- 17 hours ago
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00:00At the gala in Palermo, I stood in a row with 12 other heiresses, waiting to be chosen.
00:00:05One flower, one night, one chance.
00:00:08As Don Earl's Bastarda, I had no room to fail.
00:00:11Lorenzo Rossi, heir of the Rossi family, was my childhood friend.
00:00:15He was the only man who'd agreed to protect me, and he had promised me the white lily.
00:00:19We'd made the deal just yesterday, three years of cover.
00:00:22Then he could love whoever he wanted.
00:00:23Yesterday, he'd said yes.
00:00:25Tonight, at the last second, he smiled and handed the flower to the girl beside me,
00:00:29Mia, the scholarship student he'd been sponsoring.
00:00:32Her hands were shaking as she took it.
00:00:34Let Mia have the spotlight today, Elena.
00:00:38The poor thing has never known happiness.
00:00:40Don't worry.
00:00:41As long as I'm here, no one will dare arrange your marriage.
00:00:44I looked at him.
00:00:45He was already turning away, placing Mia's hand on his arm.
00:00:49Mia is elegant and noble.
00:00:52She is worthy of this honor.
00:00:55Noble.
00:00:56The word landed like a slap.
00:00:57Whispers rippled through the crowd.
00:00:59I stood empty-handed, the Don's bastard daughter, publicly passed over for a stray.
00:01:04When the crowd dispersed, Lorenzo appeared at my side, wine glass in hand.
00:01:09These idiots.
00:01:10I told them to save you at least one flower.
00:01:15Do you know what tonight means?
00:01:17The white lily wasn't decoration.
00:01:19It was a marriage proposal between families.
00:01:21Without it, I had nothing.
00:01:23No protection.
00:01:24No choice.
00:01:25No way out of the arranged marriage Donna Earl had already planned for me in New York.
00:01:29Lorenzo was my only option.
00:01:31No other man here would choose the bastardha.
00:01:33And he'd just chosen someone else.
00:01:3518 years.
00:01:38He didn't answer.
00:01:40Behind him, Mia was smiling.
00:01:42The white lily in her hands, still perfect.
00:01:45Guilt flickered across Lorenzo's face.
00:01:48He sent Mia away.
00:01:50You're used to these events, Elena.
00:01:52But Mia's poor.
00:01:54This is her only shot to shine in her whole life.
00:01:59Just, just do me a favor.
00:02:04You can have your way any other day.
00:02:06Why today of all days?
00:02:07I stayed silent.
00:02:13Today's her graduation.
00:02:15After tonight, I can't sponsor her anymore.
00:02:20I promised her one unforgettable memory.
00:02:23Unforgettable for me, too.
00:02:25But it was too late.
00:02:26Lorenzo, do you understand what the gala...
00:02:29Mia returned before I could finish.
00:02:32Elena, did I ruin everything?
00:02:37Please don't blame Lorenzo.
00:02:38I begged him to...
00:02:41Enough, Elena.
00:02:42It's just a flower.
00:02:44I'll buy you another one.
00:02:45He reached into a nearby vase,
00:02:47pulled out a rose,
00:02:48and shoved it into my hand.
00:02:52Roses suit you better anyway.
00:02:54A lily isn't worth making a scene over.
00:02:57This isn't like you.
00:02:58The rose was dripping wet.
00:02:59Its thorns had been cut.
00:03:01Its stem snapped short,
00:03:02just like me.
00:03:03But the white lily meant honor.
00:03:05The wife of a don.
00:03:06A queen.
00:03:07The red rose meant mistress.
00:03:09A woman you kept in the shadows.
00:03:11An illegitimate bootlicker,
00:03:12thinking she could marry the Rossi heir?
00:03:15Didn't you hear him say noble?
00:03:17Even a poor student ranks higher.
00:03:20Lorenzo silenced the woman with one look,
00:03:22but the words had already sunk in.
00:03:26Elena, I'm sorry.
00:03:29You've always had everything.
00:03:31I just wanted one night to feel special.
00:03:34Everything?
00:03:35I'm a bastard, Mia.
00:03:37Do you have any idea how the Marotti family treats me?
00:03:40The cake slipped from her hands and landed on her shoe,
00:03:43her eyes filled with tears.
00:03:45Look, it's already done.
00:03:46Let her enjoy tonight.
00:03:50Come on, let's get you cleaned up.
00:03:53You can head home if you want.
00:03:56Home?
00:03:56I didn't have one.
00:03:58As soon as Lorenzo left my side,
00:04:00someone closed in.
00:04:01Antonio Ricci,
00:04:02a reckless libertine from a rival crew,
00:04:04sidled up to me.
00:04:06You smell good, Elena Moretti.
00:04:09Without Lorenzo,
00:04:10I didn't even get basic respect.
00:04:12Lorenzo told me to give you a flower.
00:04:14I didn't.
00:04:15I told you before,
00:04:17stop chasing him and try me instead,
00:04:19but you never listened.
00:04:21How's it feel now?
00:04:23Humiliating, isn't it?
00:04:24Lorenzo had given him the task of delivering my flower?
00:04:26Knowing Antonio had been harassing me for months?
00:04:29Another betrayal.
00:04:30I only asked for three years.
00:04:32Three years to gain enough power
00:04:34to escape the Moretti family's grip.
00:04:36But Donna wanted me gone.
00:04:37She wouldn't even give me time to breathe.
00:04:40If it wasn't for that pretty face,
00:04:41you'd be nothing.
00:04:45Ritzy,
00:04:46did I not warn you?
00:04:48Don't touch my people.
00:04:50That's none of your business.
00:04:52Your people?
00:04:54You just picked the charity girl.
00:04:56What do you need Elena for?
00:04:58She's mine.
00:04:59That's all you need to know.
00:04:59Antonio spat and walked away.
00:05:01Lorenzo spun me around to face him.
00:05:04He touched you and you didn't fight back?
00:05:08Wasn't this your idea?
00:05:09Lorenzo, could I get some champagne?
00:05:13One's cold and stubborn.
00:05:14The other's bright and warm.
00:05:16Lorenzo's choice was easy.
00:05:17Tonight, you're the star.
00:05:19Whatever you want.
00:05:20We'll talk tomorrow.
00:05:21I'll come by your place.
00:05:24Tomorrow?
00:05:25I smiled coldly.
00:05:26Tomorrow, you'll have to come to New York to find me.
00:05:31Lorenzo left to greet the other Capos.
00:05:33And Mia walked back to me,
00:05:35holding a glass of wine.
00:05:36The timid scholarship girl was gone.
00:05:39In her place stood someone who'd tasted power.
00:05:42You have everything, Elena.
00:05:45Why do you need to take this one moment of glory from me?
00:05:51I should never have helped Lorenzo choose her for the scholarship.
00:05:55You grew up in luxury.
00:05:58I only wanted Lorenzo's protection for one night.
00:06:04Luxury?
00:06:06You think I'm better off than you?
00:06:08My mother died early.
00:06:09Don Earl brought me back to the estate when I was little.
00:06:12Donna looked at me like she wanted me dead.
00:06:14My father had mistresses everywhere and didn't care about one more bastard daughter.
00:06:18I learned to read faces young.
00:06:20Without this face, I wouldn't have survived.
00:06:22I was trapped between two sides.
00:06:24I turned to Uncle Luca and begged him to train me,
00:06:27to back me up.
00:06:28Uncle Luca never smiled.
00:06:32Your father has 23 children.
00:06:36Why should I invest in a bastard who won't last?
00:06:39Because I have nothing to lose.
00:06:41I'll do what they won't.
00:06:42But the time wasn't right.
00:06:44Uncle Luca wouldn't help me either.
00:06:46They say Dante Vitale is ruthless.
00:06:48Anyone who crosses him gets crushed without mercy.
00:06:50The Morettis wanted his protection,
00:06:52but wouldn't sacrifice a legitimate daughter.
00:06:55So they chose me.
00:06:58Uncle Luca must know how the gala ended.
00:07:03Elena.
00:07:05Do you think Lorenzo even knows what the gala means?
00:07:08I wasn't the type to dwell on emotions.
00:07:10I needed to find a way to stay.
00:07:14Do you know what tonight actually means?
00:07:15Sure, it's a matchmaking event, but it's just formality.
00:07:18Don't worry, I'll talk to the Morettis.
00:07:19No one's forcing you into marriage.
00:07:20Then can you get the lily back from Mia?
00:07:22I'll return it tomorrow.
00:07:23That's not good.
00:07:24It's already hers.
00:07:25That orchid had a rare golden edge.
00:07:27It couldn't be copied at all.
00:07:29Lorenzo, you know I won't clink on you.
00:07:30Why did you humiliate me tonight?
00:07:32Elena, no one else will take you.
00:07:34You're a Moretti bastard.
00:07:36Everyone Palermo knows you're mine.
00:07:38Elena, please don't fight with Lorenzo.
00:07:41Enough, Elena.
00:07:43Tomorrow, Mia goes back to her life.
00:07:45I left the gala and got into Uncle Luca's car.
00:07:49Accept your loss.
00:07:50Tomorrow you leave for New York.
00:07:54I'll come back.
00:07:56Back at the estate, Donna glanced at Uncle Luca, then at me.
00:08:00We've raised you for 18 years.
00:08:02Time to repay that.
00:08:03Tomorrow, you leave.
00:08:05Nothing in this house was mine.
00:08:06Not even the plane ticket.
00:08:08Uncle Luca said nothing and went to his room.
00:08:10I went to my small bedroom to pack.
00:08:12My half-sister, Bianca, leaned in the doorway, checking her nails.
00:08:17Mom told me to keep an eye on you.
00:08:19Don't take anything valuable.
00:08:22Not even tonight's gown.
00:08:25Oh, and Mom said Dante Vitale already in love with someone else.
00:08:29Good luck.
00:08:31I took off the gown in front of her and removed all the jewelry.
00:08:34Then I walked to the bathroom in my slip.
00:08:36Mia had posted a photo in Instagram.
00:08:38She was glowing.
00:08:39Lorenzo's arm around her.
00:08:41He was still wearing the cufflinks I'd given him.
00:08:43I left everything Lorenzo had ever given me behind.
00:08:46Before dawn, I was up.
00:08:48No goodbyes.
00:08:49I grabbed my backpack and headed to the airport.
00:08:51Security.
00:08:52Boarding.
00:08:53Everything went smoothly.
00:08:54As the plane taxied, I shut off my phone completely.
00:08:57Cutting all ties to Palermo.
00:08:59Then the announcement came.
00:09:01Apologies, passengers.
00:09:02The Rossi family has purchased all available flights out of Plasso today.
00:09:06We are returning back.
00:09:09I stared out the window as the runway slowed back down.
00:09:14The plane came to a stop.
00:09:24My phone reconnected and messages flooded in.
00:09:27The announcement came again.
00:09:29Apologies for the inconvenience.
00:09:31To compensate, the Rossi family will refund your ticket at 10 times the price.
00:09:35Who do you think the Rossi family is looking for?
00:09:38Wow.
00:09:39This is so dramatic.
00:09:40Like a movie.
00:09:42I scrolled through my phone, exhausted.
00:09:46Lorenzo had gone to the Moretti estate early this morning looking for me.
00:09:49He saw the gown, the jewelry, everything I'd left behind.
00:09:54But my backpack was gone.
00:09:56He panicked.
00:09:57He demanded answers from the Morettis.
00:09:59Where did Elena go?
00:10:01Lorenzo lost it.
00:10:03He almost tore the estate apart.
00:10:06Then he started calling me.
00:10:07But by then, I was already on the plane.
00:10:09When Lorenzo realized I hadn't taken a single thing he'd ever given me, he snapped.
00:10:14I grabbed my backpack and got off the plane.
00:10:17It was early.
00:10:18I was starving.
00:10:21I found a small cafe and ordered pasta.
00:10:26Uncle Luca's message came through.
00:10:28Do you want to come back?
00:10:30Lorenzo still wants you.
00:10:33The Moretti family was built on schemes.
00:10:36Lorenzo might spoil me, but he'd never lose face for me.
00:10:40Going back meant more humiliation.
00:10:48Moving forward, maybe there was a chance.
00:10:52I ate slowly, watching black-suited men flood the terminal.
00:10:57They grabbed every woman who looked like me, asking questions.
00:10:59Then Lorenzo rushed in, drenched in sweat.
00:11:04His phone pressed to his ear.
00:11:06He passed right by my table.
00:11:07He looked desperate, frantic.
00:11:11Calling my number over and over.
00:11:14My phone kept buzzing in my pocket.
00:11:16When no one answered, he almost smashed the phone in frustration.
00:11:21His men returned empty-handed.
00:11:23I'd never seen Lorenzo like this.
00:11:26Completely unraveled.
00:11:28Where is she?
00:11:29I don't care what it takes.
00:11:31No plane flies to New York today.
00:11:33I checked my phone.
00:11:35There was a flight to Milan in 20 minutes.
00:11:40I scrolled through the news while I waited.
00:11:43Palermo's tabloids were having a field day.
00:11:45The headline screamed.
00:11:46Rossi airs new flame.
00:11:47But who's he hunting at the airport?
00:11:49Two women at the table behind me were gossiping loudly.
00:11:53God, that's so romantic.
00:11:56If someone did that for me, I'd say yes immediately.
00:11:59You don't get it.
00:12:00Last night at a gala, Lorenzo chose some scholarship girl.
00:12:05I bet.
00:12:06Bet he got scammed.
00:12:08Wait.
00:12:08He didn't pick a rich girl?
00:12:10He picked a charity chase?
00:12:12Then why is he freaking out today?
00:12:14I sipped my coffee, trying not to react.
00:12:17I'm guessing Lorenzo didn't realize giving the white loafs was a marriage proposal.
00:12:21The first girl said smugly,
00:12:23How do you know all this?
00:12:26Because I was at the gala last night.
00:12:28I froze.
00:12:29I glanced back.
00:12:31Didn't recognize her.
00:12:33Lucky.
00:12:34So what does the rich girl look like?
00:12:39She's beautiful.
00:12:41Stunning, actually.
00:12:44Then why would Lorenzo give the lily to an outsider?
00:12:48The girl's voice turned sharp.
00:12:49Who cares?
00:12:50The other girl's just a bastard anyway.
00:12:53Not like us real heiresses.
00:12:55I coughed, and both women turned.
00:12:57The moment they saw my face, one of them gasped and pointed, unable to speak.
00:13:06What?
00:13:07Do you know her?
00:13:08The other girl stared at me, then whispered.
00:13:13Wait.
00:13:14Are you?
00:13:16I pressed a finger to my lips.
00:13:18Both women slapped their hands over their mouths.
00:13:20I stood up and left.
00:13:21As I walked away, I heard one of them shriek.
00:13:24You didn't tell me she looked like that!
00:13:26You have zero chance now!
00:13:28I am on my way to the boarding gate,
00:13:30and another refund notification hit my phone.
00:13:33The Rossi family had bought out every route out of Palermo,
00:13:36even flights to other cities.
00:13:37I stood there, clutching my phone, stuck.
00:13:40Then it rang.
00:13:41A New York number.
00:13:44Hello?
00:13:44Dante Vitale.
00:13:45The name of my arranged husband.
00:13:47His voice was cold, but strangely pleasant.
00:13:49The kind that made you want to keep listening.
00:13:51I'm sorry, I...
00:13:52My men are already at the airport.
00:13:54They'll bring you to me.
00:13:55Before I could explain that all the flights were grounded,
00:13:57I saw it.
00:13:58A private jet on the tarmac.
00:14:00Several men in black suits stepped off the plane, standing at attention.
00:14:04Understood.
00:14:05I hung up and walked toward the jet.
00:14:10It was drizzling.
00:14:12An umbrella appeared over my head.
00:14:13The moment I stepped outside,
00:14:15the man holding it kept his eyes down, respectful.
00:14:18Mrs. Vitale, we're here to bring you home.
00:14:21That's when Lorenzo spotted me.
00:14:22He sprinted toward me, grabbing my wrist.
00:14:25Elena, come with me.
00:14:27Vitale's men immediately surrounded me.
00:14:30Lorenzo's men closed in.
00:14:31The two groups faced off.
00:14:33Onlookers pulled out their phones, filming.
00:14:35The man leading Dante's crew was older, impeccably dressed,
00:14:39with the calm precision of a man who'd seen everything.
00:14:42He smiled politely, but his eyes were stone.
00:14:44Mr. Rossi, I'm here to escort Mrs. Vitale home.
00:14:48Please step aside.
00:14:49Lorenzo's gaze turned lethal.
00:14:51She hasn't left Palermo yet.
00:14:53I'd like to see who has the balls to take my woman.
00:14:56I felt exhausted.
00:14:57I'd tried to tell him several times,
00:14:59but his attention was always on Mia.
00:15:01Lorenzo, you've protected me for years.
00:15:04I'm grateful, but this is where it ends.
00:15:08I don't blame anyone.
00:15:10Don't blame anyone?
00:15:12Then come back with me.
00:15:14I'll marry you.
00:15:15I'll tell the Morettis myself.
00:15:17The rain fell harder.
00:15:19Lorenzo's hair was soaked, his eyes red.
00:15:21The Vitale butler stepped between us, unmoved.
00:15:25Apologies, Mr. Rossi,
00:15:26but the agreement with the Moretti family has been finalized.
00:15:29Mrs. Vitale leaves with us today.
00:15:32Lorenzo ignored him, staring only at me.
00:15:34I shook my head.
00:15:35Lorenzo, I told you.
00:15:37I only wanted three years.
00:15:39I have someone I truly like.
00:15:41I never planned to marry you.
00:15:44This again?
00:15:46Elena, you've been trapped in Morettis.
00:15:49Where would you even meet someone to love?
00:15:50I know calling you my shadow upset you.
00:15:52Stop being stubborn and come back with me.
00:15:55We'll talk there, okay?
00:15:56His tone had shifted, almost pleading now.
00:15:59I was grateful for his years of protection,
00:16:01but the moment Lorenzo let go of me
00:16:03and handed that flower to the scholarship girl,
00:16:05it meant we could no longer walk together.
00:16:10Lorenzo, Mia is your fiancée.
00:16:12All of Palermo saw it.
00:16:13You two should be happy together.
00:16:15Marry a scholarship girl?
00:16:17He laughed bitterly.
00:16:19Are you serious?
00:16:20I'd marry you before I'd ever marry her.
00:16:22My expression went cold.
00:16:24Lorenzo had always liked me,
00:16:26but he'd never respected me.
00:16:27This time, I didn't hesitate.
00:16:29I turned and walked toward the jet with the butler.
00:16:32Lorenzo stood frozen,
00:16:34his fists clenched,
00:16:35fury radiating off him.
00:16:37Elena!
00:16:39You leave Palermo,
00:16:40and no one will protect you anymore.
00:16:43Think carefully.
00:16:44Once you're gone,
00:16:46don't come back regretting it.
00:16:48I didn't answer.
00:16:49I stepped onto the plane.
00:16:50The butler had thoughtfully prepared a towel for me.
00:16:53He pointed to the washroom at the back of the plane,
00:16:55keeping his voice low.
00:16:57You can freshen up there, Mrs. Vitale.
00:16:58Getting caught in the rain,
00:17:00you'll catch cold.
00:17:02The jet was luxurious,
00:17:04clearly not a rental.
00:17:05This had to be the Vitale family's private plane.
00:17:08The Vitale family's power was on another level.
00:17:11Even the Morettis didn't own a private jet.
00:17:13The plane didn't just have a bathroom.
00:17:15It had a full bed.
00:17:17Strangely, the bedding was soft pink.
00:17:19Definitely not something Dante Vitale would choose for himself.
00:17:23In the bathroom,
00:17:24I changed into the prepared clothes.
00:17:26Another shock.
00:17:26The clothes fit me perfectly.
00:17:28When I came out,
00:17:29the butler had dismissed the guards to the back of the cabin.
00:17:32Excuse me, I asked.
00:17:33Does the Don usually use this plane?
00:17:36The butler saw my confusion.
00:17:37This plane was purchased specifically for you, Mrs. Vitale.
00:17:40Everything was customized to your preferences.
00:17:43The Don personally selected the bedding,
00:17:45the softest material available.
00:17:47My jaw nearly dropped.
00:17:49Something this extravagant?
00:17:50Casually given to a stranger?
00:17:52Wasn't he supposed to have someone he loved?
00:17:54The flight to New York is long.
00:17:56You should rest.
00:17:57So we've prepared a humidifier for you.
00:18:05No one had ever cared about my comfort before.
00:18:08I'd only ever learned to read other people's moods.
00:18:10This sudden concern made me restless.
00:18:13Fortunately, the butler noticed my discomfort
00:18:15and quietly withdrew.
00:18:16I pulled out a pen and started sketching notes,
00:18:19my mind full of worry about what lay ahead.
00:18:21The plane landed on a sprawling green estate.
00:18:23When I looked closer, I realized this was the Vitale compound.
00:18:27Even coming from a wealthy family,
00:18:29I'd never seen anything this lavish.
00:18:32Dante Vitale came to meet me personally,
00:18:34wearing a warm smile.
00:18:36Nothing like the cold, ruthless man from the rumors.
00:18:38He draped a coat over my shoulders.
00:18:41His voice was smooth and pleasant.
00:18:43Are you cold?
00:18:44I shivered slightly and stepped back,
00:18:46putting some distance between us.
00:18:47Mr. Vitale,
00:18:50I know you have someone you love.
00:18:52I know marrying me was forced on you.
00:18:54Don't worry.
00:18:54I only need three years.
00:18:56I won't keep you from the woman you love for long.
00:18:59His brow furrowed, looking puzzled.
00:19:01Someone I love?
00:19:03Three years?
00:19:04Yes.
00:19:05For three years,
00:19:06I'll play the role of your wife.
00:19:09I won't interfere with your private life.
00:19:11After three years, we separate.
00:19:13I won't take a cent from you.
00:19:15I can sign an agreement.
00:19:16His frown deepened.
00:19:18He looked sharply toward the butler.
00:19:20When he got no response,
00:19:21he stepped closer and pulled me gently into his arms.
00:19:24My face flushed completely red.
00:19:26Who said we were going to keep things this separate?
00:19:29My wife?
00:19:30Seeing me embarrassed seemed to improve his mood.
00:19:32He lifted my chin, leaning closer.
00:19:35Everything I have is yours, my wife.
00:19:36Even after we went inside,
00:19:38I still hadn't recovered from the shock.
00:19:40Wasn't this man supposed to be cold and ruthless?
00:19:43Dante's home was all sharp lines and clean edges,
00:19:45but there were touches of color,
00:19:47soft furnishings that had clearly been added recently.
00:19:50The aesthetic was good,
00:19:51the pieces carefully chosen.
00:19:53They didn't clash.
00:19:54Instead, they made the space feel comfortable.
00:19:56I sat on the couch.
00:19:58I handed him a folded paper.
00:20:00This is my plan.
00:20:02I'd like to borrow some money.
00:20:03I'll pay you back in installments.
00:20:05He pulled the paper from my hand and scanned it.
00:20:09You need money?
00:20:11It was humiliating, arriving with nothing.
00:20:14No dowry.
00:20:14Nothing of value.
00:20:16For the Vitalis, this had to look like disrespect.
00:20:18I'd done my research before landing.
00:20:20The Vitali family didn't need alliances.
00:20:22They didn't need anyone's support.
00:20:24They stood alone at the top.
00:20:25People lined up from New York to Palermo
00:20:27just to ask them for favors.
00:20:29I still didn't understand why they'd agreed to this marriage with the Morettis.
00:20:32Yes, I don't have money.
00:20:36But I promise, I have a way to pay you back.
00:20:40He didn't question me.
00:20:41Instead, his hand closed around mine,
00:20:43warm against my cold fingers,
00:20:45and he rubbed gently.
00:20:46My face flushed again.
00:20:48His mood seemed to improve.
00:20:49Why do you need money?
00:20:51I looked up sharply, suddenly realizing,
00:20:53maybe as Mrs. Vitali,
00:20:55I wasn't supposed to have financial control.
00:20:57Maybe I was expected to live off an allowance?
00:21:00To ask permission for spending money,
00:21:01I straightened, meeting his eyes.
00:21:04Mr. Vitali,
00:21:05I don't want to be trapped by the Moretti family.
00:21:08And I won't be live as a housewife,
00:21:10asking for handouts.
00:21:11I want my own career.
00:21:13If possible,
00:21:15I want to take back what belongs to me from the Morettis.
00:21:17Dante looked surprised that I'd spoken so openly.
00:21:20He reached up and ruffled my hair affectionately.
00:21:23Everything the vitals have is yours.
00:21:25Before I could process that,
00:21:27he gestured to the butler,
00:21:28who brought over a black card.
00:21:29This is my account.
00:21:30Don't spend whatever you want.
00:21:34The room Dante gave me was the best in the entire compound.
00:21:37Sunlight flooded through the windows.
00:21:39The decor was soft, feminine,
00:21:41like something out of a princess's quarters.
00:21:43For someone who'd been an outsider in the Moretti house my whole life,
00:21:46it was almost unbelievable.
00:21:48I slept well for the first time in years.
00:21:50The next morning,
00:21:51I woke to a message from Uncle Luca.
00:21:53Lorenzo is furious.
00:21:55Why didn't you come back with him?
00:21:57Uncle Luca was the only one in the Moretti family who'd ever protected me,
00:22:00but his protection always came with strings attached.
00:22:03Uncle,
00:22:04I'm a person,
00:22:05not a pet you can call whenever you want.
00:22:08Really?
00:22:09I thought you'd already turned yourself into a weapon for revenge.
00:22:13Three years.
00:22:14I borrowed $100,000 from the Vitales.
00:22:17I did everything a Don's wife was supposed to do.
00:22:20I attended galas with Dante,
00:22:22smiled for the cameras,
00:22:23let people court my favor.
00:22:24I played the role of the beautiful trophy wife.
00:22:27Even though Dante spoiled me endlessly,
00:22:29I never forgot my place.
00:22:31But in those three years,
00:22:32I used that $100,000 to leverage resources in Palermo.
00:22:36I dismantled Moretti operations piece by piece.
00:22:39Pulled their best men and capos into my own network.
00:22:43Don Earl finally saw the truth.
00:22:45His 23 children were useless.
00:22:47The second generation of Moretti's panicked.
00:22:50Afraid the family's collapse would hurt their shares of the casinos and territories,
00:22:53they started selling off their assets.
00:22:55I bought them all.
00:22:56One by one,
00:22:57I took control of their gambling operations,
00:23:00their shipping routes,
00:23:01I flipped operations that were bleeding money into profitable enterprises.
00:23:05Expanded territories they'd neglected.
00:23:07By the time Don Earl realized what was happening,
00:23:09I controlled more of the family's income streams than he did.
00:23:12The other Moretti heirs couldn't compete with me anymore.
00:23:15It was 10 at night when I came home.
00:23:17Dante was sitting in the warm glow of the living room,
00:23:20waiting for me.
00:23:21My chest tightened.
00:23:22I walked over and wrapped my arms around his shoulders from behind.
00:23:25I held him for a long moment.
00:23:27Then I let go and stepped back, composed again.
00:23:32Why are you back so late?
00:23:33He asked quietly.
00:23:35Are you tired?
00:23:36I had soup made for you.
00:23:37The words I'd been planning to say stuck in my throat.
00:23:40He took my hand and led me to the table,
00:23:42watching as I drank the soup.
00:23:46When are you going to let yourself depend on me?
00:23:49You don't have to exhaust yourself like this.
00:23:51I felt warmth spread through me.
00:23:53Looking at him in the soft light, I felt a pang of guilt.
00:23:56The three years are up.
00:23:57It's time for me to go back to Morettis.
00:24:00Dante had known all along that I hadn't truly given up on my plans.
00:24:03His expression showed no surprise.
00:24:08You don't like this.
00:24:09From what I understand, only Luca has been good to you.
00:24:11And that Lorenzo, I heard he's come to New York several times looking for you.
00:24:14But you never saw him.
00:24:15I was surprised he knew and had said nothing.
00:24:17I was surprised he knew and had said nothing.
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