Luna basked in it. Soaked it in like sunlight.
I watched from across the courtyard, and the rage inside me was so cold it felt like nothing at all.
Davide had freeloaded off my family for years, doing nothing of value. To give him some purpose, some dignity he hadn't earned, I'd handed him oversight of the smallest territory the Valente Syndicate controlled. A few blocks of legitimate businesses. A modest revenue stream. Enough to make him feel like a man without giving him enough rope to hang anyone.
I never expected it would become Luna Caruso's crown.
The moment they saw me, the warmth drained from every face. The women who had been flattering Luna seconds ago turned toward me with expressions of open disgust.
It was as if I were something filthy and repulsive.
The teacher detached herself from Luna's circle and walked toward me, her heels clicking against the stone. Her face was cold. Practiced. The kind of cold that comes from choosing a side and committing to it fully.
"Ms. Valente," she said, and even the way she used my name sounded like an accusation, "I've been instructed by the headmaster to inform you that Emilia is expelled, effective immediately."
I glared at her. Emilia's fingers tightened on my sleeve.
"My daughter was attacked," I said, my voice low and even. "Instead of seeking justice for her, you're expelling her?"
The teacher's expression didn't change. "This is an elite academy. The children who attend here come from powerful families. Respected families." She paused, letting the implication settle. "A child born from a homewrecker like you staying here would only damage our reputation."
The courtyard had gone quiet. Every parent was watching. Every word carried.
My expression darkened, and I held the teacher's gaze until she blinked first.
"I suggest you investigate who the real homewrecker and illegitimate child are," I said, "before you speak another word."
The silence that followed lasted exactly two seconds.
Then Luna stormed across the courtyard toward me. I saw her hand move before I felt it. She flicked her hair behind her right ear with that sharp, practiced motion, and then she slapped me hard across the face.
The sound cracked through the quiet like a gunshot.