I've always been frail by nature. Taking two consecutive steps can make me gasp for air. If I cough, there's a chance there's blood accompanying it.

When I'm seven years old, a homeless man in Bronzeton tries to snatch a half-eaten piece of bread from me.

I lie on the ground as I convulse like a dying fish with foam gathering at my mouth. My eyes have rolled to the back of my head as well, as though my seizure is acting up.

Thinking that I've gotten infected with some sort of disease, the homeless man is so frightened that he flees from Novarra overnight.

When I'm ten years old, a delinquent tries to demand protection money from me.

I react by spitting dark blood at his face. The poor guy screams at the top of his lungs as he runs down the street, only to get mistaken as a murderer by a police officer who happens to pass by the area.

Since then, everyone avoids me like plague on the street. They aren't scared of me—they are terrified that they might get into trouble because of me.

No one knows who my parents are. I've grown up in a rundown motel, and my adoptive mother is a stripper who used to be famous.

Whenever she gets drunk, she often tells me, "Your father is a mafia Don."

I've always thought that she's just running her mouth purely out of drunkenness. That is, until a black limo stops in front of me on the year I turn 18 years old.

Three men clad in black suits get out of the limo. The leader sinks down on one knee right in front of me, his voice quivering as he speaks.

"We finally found you, Ms. Salvatore. Your father is Vittorio Salvatore, the Don of one of the biggest mafia families in Novarra."

At first, I think this is just a scamming scheme. That is, until I'm taken to the estate located on Lacreth Isle that's six acres wide and sports iron gates with the Salvatore insignia carved into them.

On my first day home, the fake heiress, Serena Salvatore, purposefully releases the fearsome family dog in the estate just to intimidate me.

That dog keeps barking at me, frightening me to the point that I spit out blood on the spot before collapsing to the ground.

My mother, Rosalina Vitelli, almost loses her mind over my collapse.

But my older brother, Marco Salvatore, shouts at me angrily instead. "Why are you playing dead? You made Serena cry because of your antics!"

His voice is so loud that I feel as though my eardrums are going to burst anytime soon. Even my heart feels as though an invisible hand is gripping it tightly.

My eyes roll to the back of my head instantly as my body crashes on the spot.

Mamma flies into a rampage and almost beats Marco to death for scaring me.

Having witnessed everything, Serena kicks up a fuss by attempting to commit suicide at the estate's clock tower just so she can apologize to me.

In order to prove his love to Serena, my fiance, Luca Moretti, drags me forcibly to the top of the clock tower so that Serena can do whatever she wants to me.

The thing is, the winds are strong on the top of the clock tower. That's when I accidentally slip and topple over the railing.

My parents, who are looking everywhere for me, happen to be around the clock tower when I crash onto the spot near them. This time, my bruised and broken body is completely drenched in blood.

Shell-shocked, they remain rooted to the spot as they stare at me in bewilderment. Then, they let out blood-curdling screams.

I struggled to open my eyes, though blood had blurred my vision. I made a raspy sound as I opened my mouth, and the moment I tried to speak, a mouthful of blood surged out instead.

My Mamma, Rosalina Vitelli, let out a primal wail and gathered me into her arms; her custom white cashmere coat immediately stained with blood.

"What's the matter, Grazia? Please don't frighten me, Grazia!"

It was then that my fiance, Luca Moretti, leaned over the edge of the rooftop and explained impatiently, "You shouldn't let her deceive you, Donna Moretti. She jumped on purpose to frame Serena. How bad could a two-story drop be anyway?"

Serena Salvatore cowered behind Luca, weeping as she said, "It's all my fault. Grazia has every right to be mad at me. After all, I've taken her place in the Salvatore Famiglia for so many years. I shouldn't remain here anymore now that she has returned."

Mamma lifted her head sharply, her eyes brimming with killing intent as she stared at the pair on the rooftop. "Shut up!"

I leaned against Mamma's embrace, feeling as though my insides were being shredded. I was in so much pain that my entire body went into spasms.

Antonio Caruso, the Famiglia doctor, came running with his medical bag, nearly tripping. He immediately went pale the moment he placed his fingers on my wrist to feel for a pulse.

"Ms. Grazia's heart has stopped beating, Donna Salvatore."

In that instant, everything around us went still.

My Papa, Vittorio Salvatore, seized Antonio by the collar, his eyes turning bloodshot with rage. "That's impossible! Grazia was speaking just a moment ago! How could her heart stop beating so suddenly?"

Antonio trembled violently while explaining, "Ms. Grazia has a heart condition to begin with, Don Salvatore. She was frightened by the dogs, then her heartbeat quickened due to the shouting, and now she has fallen from a high place—after all this, even a robust body wouldn't be able to hold up."

It was then that my brother, Marco Salvatore, arrived just in time to catch those words and went rigid. "That's impossible! Grazia was able to walk to the rooftop herself just a moment ago!"

I could feel my life slipping away. I never thought that I would meet my end in this so-called "home" less than a day after my return.

Mamma bit down on her lip until it bled. She grabbed a gun from a nearby guard and said, "I gave birth to my daughter after nine months of pregnancy, and on her first day back, you all pushed her to death, Vittorio!

"I'll make sure the Salvatore Famiglia disappears from Novarra for what you did if Grazia dies today!"

Luca supported Serena as they came down from the rooftop, his expression shifting the moment he witnessed the scene. "Have you gone mad, Donna Salvatore? How could you stop loving Serena and turn against the Salvatore Famiglia just because you brought back your long-lost daughter?

"You've raised Serena yourself! How can you be so heartless toward her, Donna Salvatore?"

Serena kneeled on the floor, tears streaming down her face. "Please don't be mad, Mamma. I'm the one at fault here. If you're upset, you can take it out on me. Please don't argue with Papa and Marco because of me."

I heard Serena's nauseating tone, my chest heaving violently in response.

In the end, my heart, which had been still, beat once more from the sheer force of my anger. I struggled to breathe, staring at her with a fixed glare.

Antonio was overjoyed. He lunged forward and injected me with epinephrine. "Ms. Grazia's heart is beating again! Hurry up and get the defibrillator!"

Mamma threw the gun aside and pulled me close, her tears landing on my face. "You have nothing to be afraid of, Grazia! I'm right here with you!"

I weakly held onto her sleeve, my vision going dark as I stammered, "I-I'm so cold, Mamma... L-Luca pushed me…"

I slumped to the side and blacked out completely after saying that. I could hear Mamma screaming hysterically just before I lost consciousness. "Drag Luca Moretti away and break both his legs!"

I regained consciousness three days later to a throat so dry and painful that it felt as if I had swallowed razor blades.

I pried my eyes open and saw a four-poster oak bed. On the nightstand next to me, there was a Colt revolver and some half-taken medication.

Mamma was sitting by the bedside, her eyes bloodshot from exhaustion and her hair graying at the temples. She abruptly stood up the moment she saw me regain consciousness, exclaiming, "You're finally awake, Grazia! Get Antonio over here this instant!"

I weakly held her hand and shook my head. "I'm fine, Mamma."

I tasted blood in my throat the moment I spoke, and before long, a streak of it slipped from the corner of my lips.

Mamma quickly wiped the blood away with her hand while crying. "How can you say you're fine when you're like that, Grazia? You almost died! Antonio said that even the smallest carelessness could be fatal for you now…"

I knew exactly what she meant, even if she didn't finish her sentence.

There was a commotion of footsteps outside the door, and before long, Papa walked in, accompanied by Marco and Luca.

Luca was in a wheelchair with his left leg in a cast and his right leg bandaged, his back bruised from being hit with clubs. He looked as if he had been dismantled and rebuilt.

He glared at me upon entering, snapping, "You filthy bitch! You not only feigned death to implicate Serena but also dared to falsely accuse me of pushing you! You slipped of your own accord! Is this what you wanted, for me to end up like this?"

Marco agreed with a cold expression. "Serena hasn't been able to eat or sleep because she's so scared, Mamma. Grazia should apologize to Serena since she is alright now. That way, we can all put this behind us, Mamma."

Their concern was reserved solely for Serena. Toward me, the actual Principessa of the Salvatore Famiglia, their attitudes consisted entirely of disgust and defensiveness.

Mamma, trembling with rage, bolted to her feet. "You want Grazia to apologize to Serena? You people almost killed my daughter, and now you want her to apologize to an outsider! Have you gone blind, Vittorio? Grazia is your biological child!"

Papa's expression hardened. "Serena may not be our biological daughter, but we raised her for 18 years, Rosalina. She's already part of the Salvatore Famiglia.

"Grazia, on the other hand, was raised outside and developed bad habits. She had caused chaos in our Famiglia the moment she returned. She's causing all of us quite a headache here!"

I leaned back against the pillows and watched them quarrel. I suddenly felt an increasing tightness in my chest, making me part my lips in a strained effort to breathe.

Upon seeing my silence, Luca assumed that I was guilty. He lunged to get out of the wheelchair, but the bodyguard caught him, and he slumped back into it. He pointed at me, yelling, "Why are you being so quiet now? You were doing a great job pretending earlier!

"I'm telling you—I won't marry you just because you returned to the Salvatore Famiglia! Serena is the only fiancee I'll acknowledge! You're so full of spite that you aren't even half the woman she is! I'll never marry you, Grazia!"

I looked up at him silently. I began to cough uncontrollably just after taking a deep breath. It started as a mild cough but grew increasingly intense, causing my whole body to shake beneath the quilt.

Luca sneered. "You want to put on a performance again, huh? Do you really think acting sick will help you escape punishment?"

I suddenly lurched forward before he could finish his berating. I spat a thick spray of dark, clotted blood directly onto him, covering his face and shirt and leaving the whole room thick with the metallic stench of blood.

Luca cried out and tipped over in his wheelchair. He crashed onto the floor, his cast striking the wooden floor with a dull thud.

I fell weakly back onto the bed, my eyes rolling back as my breathing became shallow.

Mamma rushed forward and shoved Marco aside. "Grazia! Get Antonio over here this instant!"

She turned around, staring intensely at Luca on the floor. She then ordered, "Get this monster out of here and break his other leg!"

It was then that the bodyguards from the Salvatore Famiglia rushed in and pressed Luca down onto the ground.

Luca shrieked in a panic. "Help me, Don Salvatore! Help me, Marco! You can't do this to me! You're making an enemy of the entire Moretti Famiglia if you lay another hand on me!"

Papa stepped in to intervene. "You can't lay a hand on him, Rosalina! He's the son of the Don of the Moretti Famiglia!"

Mamma looked coldly at Papa before pulling a signet ring from her clothes and holding it in the light. That ring bore the emblem of her Famiglia, a Mafia Famiglia far older and more vicious than the Salvatores or Morettis.

"If you utter another word of protest, I'll see to it that the Salvatore Famiglia is erased from Novarra tonight, Vittorio!"

Antonio worked for two straight hours to stabilize my failing heart. He was a veteran doctor who had served the Salvatore Famiglia for two decades. He shook his head in resignation, his sighs echoing sharply through the room.

"Ms. Grazia's body is at its limit, Donna Salvatore. She already had a weak heart to begin with, and this recent trauma has worsened the situation. I don't know how much time Ms. Grazia has left, Donna Salvatore."

Antonio didn't conclude his statement. However, his meaning was understood by all.

Mamma collapsed into a chair, looking ten years older all of a sudden. She dismissed everyone and remained by my bedside, silently holding my cold hand.

Luca was restrained in the courtyard by bodyguards. His legs were broken, and his screams became increasingly piercing.

Serena was on her knees in the courtyard, crying uncontrollably. "I'm begging you, Mamma—Luca did it for my sake! You can punish me instead of him!"

Papa roared outside the door, "Do you truly intend to destroy the whole Salvatore Famiglia for the sake of a daughter who is about to die, Rosalina? Luca is the successor of the Moretti Famiglia! How are we supposed to explain your cruel actions to the Moretti Famiglia?"

I fluttered my eyes open and noticed how tired Mamma looked. I weakly tugged at her sleeve and said, "Y-You don't have to do this, Mamma. I don't have much time left anyway, so please don't fight with Papa because of me. Y-You should just let me go. I'll go away and get out of their sight, Mamma…"

Mamma tightened her grip on my hand, her eyes flashing with determination. "You're my darling daughter, Grazia. I won't let you endure a single moment of mistreatment ever again."

She then rose to her feet and threw open the door, eyeing the crowd in the courtyard. "If you believe I have no right to demand justice for my daughter, then we have nothing more to discuss. I'm divorcing you, and I'm taking my daughter back to the Vitelli Famiglia tomorrow morning.

"You and the Salvatore Famiglia are dead to me from this point forward, Vittorio."

In that instant, everyone in the courtyard went completely still.

Papa widened his eyes in shock, as though he had heard something inconceivable. "What do you mean by that? What do you mean you're returning to the Vitelli Famiglia? Have you lost your mind, Rosalina? How could you divorce me over such a trivial matter?"

Marco panicked as well. He knew that while the Salvatore Famiglia had once been one of the major Mafia Famiglias in Novarra, their influence had declined. They were now sustained mainly by the support of the Vitelli Famiglia, Mamma's Famiglia.

He understood that if Mamma were to leave, the Salvatore Famiglia would become a laughingstock among the Mafia Famiglias in Novarra, and his own future as the next Don would vanish.

He said hurriedly, "Please don't act impulsively, Mamma. I'm sure Papa was just speaking in the heat of the moment. I'm certain that all of us are devastated that Grazia is so ill, but Luca has already paid the price. Why push this to the point of no return, Mamma?"

Serena lowered her head, a ruthless glint passing through her eyes. She couldn't allow Mamma to leave as well, knowing that without the Vitelli Famiglia's support, the Salvatore Famiglia would fall—and so would her own status.

…

An eerie silence settled over the estate during the following days.

Papa and Marco made daily attempts to seek Mamma's forgiveness, only to be stopped at the door by the bodyguards.

Luca, suffering from his leg injuries, was personally escorted back to the Moretti Famiglia by Mamma.

Mamma approached Don Moretti to request the termination of the engagement with the Moretti Famiglia and also offer an apology for her sudden outburst against Luca.

Don Moretti was fuming, but because Luca was also to blame, he eventually had no choice but to accept the end of the marriage alliance.

I spent my days being stuck with needles and swallowing pills, but my health continued to fail. I could feel my internal organs aching with each injection. I managed to intercept and hide a dose of the medicine one day. I waited for Antonio, then forced myself upright to hand him the medication.

It was just as I suspected—the medication had been spiked with small amounts of stimulants. It might give a healthy person a temporary boost of energy, but it acted as a lethal toxin for someone with my failing heart and weakened state.

I didn't need to guess who was behind it. I laughed coldly to myself. I thought that since Serena wanted a game, I would participate on a significantly larger scale.

I told Antonio to hold off on telling Mamma what we had found for the time being.

It was then that a nurse walked in during dinner. "It's time for your injection, Ms. Salvatore."

I didn't resist, allowing the nurse to give me the injection.

I suddenly seized up just when Mamma was about to give me a sip of water. It wasn't long before blood began streaming from my nose, my ears, and the corners of my mouth. I was hemorrhaging from every facial orifice.

It was a gruesome sight.

Mamma immediately dropped the glass of water, which shattered on the floor. "Grazia!"