Chapter 4

The day before the induction, everyone at the Romano estate was busy.

Father checked the guest list. Mother went through Lucia's gowns, jewelry, and gifts. Luca collected her friends from the airport, spoke to security, and inspected the ballroom himself.

No one asked whether I was ready.

My MIT acceptance package lay on the console by the front door. I had left it in plain sight days earlier. The school seal was visible on the envelope, but nobody had asked about it. Lists for Lucia's guests were starting to cover it.

I changed my shoes and went out. Before I left New York, there was one thing I wanted to take with me: the sapphire bracelet Grandma had left me.

It was one of a matching pair passed down through the Romano women. Grandma's will had given one to each of her twin granddaughters. Lucia had been allowed to take hers years earlier. Mine had stayed in the family's private vault until I turned eighteen.

I was eighteen now. I wanted to wear it on my first day at MIT. Whatever happened with my parents, I could still take something of Grandma with me.

At the vault, the attendant checked the records and went to look. When he returned, his hands were empty.

“I'm sorry, Miss Romano. The bracelet was removed yesterday.”

“By whom?”

He hesitated, then turned the withdrawal ledger toward me.

Mother had signed at the bottom. Beside her signature, under the reason for withdrawal, she had written:

Lucia Romano's induction jewelry.

“There must be a mistake,” I said. “Lucia already has the other one.”

“Mrs. Romano said Miss Lucia would be wearing them as a set.”

I looked again at Mother's signature. She had taken it without saying a word to me.

I went straight back to the estate.

Lucia stood in front of the drawing room mirror in her induction gown. Both sapphire bracelets glittered on her wrist.

“You took my bracelet?”

She caught my eye in the mirror. “Don't they look better together?”

“You didn't even ask me.”

Mother adjusted Lucia's sleeve. “They were made as a pair, Sofia. There was no point leaving one in the vault.”

“Grandma left one to each of us.”

“Lucia's only wearing it for the induction. Must you turn everything into a fight?”

I looked at the bracelets, then at the two diamonds in Lucia's crown on the dressing table. Mother had found a reason to give her both of those too.

“You agreed to support your sister,” Mother continued. “I didn't think lending her a bracelet required a family crisis.”

Luca let out an impatient breath. “You're really doing this the day before the induction?”

“You gave her thirty million dollars, an estate, shares, a board seat, and half a million of my money.” I tried to keep my voice steady, though my hands were shaking. “Was that not enough?”

“You'll spend your life in this Family,” Mother said. “You'll have access to the vault whenever you want.”

“And Lucia?”

“She may marry into another Family. She needs something of her own to take with her.”

“So you gave her something that belonged to me.”

I crossed the room and reached for my bracelet.

Father caught my wrist before I touched it.

“Leave it.”

“Grandma left it to me.”

His grip tightened. “I said leave it.”

Lucia turned from the mirror. “Sofia, you can have it back. I don't want everyone fighting because of me.”

She didn't touch the clasp.

Luca grabbed my other arm and pulled me away. I lost my balance and hit the corner of the marble table. Pain shot through my hip. The favor boxes stacked on top scattered across the floor.

Mother hurried toward us. For a second, I thought she was coming to help me.

She took Lucia's wrist and inspected both bracelets.

“Do you have any idea how old these are?”

I stood with my hand pressed against my hip, watching her check the clasps. She didn't look at me.

“I only want back what belongs to me.”

“You're tearing this family apart over jewelry,” Luca said.

“Enough,” Father said. “The bracelet stays with Lucia. This conversation is over.”

I looked at each of them. There was nothing else I could say that they hadn't already refused to hear.

I went upstairs and packed my passport, my laptop, and one suitcase. My hip hurt when I bent to close it. I pulled the zipper shut and carried it downstairs.

Nobody stopped me.

I spent the night at an airport hotel. I checked my phone once before bed. No calls. No questions about where I was or whether I was coming back.

The first message arrived the next morning, while I waited to board.

Mother: Where are you? We're at the venue.

It was induction day. They needed me in my chair.

My phone kept vibrating as I handed my passport to the gate agent.

“Miss Romano? We're ready for you.”

I switched off the phone and walked onto the plane.

Father could decide who wore the bracelet. He wouldn't decide where I went next.