Applause echoed. Elena stood, glowing in her deep red tulip dress, stealing the spotlight as if she was born for it. Her smile appeared a fraction before her eyes agreed with it, and every man in the room smiled back anyway.
"My sweetheart," Father said, voice full of pride, "thank you for coming into our lives. You're our light, our happiness."
The words stabbed into me like blades.
"Daddy," Elena sniffled, tears in her eyes. "You know how much I love you."
The crowd cooed. My father melted.
"I want everyone to know. Elena DeLuca will be the heir to our family's operations. Everything I have, every title, every territory, will belong to her."
The room went quiet.
Whispers broke out. Murmurs of confusion. I saw two old capos at a far table exchange a look. Traditionally, succession falls to the eldest. But there I was, getting nothing. Not even a single coin.
My hands trembled. My chest tightened. It felt like my simple dress was choking me.
I pressed my thumbnail into the center of my palm until the skin paled.
I stood up. No one noticed. No one ever noticed.
I walked out of the banquet hall, out to the open deck, desperate to breathe.