Her perfect mask was back in place. Sofia’s sister had disappeared, replaced by the persona the public called the Bianchi Ice Princess.
“Once upon a time, you told me you dreamed about marrying a good man and building a simple life with him,” Sofia argued, desperate to get her point across. “You said you’d be content with a small house and maybe two or three kids running wild in the yard.”
Lorenzo had always been the domineering figure in their lives, but he’d always been distant. Absent save for moments when he needed his daughters to create the image of the perfect family for the press.
After their mother died, there was just Aurora and Sofia.
“If I won’t marry Maxim, then would you take my place?” Aurora asked bluntly.
She must’ve seen the truth in Sofia’s eyes because a self-satisfied smile curved on her lips.
Did Aurora know she didn’t just inherit their mother’s looks but also their father’s capacity for cruelty?
With no words left to say, Sofia remained silent.I did this, Sofia thought numbly. Her sister no longer had any options for a normal life. One of them had to remain in the family business. By selfishly choosing freedom, Sofia had damned Aurora.
Aurora stepped out of the car. Sofia couldn’t leave their talk like this. She didn’t care if someone from the press caught her in her pajamas.
Lurching out of the car like a graceless fish, Sofia would have fallen flat on the dirty sidewalk if not for Aldo grasping her arm.
Regaining her balance, Sofia looked out for Aurora. She started for the glass doors that led to the Bianchi Tower.
“Aurora, wait!” Sofia yelled.
She turned, much to Sofia’s relief. Sofia hadn’t lost her. Not completely. The two of them could figure this out. Sofia refused to let Aurora marry a monster just to satisfy their greedy father’s ambitions.
“Sofia, what now?” Aurora asked. A look of alarm crossed her face. She kicked off her heels and ran right at her like some kind of football player. Sofia couldn’t comprehend what was happening, not until Aurora tackled her to the ground.
She heard yells all around her. Nearby, a woman’s shrill scream made Sofia put her hands over her ears. Gunfire erupted. What the hell was happening?
Aldo shouted commands in Italian. Was he talking to someone on the phone?
“Aurora?” Sofia asked, remembering what her sister had done.
Aurora saved her, like all those years ago, right after their mother had died. Aurora had become her support system, and Sofia became hers.
Their father didn’t have time to grieve or console his children. He drowned himself in thoughts of vengeance instead. It seemed no matter how many people he ordered killed or irrationally blamed their mother’s death, he was never right again.
“I’m glad I got to you in time. I saw the sniper’s shadow…” Aurora trailed off.
Instinct told Sofia something wasn’t quite right with this scenario. With shaking fingers, Sofia touched the trail of blood down the side of Aurora’s lips. The color seemed darker than the shade of her lipstick.
Droplets hit Sofia’s light-blue pajama top. Blood. Aurora’s blood.
Alarmed, she stared up at her sister, at the life slowly fleeing her vibrant blue eyes.
Finally, she noticed the dark stain on her chest. It started spreading, spreading. The bullet found its home, after all.
Panic seized her.I must be back in my bed.This was all an awful nightmare. Except it wasn’t. Small rocks dug into her back. Aurora’s body felt heavy.
“No,” she whispered. “You can’t do this. You can’t leave me like Mother did.”
Her words sounded childish to her own ears.
“Promise me,” Aurora whispered.
“What?” Sofia didn’t know how to respond. After their mother died, she couldn’t speak for weeks.
“Stand by Father. By the familia. They’ll need you more than ever.”
Aurora shut her eyes and collapsed on top of her. Even in death, her sister looked dignified.
It was happening all over again. Someone she cared deeply about died right in front of her eyes.
A scream clawed out of her throat, then another. She couldn’t stop, even as Aldo pried Aurora’s corpse off Sofia’s body. He bodily dragged her back into the car, kicking and cursing.