00:00...tush of the hall as he stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Luca like a hawk sighting prey.
00:05Arrogant.
00:06He scoffed coldly.
00:08One of my daughter's fingers is worth more than the head on your shoulders.
00:12And you dared to touch her!
00:14He paused, then spoke each word as if he were nailing it into the floor.
00:19My daughter has never accepted a rose that still had its thorns.
00:23Anyone who dares hurt her, I'll make them pay for that a hundred times over.
00:28Almost on the last word, the main doors of the auction hall slammed open.
00:34Then he turned to me, and that killing frost in his eyes softened.
00:38Issa, how do you want to deal with me?
00:40I walked towards Sophia.
00:42The ache in my fingers turned every step heavy, but the anger burning in my chest kept me moving.
00:47I fisted a hand in her perfectly styled hair and yanked her head up so that she had to look
00:52at me.
00:53Whatever you did to me, I will return to you!
00:56I kept slapping her until her cheeks puffed up and flushed an angry red.
01:01Sophia glared up at me, eyes burning with hate and lips smeared with blood.
01:05Even then, she kept spitting curses.
01:07You bitch! Just wait!
01:10Luca will make you wish you were dead!
01:12Luca lunged, trying to get up.
01:14Stop!
01:16I turned and drove my heel into his chest, sending him right back down.
01:20I had put everything into that kick, and the impact shot a fierce pain up my injured fingers.
01:25Clutching his ribs, Luca sucked in a breath, but he still tried to threaten us.
01:31Luca had barely slept all night.
01:34He kept staring at those three pairs of green eyes until his own eyes were dry and burning.
01:38Sophia curled up beside him, burying her face in his chest.
01:42Her expensive custom dress was torn in several places, and her nails were caked with dirt.
01:48She suddenly spoke, her voice raspy.
01:50Luca, is your phone still working?
01:52No signal.
01:53I don't want to make a call.
01:55Sophia lifted her head.
01:56There was a strange gleam in her eyes that he had never seen before.
02:00Let's take a selfie.
02:01When we get out, I'm going to post it everywhere, and let everyone know what that Borgia bitch did to
02:07us.
02:07Luca was stunned for a second, then laughed.
02:09It wasn't a happy laugh, it was a laugh of utter absurdity.
02:13You're thinking about taking photos at a time like this?
02:15I'm not willing to accept this.
02:17Sophia's voice suddenly rose.
02:19I've never suffered like this in my entire life!
02:21Who does she think she is?
02:23Just some wild bastard who appeared out of nowhere!
02:26A low growl suddenly came from the wolf dogs.
02:29Sophia's voice cut off abruptly.
02:31Three pairs of green eyes locked onto her at the same time.
02:34She slowly shrank back into Luca's arms and stopped talking.
02:39Luca staggered, swaying on his feet.
02:41His eyes darted wildly over the crowd until they locked on Antonio.
02:45Dad!
02:46He shouted hoarsely, his voice cracking with despair.
02:50You have to help me.
02:52They don't respect the Marino family at all.
02:55He jabbed a shaking finger at my father and me.
02:58His eyes burning with hatred.
03:00Antonia's face went white.
03:01He strode forward and in front of everyone slapped Luca so hard that the sound cracked across the hall.
03:08You ungrateful brat.
03:10Get on your knees and apologize to Mrs. Borja.
03:15Now.
03:15Sophia jerked her head up, her voice sharp with outrage.
03:19Don Marino, you must be joking.
03:22You want Luca to apologize to those two noblies?
03:25Shut your mouth!
03:27Antonia snapped, turning on her with a glare sharp enough to scorch.
03:31This all started because of you.
03:33If not for you, Luca would never have offended Don Borja.
03:38And Miss Borja!
03:39Luca stared at Antonio as if he didn't recognize him.
03:45The sunlight was beautiful, but my hand still throbbed with dull pain.
03:49The doctor said the nerves had been damaged.
03:51Even after recovery, it would never be as flexible as before.
03:55I might never be able to play those difficult pieces again.
03:59I sat in front of the piano, placed my right hand on the keys, and gently pressed a single note.
04:04A clean, lonely sound rang out.
04:06The door was pushed open.
04:08Father walked in.
04:09He was wearing a deep gray suit.
04:10His tie knotted perfectly.
04:12Sophia's funeral is at 2 o'clock this afternoon.
04:15Are you going?
04:16I thought for a long time so long that Father thought I wouldn't answer.
04:21Yes.
04:21Father nodded, turned to leave, then stopped.
04:24Isa, this isn't your fault.
04:26I didn't speak.
04:27Only after he walked out did I whisper to the empty room.
04:31I know.
04:31But what I knew wasn't just that.
04:33I knew Sophia would die.
04:35From the moment she crushed my fingers under her heel, from the moment she answered my father's call, she was
04:40already dead.
04:41I simply didn't stop it.
04:43I didn't stop it, because I didn't want to.
04:46This thought was like a thorn lodged in a corner of my heart.
04:49It didn't hurt, but it was always there.
04:52The church was small, so small that even from the last row you could clearly see the white flowers on
04:57the coffin.
04:58Not many people came.
05:00Sophia's parents sat in the front row.
05:02Her mother was crying so hard she couldn't sit straight, while her father sat rigidly like a stone statue.
05:08Luca didn't come.
05:09He was in the hospital with more than a dozen stitches on his wrist, under police guard.
05:14They said he wasn't in danger of dying, but his mental state was very poor.
05:18I stood at the very back, leaning against the wall.
05:21Father didn't come inside.
05:23He waited for me in the car.
05:25While the priest was reading the eulogy, Sophia's mother suddenly stood up and staggered toward me.
05:30Everyone was watching.
05:31She stopped in front of me.
05:33Her tears had ruined her makeup, leaving streaks down her face.
05:37Are you satisfied now?
05:39Her voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping glass.
05:43Half a year later, my fingers had recovered most of their function.
05:46The doctor called it a miracle, saying my recovery speed far exceeded his expectations.
05:51I knew it wasn't a miracle.
05:54For the past six months, I had done three hours of rehabilitation training every day.
05:59Even when the pain made me sweat, I didn't stop.
06:02Father would sit beside me, saying nothing, only handing me a towel.
06:07Can you play the piano yet?
06:09I tried.
06:13I placed my right hand on the keys and ran through a scale.
06:16It was slow and clumsy, but every note came out.
06:19Soon.
06:20Father didn't smile, but his eyes brightened.
06:22That night, I sat alone in the piano room and played a very simple piece, Debussy's Claire
06:27de Lune.
06:28My left hand carried the main melody, while my right hand only added a few occasional notes.
06:34I closed my eyes and imagined myself standing on stage, spotlights shining on my face, the
06:40audience packed below.
06:42That feeling was still there.
06:44The desire to stand at the very top was still there.
06:47Sophia was dead.
06:49Luca was in prison.
06:50The Marino family had fallen.
06:52But they were not my destination.
06:54They were just stones on the road.
06:56I stepped over them, got a little mud on my shoes, and wiped it off.
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