But that night, jolted awake by another nightmare—my mother's hollowed face swimming behind my eyelids—I caught something outside the bedroom. Through the crack in the door, golden lamplight spilled across Colino's back as he held my half-sister, Piper Giordano, in his arms.
She was sobbing into his chest, her whole body trembling like a wounded animal.
"If she ever finds out the truth… she'll kill me."
Colino cupped her face, gentle as ever—gentler than he'd ever been with me.
"Hey, it's not your fault. You didn't know those guys were scammers. You're a victim too."
The chill in my bones cut deeper than any winter wind off the harbor. I could hardly breathe.
So this was it. My mother died… because of Piper. And the man who swore to protect me was shielding her.
Colino finally sent Piper home, the heavy oak door clicking shut behind her, and turned around—only to see me, collapsed on the marble floor like a broken doll.
His expression flickered—guilt, frustration—then hardened into something I didn't recognize.
"So you heard everything?"
His tone turned cold, like I was the problem. Like I was the inconvenience.