Chapter 2
Maddalena glanced at his phone screen, and just as she thought, it was the so-called lifesaver who always needed help.
She scoffed and watched Silvano answer the call.
“Hey, Tori.” His voice instantly turned gentle.
Maddalena couldn’t hear what was said on the other end, but Silvano’s face suddenly changed-he looked worried.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be there soon. Wait for me at home!”
He hung up and turned to leave.
Before heading out, he glanced at the things Maddalena had left on the floor and frowned.
“When you get back, make sure to clean up the room. With all this stuff lying around, Celene could trip.”
This whole time, Silvano did not notice the suitcase beside her. He did not even think to ask where she was going. Luckily, Maddalena did not care anymore.
She just felt a little regret that she did not get to cancel the engagement today. Who knows when the next chance will come?
Come to think of it, Silvano had not let her finish a full sentence in a long time. It was not like this before.
She and Silvano had known each other since they were kids. When she was eight, her parents died in a car crash.
Her uncle took her family’s money and locked her in a basement, where he abused her every day. It was Silvano who came for her, like a hero.
He rescued her, brought her home, cared for her, and promised to marry her one day. Promised to protect her forever.
That promise still echoed in her ears, but the person who made it had already walked
away.
The next day, Maddalena arrived at the hospital on time.
After checking the wards, she went to the director’s office to hand in her resignation. The director looked surprised.
“Maddy, you’ve been doing really well here. Why resign all of a sudden?”
“I got married yesterday, and the wedding’s coming up. I can’t balance work anymore, so I want to hand things over to the hospital quickly.”
“Married?” The director was shocked at first, then smiled. “That’s great news! Why didn’t you tell us earlier? When’s the wedding party?”
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“It’s not set yet,” Maddalena replied.
The director congratulated her again and accepted her resignation. With that off her chest, Maddalena felt much lighter.
However, when she got home after work, she noticed two extra pairs of shoes at the door. Silvano had already brought them in-he did not even wait.
The servant came out, looked at her expression, and hesitated like they wanted to say something but did not.
Without a word, Maddalena walked past the servant and headed upstairs-only to find her bedroom door wide open.
A little girl, maybe four or five, was sitting by the bed, messing around.
Maddalena’s makeup and clothes were scattered across the bed and floor, almost completely ruined. She was livid.
Just as she was about to say something, her eyes caught the painting in the little girl’s hand. Her mind went blank, and it felt like the blood in her body froze.
It was the painting her mother had left her! Maddalena had always treated it like a treasure.
She had it professionally framed and regularly cleaned it herself. And now, the painting was smudged with makeup and torn in half. Her anger completely drowned out her reason.
She snatched the painting back and said sharply, “Who told you that you could come in here?”
Celene froze in fear. Then, turning to Maddalena, she screamed, “Old hag, give it back! This is my dad’s house!”
“Get out!”
“Celene!” Someone rushed in.
It was Vittoria, wearing a light blue short-sleeved dress. Her long hair was draped gently over her shoulders.
Right now, she looked calm on the outside, but there was something cold in her eyes as she stared at Maddalena.
“Maddalena, what are you doing?”
Maddalena looked down at the ruined painting. Her chest tightened like something was squeezing her heart. It was even hard to breathe.
She glanced coldly at Vittoria and asked, “Who gave you permission to enter the main bedroom?”
“This is my mom’s room! You meanie! Get out!” Celene yelled, her voice piercing. She rushed at Maddalena, fists flailing, trying to hit her.
Maddalena narrowed her eyes and was about to push her back, but before she could, Vittoria suddenly pulled Celene and shoved her to the floor.
In the chaos, Celene’s head hit the edge of the table, and blood instantly started flowing from the wound. She burst into loud sobs.
“Celene!” Vittoria cried out, running over to hold her.
Then she looked up, her face full of tears, and said, “Ms. Albergo, if you don’t want us here, you could’ve just told us. We would’ve left. Why did you hurt the child?”
Just as the words left her mouth, Silvano’s angry voice rang out.
“Maddalena Albergo, what are you doing?”
