Chapter 155 – The Yellow Dress

Chapter 155 – The Yellow Dress


Katarina’s POV

“Papi!” I called out, my voice echoing through the villa’s hall. The yellow sundress Vittorio asked for swished around my thighs as I spun. Too bright for a house full of ghosts, but he wanted it, so I wore it.

Ombra appeared first, silent as always, Papi’s small hand in hers. His little shoes slapped the tiles as he ran straight into me.

“Kat!” He crashed into my legs, almost knocking me over. His cheeks flushed, hair wild. “I haven’t seen you since last night’s party. I thought you left me!”

I crouched, smoothing his hair back. “I’m sorry, Papi. Aunt Selena didn’t want to wake you. She wanted you to rest, so she slipped out while you were asleep.”

His mouth turned down. “She didn’t even say goodbye.”

I kissed his forehead. “She left you sweets, though. Loads of them. She wanted you to wake up happy.”

He dug in his pocket and pulled out a sticky lollipop. “She always does that.” He stared at it like it wasn’t enough. His little voice cracked. “I miss my dad too. When can we go back? I want to see him.”

My throat tightened. I had killed his father. I buried him myself in blood and dirt, and this boy still asked when he could go back.

I forced a smile. “Don’t worry, Papi. Today’s for fun. We’ll go out with your Uncle Valentino. Ice cream. As much as you can eat.”

He perked up. “Ice cream?”

“Loads,” I promised. “You pick the flavors.”

His grin returned, but then he glanced toward the hall where Valentino leaned against the wall like a dark shadow. He whispered, “Uncle Tino is scary.”

I lowered my head to his. “That’s our mission today, then. We’re going to make him less scary.”

His eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Really. Shake on it.” I held out my pinky, and he hooked it with his. “Deal?”

“Deal!” He bounced on his toes.

As I stood, Ombra tugged my sleeve, eyes darting. Her lips moved, sound rough, broken: “Be… careful.”

I froze. Ombra never spoke. My heart pounded. “What do you mean?”

Her voice cracked, words heavy with her accent. “Fiorella… is not… who she says.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Eyes. They are watching. Careful.”

“Ombra—” I pressed, but she shrank back.

Before I could catch her, a silk voice sliced the air.

“Well, well. So you can talk.”

Fiorella. She stood in the doorway, hair perfect, lips painted, a thick white bandage wrapped around her hand. Her eyes glittered like knives. “And here I thought you were mute, Ombra. Seems you only needed the right audience.”

Ombra’s face drained. She bowed her head and slipped away fast, vanishing like smoke.

Fiorella stepped inside, cradling her bandaged hand. She made a little whimper, and Valentino moved immediately, crossing the floor with sharp steps.

“What happened?” His voice was tight. “Are you hurt?”

She fluttered her lashes, milking it. “It’s nothing, really. Just… Papi came to drop something in my room, poor boy, and he knocked a glass over. I tried to clean it, and…” She held out her hand like a saint presenting a wound. “Nearly cut my pinky clean off.”

Papi gasped. “I didn’t mean to!”

Fiorella crouched, kissing his head with exaggerated grace. “Shh, tesoro, it’s not your fault. Accidents happen.”

I bit my tongue. Her bandage was too clean. No blood. No swelling. I knew a scratch when I saw one, but she made it look like an amputation.

Valentino caught her hand gently, eyes soft. “You should rest. Keep pressure on it.”

Fiorella smiled sweetly at him, and something inside me burned.

I crossed my arms. “If it was a scratch, Fiorella, don’t make it a tragedy.”

Her eyes slid to me, sharp. “Funny. You always downplay things that matter.”

Before I could answer, she noticed Papi again, really noticed. Her smile curved slow, predatory. “And who’s this?”

“My son,” I said flatly.

Her brows arched. “Your son? Adopted?”

“Yes.”

“And his father?” Her tone was casual, but the air went still.

Silence.

She looked between us, smile widening like she’d just been handed a weapon. She stroked her bandaged hand, then turned away, humming

“Interesting.” She turned, her tone sugary sweet. “Children need family. Suzy should spend more time with her father too. Don’t you think, Valentino?”

Valentino froze. His jaw ticked. His eyes cut to me, then to Fiorella. I saw the panic, the anger, the silent curse in his stare. He looked like he’d skin Vittorio alive for putting him in this position.

Then Fiorella tilted her head, eyes glittering. “Actually… why don’t Suzy and I join you today? Wherever you’re taking Katarina and her boy, we’ll come too. It would be… nice. A family outing.”

Her words hung heavy. My stomach twisted.

Valentino’s mouth pressed into a hard line. He looked at Fiorella, then at me, then at Papi who was too busy clapping to notice the storm in the room.

He forced a grin, sharp and dangerous. “I guess that means we’re all going to the car races.”

Papi cheered. “Car races!”

Fiorella laughed soft, leaning into Valentino’s arm. “Oh, how exciting.”

And me? I just stood there in my yellow dress, the smile plastered on my face, but inside I was burning. Ombra’s warning clung to my ribs, Fiorella’s smile cut like glass, and Papi’s little hand held mine like I wasn’t a killer.

Fiorella glanced back once more, her voice soft and cutting. “Yellow suits you, Katarina. Makes you look almost pure.”