Chapter 7 The Cost of Being Good

Dinner was painfully quiet. The only sound was the clinking of silverware as the three siblings ate in silence. Nicole glanced at Matteo, who looked visibly uneasy. It seemed as if something was weighing heavily on their big brother's mind.

"Matteo?" Nicole called softly.

He looked up from his plate to meet her gaze. "Yes?"

"I know we were kind of awful earlier. I'm sorry." Nicole turned to Letty, who looked indifferent. "Letty..."

"All right," Letty grumbled. "Sorry."

Matteo understood why Letty was so angry. Her marriage had fallen apart because of Romilda. Now that Matteo had agreed to marry Romilda, how could Letty not be furious? It felt like Matteo didn't care how much she was hurting.

But Matteo had thought of Letty, Nicole, and even their mother, Anais. He genuinely cared about all of them. He was simply trying to keep the family together.

Whether they liked it or not, the responsibility was Matteo's to bear.

If he didn't marry Romilda, outsiders would take over the entire business empire Caesar built.

It was cruel, like Caesar was punishing his wife and children for a sin they didn't know they had committed.

"It's fine. I don't want to think about that anymore. We just have to hold on a little longer... so we can finally live in peace," Matteo paused, "without Romilda."

"She's never going to stop coming after us, Matteo," Letty said, putting her utensils down. "She'll do anything to take everything we have."

"All you think about is money?" Matteo snapped.

"What else do we have? Do you really think Romilda wants a happy little family with you? Give me a break."

Her mother is sick. I don't think she's that bad. She's just trying to help her mom, Letty."

Letty and Nicole both fell silent, casting puzzled glances at Matteo.

"She told you that? And you believe her?" Nicole asked.

"No, I overheard her. In her room."

"She's a damn good actress, Matteo. Do you really think she'd show her true colors in this house?" Letty scoffed.

"Don't fall for her trap, too! How many men have been dumb enough to trust Romilda? Including our father," Nicole added bitterly.

She stood up and left the dining room without another word. Letty followed shortly after, leaving Matteo alone in the heavy silence.

"Oh God..." he whispered.

He had known the real Romilda once. She was a fragile girl who carried sadness and pain. She never pretended to be anything she wasn't. Matteo remembered how close they had once been and how sweet their teenage love had felt.

But when that ended-because Matteo pulled away-Romilda changed.

Everything she'd done since then seemed like twisted revenge, making Matteo feel more guilty.

Was the girl he once loved truly gone? Had she become a demon, determined to torment the Cavanaugh family for the rest of their lives?

Matteo's ears perked up at the sound of footsteps entering the hallway.

A woman hurried past the dining room, not glancing his way as she moved down the corridor.

"Romilda?" Matteo murmured.

He got up and followed her. His steps halted at the door connecting to the kitchen just as he saw "Romilda" slip out the back door. Where was she going so late at night? Especially since they had just returned from the cabin.

"Where is she going?" he muttered.

Driven by curiosity, he decided to follow her.

*

Meanwhile, Rose was rushing to the hospital, unaware that Matteo was following her. She flagged down a taxi and climbed in quickly.

The whole ride there, she prayed for her mother's safety.

The hospital had called again-her mother's condition had suddenly worsened. The news threw Rose into a panic.

As soon as she arrived, she ran down the corridor toward her mother's room.

But when she pushed the door open, she froze.

Romilda was already there, standing coldly beside her unconscious mother.

"What did you do to Mom?" Rose asked accusingly.

"I did nothing," Romilda replied coolly.

Rose rushed to her mother's side and burst into tears.

Her mother had been improving-why was her condition suddenly worsening again? None of it made sense.

Rose turned a sharp gaze toward Romilda. "What did you do to her?" she asked again.

"I paid for your mother's treatment," Romilda said, pretending to be offended. "Oh, please, Rose. Do you think I'd spend that much money just to let her die? What would be the point?"

"Then why is she like this?"

Romilda shrugged. "I don't know. Ask your mom when she wakes up."

Furious, Rose lunged at Romilda and grabbed her by the collar.

"You wretched woman! You dragged me into the nightmare that is the Cavanaugh family! Are you insane? Affairs here, affairs there?" Rose's voice trembled with rage.

"Oh, so they told you?" Romilda smirked. "Who was it?"

"That doesn't matter! You're disgusting! You had an affair with Matteo's father and his ex-brother-in-law!"

Romilda raised an eyebrow. "I didn't. That's why you need to clear my name."

Rose shoved her against the wall. Her chest heaved as she tried to hold back her fury.

"Clear your name? You think it's that simple?"

Romilda gave her a smug grin. "What are you going to do? Hit me?"

"I could!" That'd be easy!"

But it won't save your mother."

Romilda brushed Rose's hand away. No matter how strong or brave Rose tried to be, she would break if something happened to her mom.

"I know-you're a good person. You're independent; you have principles." Romilda's sarcasm dripped like poison. "But if you don't have power or money, what good are they?"

Rose swallowed hard, her fists clenched.

"If you hurt me, you lose, Rose. Look at your mom. She's helpless again. How much more will you need to pay? I bet you can't even afford it."

Tears burned in Rose's eyes, but she held them back.

"So you'll cooperate with me, won't you, Rose? Just forget your morals. What have they ever gotten you?"

Before Rose could reply, there was a knock at the door.

The two women froze, exchanging glances.

Rose rushed to the door and pressed her ear to it.

"Who is it?" she asked hoarsely.

"Romilda? It's me, Matteo."

Rose and Romilda both turned pale.

Why was Matteo at the hospital?