Page 133 of With this Ring

“We told her she had to do the right thing and tell Gregorio first.” She shrugged. “Then…”

He’d become their savior. Adrianna had sobbed in his arms, and he’d gently cared for her.

“She never really loved him. But that night, when he proposed, she was swept up in the romance of the moment.”

The news left her speechless.

“I kept telling her she didn’t need to marry him, but she loved being the center of attention in the news stories. Their picture was everywhere.” She sighed. “Everything was fine until she got tired of his job and being alone. Being ignored.” Her mother sighed, as if debating whether or not to go on. “She met someone else. For once she did the right thing and asked for a divorce.”

Sasha sank deeper into her pillow. “I had no idea.”

“No reason you should have. You were at school, focused on your guns and self-defense.” She spoke to herself in Italianfor a moment. “You should never have had to go through that experience.”

“It wasn’t fair to any of us.”

“You were so young. Only a child.”

“Doesn’t make it any easier for you,” she insisted. “To be scared for your family…”

Her mother’s eyes filled with emotion. “I was so frightened. And you were so brave.”

She didn’t remember it that way at all. All she could recall was the terror, the sight of the gun barrel waving in her daddy’s face, the man screaming, so hysterical she couldn’t make out the words.

“Do I like this situation?” Rosa picked up one of Sasha’s hands. “No. But we love you. And we love Gregorio. Always hated that he wasn’t still part of the family.”

“Adriana will never forgive me.”Nor would I, if the situation were reversed.

“She’s getting married soon. I’m sure she’ll enjoy the drama of the story.”

“How her little sister betrayed her and stole her man?”

A smile ghosted across Rosa’s lips. “Quite thrilling, isn’t it?”

“Maybe.” But it wasn’t at all true. The pair had been divorced for years. Enough time for Adriana to marry and divorce another two times.

“You need to spend your energy getting well.”

And out of this hospital bed.

“God will sort everything else out.”

She wished she had a fraction of her mother’s unshakable faith.

The door opened again, and she looked up, expecting to see her father or sister. Instead, the nurse from earlier was there.

Her face was set in a serious line, sending Sasha’s tummy topsy-turvy.

“Would you like to see Mr. Conti?”

Chapter Twenty-One

“Yes.”

Heart racing, Sasha threw back the blanket.

Nothing and no one could keep her away.

Her mother stood, and Sasha pushed herself off the bed, only to have her knees wobble and the world tilt beneath her once more.

---