After I signed the divorce papers, a single drop of blood suddenly fell onto the table, less than an inch away from the papers.

Enrico frowned. "What's wrong with you? Why is your nose bleeding? Did you get injured during the abduction?"

The rare show of concern almost made me spill the truth.

"Enrico, actually I—"

Suddenly, his phone rang, cutting me off. It was a video call from Rita.

Perhaps seeing the concern on his face, she asked him what was wrong.

"Elisa suddenly got a nosebleed. I'm not sure if she's injured. I'm thinking of taking her to the hospital for a checkup."

Rita's soft voice came through. "The air's been really dry lately. I had a nosebleed yesterday too."

Enrico immediately became anxious. "How are you now?"

"I'm fine. The doctor said it's just the dry air. There's a humidifier in my room now."

I silently watched them talk.

When Enrico noticed my gaze, he awkwardly ended the call and said to me, "The air's been pretty dry lately. You'll get better soon."

I'd get better soon?

I wished I could believe that.

However, I knew that the nosebleed was a sign my body was falling apart. The drug just numbed the pain so I couldn't feel it.

I walked into the bathroom and bent down to wash my face.

As I looked up at the mirror, everything suddenly went black. I stepped on something and almost lost my balance.

To steady myself, I reached out to grab whatever I could. Bottles and jars from the countertop crashed to the floor.

It took a while before my vision cleared again.

Enrico and Ivana rushed in at that moment.

The floor was a mess.

Ivana spoke first. "Mamma, you agreed to sign the divorce papers yourself. Why are you throwing a tantrum? Zia Rita is still in the hospital because of you. She's the one who should be mad!"

Enrico's expression darkened. "Elisa, I've already told you. This is a temporary divorce. We'll remarry once Rita gets better. And Ivana's right. You agreed to the divorce and to leave with nothing. So why are you throwing things around now?"

Throwing things around?

Having a tantrum?

So they thought I was upset about the divorce.

I didn't bother to explain. "I don't have a husband or a cent to my name now. Is it wrong for me to throw a few things?"

I ignored them and stayed in the guest room to rest.

…

In the middle of the night, my phone suddenly woke me up. Rita sent me a video recording.

The thumbnail showed Enrico and Ivana huddled together in the frame, with Rita's pale face in the upper right corner.

I played the video, and Ivana's voice immediately came through. "I miss you so much, Zia Rita! Can I visit you tomorrow?"

Enrico gently scolded, "Rita still needs to rest. If you go, you'll just tire her out more."

Rita replied, "Ivana's such a good girl. She wouldn't tire me out."

Enrico's expression softened. "Alright, I'll bring her to visit you, then."

Then, Rita shyly asked, "Enrico, you said you'd give me a grand wedding. Is that true?"

"Certo. Once you're better, we'll have the wedding ceremony."

Ivana leaned in again. "Zia Rita, I want to be the flower girl at your wedding."

The video ended there.

Then came Rita's message.

"Scusa, Elisa. Besides your business and parents, now your husband and child are mine.

"You can just die in peace.

"I'll inherit everything you have."

Couldn't she wait? I wasn't even dead yet.

I had 48 hours left. There was still something I needed to do.

After some hesitation, I dialed a number I hadn't called in five years.

The moment the call connected, the receiver was filled with curses from the other side.

"You actually called me? I thought you'd never speak to me again when I told you to break up with Enrico! What's wrong? Finally remembered I exist on your deathbed?"

She was my childhood best friend, Gianna Baxter, the Principessa of the Baxter family.

When I was dating Enrico, we had a huge argument. She said he wasn't good enough for me, and if I married him, she'd never talk to me again.

At my wedding, she publicly said that I could only choose between Enrico and her.

I smiled faintly. "Gianna, I really am going to die."

The next day, I spent my time notarizing documents and running errands. I also squeezed in a quick meeting with Gianna.

She walked up to me and slapped me across the face, then pulled me into a hug, crying uncontrollably.

"Is there really no other way? I can ask my Papa. We have plenty of antidotes at home."

I shook my head. "This is the only way."

"When we were kids, I always told you that Rita wasn't a good person! She's always pretending to be the victim, making everyone think you're bullying her. Because of that, your friends and family started drifting away from you…"

"Gianna, it's all in the past. I don't have much time left. I need you to help me with something."

Gianna wiped her tears away. "Va bene, how much time do you have left?"

"I have—"

Before I could finish, my phone suddenly rang.

Mamma's voice came on the other end. "Elisa, come home tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

Upon hearing my confused tone, Gianna suddenly perked up and silently mouthed to me, "It's your birthday tomorrow!"

Birthday?

All these years, with Rita's constant acting, Mamma and Papa barely paid attention to me.

Had they finally regretted it? Did they finally remember that I was their daughter?

I felt a surge of joy. "Okay, I'll definitely—"

Before I could finish, Mamma interrupted me. "Rita said the hospital environment isn't good, so she wants to rest at home. She loves the soup you make, so get the ingredients ready and start cooking."

So, she had completely forgotten about my birthday.

I didn't mind anymore.

Maybe I'd be gone after I made them one last meal.

…

In the final hour of my life, the meal I had prepared was already set out on the table.

Rita sat in the center, with Mamma, Papa, and Enrico sitting around her, as if they were the real family.

I sat quietly in the corner, eating my last meal.

"Elisa, you're so thin. Eat more," Rita suddenly said, placing a piece of roast meat in my bowl.

Maybe because I knew I was dying, I didn't feel like humoring her fake concern, so I simply tossed the roast meat aside.

Mamma was about to get angry, but Rita quickly grabbed her arm. "Mamma, don't get mad. Elisa's been bullying me for so many years. I'm used to it."

I ignored them completely. I just wanted to finish my last meal in peace.

But Rita wouldn't leave me alone.

Everything was going smoothly, but she suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Mamma grabbed her hand in a panic. "What's going on? The doctor said your toxins were cleared! Why are you suddenly spitting up blood?"

Rita kept coughing. "I don't know. This is the only meal I've had since leaving the hospital…"

"This meal…" Enrico suddenly turned to look at me in disbelief.

His lips trembled, but he didn't say anything.

I clenched my fist.

Rita cast a secret glance at Enrico. Her gaze suddenly went cold, and then tears started streaming down her face.

"Mamma, didn't you say Elisa specially cooked this meal for me? Did she poison it?"

She cried as she looked at me. "Elisa, I'm your sister! Why do you want to kill me?"

Papa immediately walked over and slapped me hard across the face. "Elisa Neri! I can't believe you're so evil! You actually tried to poison your sister?"

I was knocked to the ground. A wave of dizziness hit me.

I weakly tried to explain, "I didn't…"

Papa's hand, strong from years of wielding a gun, struck with such force that my ears rang. All I could hear was a jumble of voices.

"I regret ever having you!"

"Elisa, the person I loved isn't like this…"

"Mamma! I'm so disappointed in you!"

I didn't… I really didn't poison her…

I wanted to explain, but my body had reached its limit. I tried to speak, but no one listened.

They hurriedly rushed Rita out of the house.

I lay on the floor, no longer able to get up. I only managed to dial Gianna's number.

After some time, Gianna arrived with a doctor.

"Elisa! Hang in there!" Her face was soaked with tears. "I'm here to save you!"

But I was so tired.

I was so, so tired.

I could feel the doctor working desperately to revive me, but the effects of the drug were wearing off, and the pain inside my body was growing stronger.

My eyelids grew heavier.

In the end, the last sound I heard was the steady beeping of the monitor as my heart stopped.

Elisa Neri died at 29.