turned to me, his eyes holding a coldness I'd never seen before.

"She..." I looked at Lucia's perfectly innocent face. "She was provoking me."

"Provoking?" Marco's tone was full of doubt. "Lucia was trying to comfort you, and that's provocation?"

"That's not how it was, Marco. She said..." I paused, realizing that if I repeated Lucia's words, I'd only make myself look more petty and jealous.

"She said what?"

I fell silent.

Lucia spoke up at just the right moment. "Marco, don't blame Valentina. She's under so much pressure. I should have given her some space. Maybe... maybe I really should go home. My presence seems to make her very uncomfortable."

"No." Marco's voice was firm. "You're a guest, a friend of the family. No one should have to leave because of someone else's emotional issues."

He looked at me, the disappointment in his eyes breaking my heart. "Val, I need you to control your emotions. This kind of behavior doesn't honor the Santangelo name."

Doesn't honor the name. Just like Lucia said, I was always just an outsider.

"I understand." I said quietly. "I apologize for my behavior."

Marco nodded, then said gently to Lucia, "Let me take you to treat those wounds."

They left the living room, leaving me alone standing in the middle of the glass shards.

I crouched down and started cleaning up the pieces. Lucia had won. She'd not only successfully destroyed Bianca's necklace, but had also successfully gotten Marco completely on her side.

As I picked up the last piece of glass, the sharp edge cut my finger.