Isab

oom. Every detail must be perfect. I check that the bandages on m

and everything could fall apart. I take a deep breath and swallow my insecurities. Isidr

. I make sure my posture i

"Dinner is serv

. I'll be

y combed short hair. No one would see a woman here, no one except, perhaps, Matteo Castellano's other son: Marco.

im because of his handicapped condition. Like women, the rest of the "flawed children" have no place in our world either. I don't kn

The dining room is huge, with a long dark wo

lready gathered

llano says from the head of the ta

right, in a discreet dress, her eyes lowered. Marco is in front of

ellano orders me. "You mu

t to my supposed fiancée.

, Ricci?" Castellano asks me as the

. It's im

rations," he says proudly. "Someday it

s jaw clenches slig

says Sofia, clearly try

Ricci," Marco suddenly inter

ow he asked it just to annoy me, who do

when I was lit

ess? Or was i

warns C

ur future family member better,"

roat. "It was

ne empathy. "It must have been h

asn't missing anything,"

rnal affection?

with dangerous intelligence. "Affection i

augh. "I like this guy.

e main course: roast beef with vegetables. I tak

Ricci?" asks Marco as he cuts into his meat

ant," I reply. "Duty comes b

nient," Ma

no. "Ricci, did your father te

he basi

rrow. I want you to be actively invol

hat this implies. More time under scruti

your youth?" asks Marco, app

y, mentioning the activities

you never been swimming?

require showing off my body. "

Most Sicilians

he same," I reply

iles. "E

o lighten the mood with comments about the food or the weather, bu

ad, Mr. Ricci?" sh

eful for the change of subject. "

Castellano comments with some

r plate, and I feel a

alue," I say. "It shows

eeing the world from other perspectives, Ricci? P

at makes me uneasy, as if he k

y is crucial to defeati

he enemy here

ough questioning for today, Marco.

r," Marco says with an innocent smile. "

I can barely eat. The knot in my stomach

" Castellano says. "I want you to know

e honored,

, "I'd like to show you the gardens tomorrow

That's an excellent idea. In the afte

ds. I get up when

icci," he says

wise,

bow. Marco, however, remain

upstairs, Mr. Marco?"

. I'll stay a

ad for the stairs. I feel his

ke several deep breaths. Marco Castellano is more dangerous than I

ndages are tighter than ever, or maybe it's ju

g for cameras or microphones. I find n

mpletely. I don't dare to do it. What

s eyes and in the way he asked his questi

am, it's all over. For me, fo

where the walls seem to have eyes and the ques

eful, more convincing. I mu

afford to exist here.