a

dicate SUV with tinted window

he dead leaves in the yar

Franco's mother, Carmela Viti

ne designer coat

wooden cabin, then at the

wisted wit

u, Antonia," Carmela sne

porch. "How d

heap telephone you bought," Ca

you. You abandoned your duties while

the mountain," I

hand. "It was a joke. You

t died,

ng, are you not? You are too

designer bag, pulling o

onto the dir

. An allowance. Buy some decent clothes and co

lying in the dirt. "I alr

r voice honing to a sharp p

me remind you of something, little girl. F

ill owes us one hundr

at my chest. "If you divor

burse the Vitiello Family for every cent

tree line, carrying a massive bu

ped her head

d before a cruel, victorious

e sleeping with the hired help. You broke

e," I said, step

ressed Dante. "Who are you? This is Vitiello Fa

d not an

ing the heavy wood onto t

," Dante said calmly, brushi

n, she would be dead. Blame

She pulled out her phone wi

She snapped a photo of Dante by the wo

atened. "He will divorce you. He will leave

d. "I am not going

arching back to the SU

n the gas, and the h

a small green sapling Dante had just plant

neeling in the dirt to caref

ettle, a cold dread

to frame me. She was giving Franco the