The Don's Memorial Obsession

I had just put my phone down when the screen lit up again.

A photo arrived from an encrypted number.

It was Miley, wearing the Serrano family heirloom ring that I was supposed to inherit. Her hand rested on Caspian's chest, a silent claim, followed by a line of provocative text.

[Some things are fated to return to their rightful owners.]

[Aurelia Valeriano, you've occupied my place for ten years. It's time to give it back.]

How ridiculous.

Miley had been the one to choose to marry Matteo, and now she was blaming me for taking her place?

So I replied: [If that were truly the case, you wouldn't need to prove a thing to me.]

[Only trash treasures a traitor.]

She didn’t reply.

I snorted and forwarded the exchange to my lawyer.

The next afternoon, Caspian returned with our son, Adrian. Miley trailed behind them, hiding behind Caspian and looking pitiful, as if I were about to tear her to shreds.

I asked coldly, "What is she doing here?"

A flash of panic crossed Caspian's eyes before it was replaced by impatience. "Let's not argue in front of the child. We'll talk inside. Miley is a widow of the Family. She just got back and has nowhere to go. It's not safe for her out there alone, so she'll stay here for a few days."

Miley chimed in, her voice soft, but the challenge in her eyes was unmistakable. "I've been so lonely abroad all these years. Now that I'm back, I feel safer with family."

I gave a cold laugh, my gaze shifting between them. "Family? I think the word 'mistress' is more appropriate."

"Aurelia!" Caspian's voice cracked like a whip. "What nonsense are you spouting?! Miley is my late brother's widow! How dare you speak like that!"

I looked him straight in the eye, unflinching. "Do my words bother you? What about your actions? Caspian, we've been married for ten years, and you never told me about your feelings for her. You disappeared without a word, ditching our family trip to take her on vacation. Do you dare say your feelings for her are pure?"

Caspian's face darkened, and he scoffed. "So you're determined to be unreasonable, is that it? It was one trip, Aurelia. The island isn't going anywhere. Must you make such a scene?"

Miley added her own performance, her tone suggesting a great injustice. "Aurelia, you've misunderstood us. Caspian was just taking pity on me, all alone..."

I cut her off. "No one asked you to speak."

I turned back to Caspian, my voice dangerously low. "This estate is mine as much as it is yours. I have the right to decide who stays. Now, tell her to get out."

Caspian's patience finally snapped. "Aurelia, be reasonable!" he roared. "Protecting a widow of the Family is my duty! She's alone, with no one! How can you be so cold-hearted?"

I stood frozen for a long moment, the ache in my chest hardening into rage. "When my father was assassinated, did you spare a single thought for how helpless I was? When I was handling the funeral arrangements all by myself, where were you?"

The mention of my father made his anger falter.

Six months ago, my father, the family's former Consigliere, was assassinated by a rival faction during an outing.

At the time, I was drowning in panic. I called Caspian, who was abroad, and he just gave me a hollow promise to rush back as soon as possible.

By the time he returned, my father's funeral was already over. He just hugged me and murmured a few empty words of comfort.

And our son, Adrian, had excitedly pulled on my hand, chattering about all the fun things he did on his trip.