"It was just a prank," Nico said smoothly, without hesitation.
"Apologize," Don Montecarlo ordered firmly.
Gianna stepped forward, her expression shifting instantly into innocence, her eyes wide and soft. "We're sorry, Aunty Seraphina. We didn't mean it."
"Yeah, sorry," Matteo added quickly. "We even brought you a gift."
My body went rigid.
A gift.
Gianna held out a neatly wrapped red box, her smile sweet and harmless. "You'll love it," she said.
Every instinct in my body screamed at me not to take it.
Not to touch it.
But Enzo's gaze hardened, warning, pressuring. "They apologized, Seraphina. Don't be petty."
Don Montecarlo nodded gently. "Accept their apology. Children make mistakes."
My hands trembled as I reached out, slowly peeling back the ribbon. My breathing grew shallow, uneven.
The moment I lifted the lid—
The world tilted.
A scream tore out of my throat before I could stop it.
Inside the box—
Miso.
My puppy.
Lying completely still. Lifeless.
His soft white fur… soaked in red.
And beneath his small, fragile body—
Another note.
"You'll be next if you don't leave."
The box slipped from my hands, crashing to the ground.
Everything spun.
Enzo froze. Don Montecarlo murmured something in shock.