Gabriele didn’t bother to explain further. Instead, he turned, pulled out a document from the safe behind him, and placed it directly in front of me.

I looked down, and in that instant, my fingers stiffened. Ports under the Smith family’s control, shipping routes, financial pipelines—even the timeline for the marriage alliance, internal sabotage, and eventual divorce—were all written in detail.

It wasn’t just a plan. It was the Carlos family’s most confidential operation blueprint. And now, it was lying right in front of me like something ordinary.

Gabriele looked at me, his voice low and steady. “The marriage alliance is the lowest-cost way to swallow the Smith family whole. Within six months, I’ll get their ledger and cut off their shipping routes. When it’s over, I’ll divorce her immediately.”

He took my hand and added, “Faye, I won’t abandon you. The position of Donna will only ever belong to you.”

I stared at the document, suddenly unable to say a single word because I knew he wasn’t lying. This truly was the fastest, most efficient method. It would save him countless detours and minimize losses for the Carlos family. However, he had never once considered how much pain it would cause Stefano and me.

Gabriele asked quietly, “You understand me, don’t you?”

I forced a small smile and replied, “I do.”

At that, he reached out and patted my head gently.

“I knew it. In this world, only you understand me best.”

Yet, he didn’t understand me at all, but I didn’t say that out loud.

I was just about to pull away from him when hurried footsteps suddenly approached from outside.

“Don Carlos, Miss Smith is waiting for you in the study.”

Gabriele turned to leave, but at that moment, a small voice came from behind him.

“Papa.”

He stopped in his tracks.

Stefano was sitting up in bed and clutching the blanket tightly, asking, “Are you leaving?”

For a brief moment, Gabriele was silent. Then, he uttered an acknowledgment before walking back to the bedside and ruffling Stefano’s hair.

“Rest well. Don’t let your mother worry.”

Stefano nodded obediently.

Gabriele turned again but then paused as if remembering something.

“And one more thing. In public, don’t call me Papa. To you, I’m Don Carlos.”

Stefano’s face instantly turned pale. “Don Carlos.”

After Gabriele left, Stefano kept his head lowered for a long time before whispering, “Ma, I messed up again. Papa must be disappointed in me.”

At that moment, something inside me snapped. Gabriele was clearly the one who betrayed us, so why was my son the one apologizing?

I didn’t hesitate any longer. I told Stefano we were going on a short holiday and immediately took him with me. However, along the way, he kept holding tightly onto his award certificate, refusing to let go.

“Ma, the competition isn’t over yet. I can’t leave now.”

Before I could answer, a clear voice rang out behind us.

“Where did this child come from?”

Kate Smith stood there, wearing Gabriele’s coat. On her finger was the ring engraved with the Carlos family crest.

Stefano and I both froze because only the recognized lady of the Carlos family was qualified to wear that ring. Stefano’s sketchbook had once been filled with that exact crest, but now, it was on Kate’s finger.

Kate looked at me first, then at my son, and smiled faintly.

“The mother looks like a servant, but the child doesn’t look like the son of an ordinary servant.”

Gabriele’s expression darkened slightly. Stefano instinctively looked at him, as if waiting for an explanation, but when Gabriele said nothing, the light in Stefano’s eyes slowly faded.

Finally, Stefano lowered his head and said softly, “I am the servant’s son.”

Kate remarked, “Oh. If you’re a servant’s son, then you should know how to serve your future lady. My dress is too long. Come hold it for me.”

I immediately pulled my son behind me.

“He’s only seven!”

Gabriele finally looked at Kate with a frown and said, “Get someone else. He’s too young.”

Kate looked at him as if she found his remark ridiculous. “What, the Don can’t bear to use a servant’s child? Besides, the dress is long. A taller person would ruin the shape.”

After a brief silence, Gabriele looked at Stefano.

“Go.”

My eyes instantly reddened, and I shouted at Gabriel furiously, “Gabriele, that’s your–”

“Faye.” He cut me off sharply.

For a split second, I saw pain and hesitation flicker in his eyes, but it was gone just as quickly.

He looked back at Stefano and repeated himself, “Go, hold it.”

Stefano gently released my hand and walked over. He knelt behind Kate and carefully lifted the trailing hem of her dress. His movements were small, precise, and almost overly practiced. It was like all the etiquette he had learned over the years was finally coming to use.

Kate looked down at him, the corners of her lips slowly curling into a smirk.

Stefano kept his eyes lowered as he asked, “Is this right, Miss?”

At that moment, Gabriele was also taken aback. He looked at Stefano, as if he hadn’t expected the boy to comply. However, Kate looked pleased. She looked down at the child who was carefully holding up her dress hem and let out a soft laugh.

“Such good manners.”

With that, she turned and walked toward the banquet hall.

Stefano followed right behind her, his small hands carefully lifting the luxurious fabric. Everyone around stood tall and composed, except him. He was a hunched-over, thin, and fragile little figure.

My eyes stung, and I followed without hesitation. However, Kate suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at me.

“What are you doing following us? Tonight is an important gathering of the family’s honored guests. You’re not exactly qualified to attend.”

Before I could respond, Gabriele spoke first. “The child is helping. It’s normal for the mother to be present as well.”

Kate glanced at him, but his tone remained calm as he added, “Tonight is your night. There’s no need to lose composure over something so small.”

She stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. “If the Don says so, of course I won’t mind.”

Just like that, she continued walking ahead.

Standing there, I suddenly found myself cold. Gabriele had fought for me a way inside, but he had never once fought for us to have a real identity.

On the way to the banquet hall, Kate and Gabriele chatted happily. Meanwhile, Stefano and I followed at the very back, silent the entire way.

The banquet began shortly after. The moment Kate appeared, all eyes in the room turned toward her. However, more than her expensive gown, what drew attention was the child carefully lifting her dress hem.

Someone chuckled. “Miss Smith, this kid is quite sharp. Can I borrow him for a bit? I need someone to serve drinks.”

Another voice followed with a laugh. “I could use him, too. He can come over and carry some plates for me later.”

They spoke casually, as if he were nothing more than a tool that could be passed around. Kate neither agreed nor refused. She simply glanced at Gabriele, but Gabriele, holding his wine glass, said nothing.

My fingers clenched.

At that moment, someone bumped into me from behind and said impatiently, “Move. You’re in the way.”

I looked at that wine glass, then at Stefano, who was surrounded by the crowd not far away. I couldn't hold myself back any longer and broke into stride toward him. However, in the next second, a hand suddenly clamped around my wrist.

Gabriele had appeared behind me without me noticing and pulled me out of the banquet hall. The cold night wind hit me instantly, and I shivered. I shook his hand off, turning to look at him with red eyes.

“Gabriele, what exactly do you take us for?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he took out an insignia from inside his coat and held it out to me. I stared at him blankly.

Seeing my confusion, he explained in a low voice, “The one she’s wearing is fake. The real one has always been with me, and it belongs to you.”

As he spoke, he pressed the insignia into my palm.

“Once I take over the Smith family, the Carlos family’s authority will be entirely mine. By then, no one will be able to stop me from publicly acknowledging you and Stefano.”

After that, he pulled out two plane tickets.

“For now, take Stefano and leave. I’ve arranged everything in the Switz. Don’t stay here and force yourself to watch this mess.” He pulled me back into his arms, his voice low and steady. “Just be patient. It’ll be over soon.”

I leaned against him, the insignia pressing painfully into my palm. I had once longed for it so deeply, but now that I finally held it, I felt nothing at all.

After some time, I gently pushed him away and said nothing. I simply took the two tickets from his hand and turned back toward the banquet hall.

I could be patient, but Stefano wasn’t even seven years old yet. There was no way I could stand by and watch my son be dragged through the mud alongside me.

When I returned to the entrance of the banquet hall, I booked another flight with the same time, but to a different country. Then, I pushed open the door, and in the next second, I froze.

In the center of the crowd, Stefano stood small and alone. A crimson liquid was dripping over his head, streaming down his hair, and soaking into his clean little suit.

My mind went blank, and everything around me faded into silence.

“Stefano!”

I rushed forward and pushed Kate away.

“What gives you the right to touch my son?”

I checked his face over in panic. Only when I realized it was red wine, not blood, did I finally manage to breathe again.

Seconds later, a sudden commotion broke out behind me. I turned around to see that Kate had fallen beside shattered glass and broken plates, her wrist cut by a sharp piece of porcelain. Yet, I knew I hadn't pushed her nearly hard enough to cause a fall like that.

The banquet hall doors suddenly flung open, and Gabriele strode in. The first thing he saw was Stefano, drenched in red wine. In that instant, his expression changed sharply, and he instinctively moved toward Stefano.

However, before he could take another step, someone beside Kate cried out, “Don Carlos, Miss Smith is injured!”

Gabriele froze mid-step. Then, he turned and walked straight toward Kate instead.

“Who did this?” he asked.

Immediately, people around made mocking statements.

“All the kid had to do was serve drinks. He was the one who couldn't keep his balance and ended up spilling it all over himself. How dare he blame Miss Smith for this?”

“What nerve, to accuse the future Donna like that.”

“It’s the child of a servant. He must have had a poor upbringing and no discipline.”

“Don’t talk about my mother like that!”

Stefano finally lifted his head. His face was still stained with wine, his eyes red.

His voice trembled as he said, “She did it on purpose. She waved her hand and knocked the glass I was holding–”

“Enough.” Gabriele cut Stefano off sharply, the fingers at his side clenching slightly. “Where do you think this is? Who allowed you to raise your voice like that?”

Stefano froze, and in that moment, whatever light remained in his eyes went out.

Gabriele didn’t even look at him again as he ordered, “Take him out.”

Right at that moment, Kate spoke softly. “Wait.”

She stood with help, smoothing her wrinkled dress, her gaze falling on Stefano.

“My dress is ruined, and I fell because of this incident. At the very least, shouldn’t he apologize before he leaves?”

I was shaking with rage. “Miss Smith, don’t push it–”

Before I could finish my sentence, Stefano gently pulled my hand away and walked up to Kate.

He did not cry or argue. With his head lowered, he apologized, “I’m sorry, Donna.”

The entire hall fell silent. Even Gabriele’s expression shifted slightly.

Stefano then turned to Gabriele. His face was still wet with wine, but his eyes were eerily calm.

“I’m sorry, Don Carlos. I failed to live up to your expectations.”

Gabriele hesitated as if he wanted to speak, but Stefano had turned away and walked out of the banquet hall. Only at the doorway did he finally stop and look back at me. His eyes were red, but he did not cry.

“Ma, let’s go. I don’t want to stay here anymore.”

At that moment, we hugged each other tightly.

That night, we packed our things in silence. Stefano took every medal he had earned over the years and threw them into the trash.

“They’re worthless,” he said flatly.

Yet, when he turned away, I could see his red and teary eyes.

Before we left, I placed the family insignia I had coveted for many years back onto the table.

When Gabriele saw our packed luggage the next morning, his expression softened slightly. He walked up to Stefano and patted his shoulder.

“Yesterday was just a test. It’s part of becoming an heir.”

Stefano lowered his eyes and murmured a response.

At the airport, the crowd moved in a blur. The butler could only escort us to the security gate.

“Miss Macrino, someone will be waiting for you on the other side.”

I nodded. After they left, I tore up the two tickets in my hand and threw them into the trash. Then, I took my son and walked toward another boarding gate.

Three hours later, Gabriele was on a golf course with Kate when a call came through.

The voice on the other end hesitated to speak. “Don Carlos, we’ve been waiting in the Switz for five hours. The two people you mentioned still aren’t here yet.”