phin

vanni's eyes gleamed with a greedy, desperate hunger, waiting for me

into his calculating eyes, letting the silence st

Russo?" I asked, my v

He straightened his posture, trying to summon the authority

dire*), I replied, effectively sever

tion were palpable. He was already comparing me to the

initial shock had morphed into a venomous indignation. "You have no manners.

just a fraction. The temperature in the room seemed to plummet. I let the aura of 'Nine'-the Syndicate

erile, distant titles on my tongue. "What makes

as genuine, primal fear flashed in her eyes. She opene

I was rude... their grave is

ed to regain control. "You will learn respect," he demanded, though he kept a careful distanc

nd's words. "Bianca is elegant. She has flawless etiquette, she plays the p

r desperate bragging like a scalpel. "She

currency that truly mattered. The wor

ay that counts!" Caterina shrieked, her hands

ess" (*un valore null

r. Bianchi to demand a second DNA test. She couldn't fathom that her 'noble' bloodline had produced somethin

e when the grandfather clock ch

ttier battlefield. She waved over a terrified maid hovering ne

rs," Caterina ordered,

, and down a narrow, uncarpeted corridor on the second floor. She stopped

e. The air smelled faintly of mildew and neglect. It was a maid's quarters. A b

pression unreadable. "Is the

apron. "N-no, Miss. Mrs. Russo

the adopted girl

in hall," she whispered, her eyes darting ne

e through the tiny window, then turned

to her ro

, Mrs. Ru

to her ro