Six

Ysabel

I've completely losttrack of time while struggling to wrap my head around what I saw in our apartment.

Ynez is fucking another man while dating Massimo Marchetti.

I think it's only been minutes since I ended up standing outside the convenience store across our apartment building, staring blankly in space.

Or maybe it's been hours, with how the muscles at the back of my legs have started aching a little. I honestly have no idea. The world seems to have stopped making sense, the moment I saw my sister cheating on the man I've been so desperately trying hard to forget.

"Ysabel?"

My head jerks up at the familiar voice, and I'm not sure what to feel when I see it really is Romana standing in front of me, and a pack of beer cradled in her arms.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?"

Romana has been by my sister's side since they were kids, and she never seemed to mind whenever Ynez treats her more like a slave than a best friend. She probably loves Ynez as much as I do, but...

"Hey!"The other girl looks at me in surprise when I suddenly drag her with me to the back of the store, where we're less likely to be heard.

"What's wrong with you?" Romana asks plaintively.

"What's wrong with me?" It's a struggle to keep my voice low, and the only reason I manage to is because I know what it's like to be at the bad side of a powerfulfamiglia—-which is the fate that we're all flirting with. "What's wrong withyou?How can you let Ynez do something so crazy?"

Romana stares at me oddly. "Are you drunk?"

"Are you still high?" I retort. "I saw you, Roms. You were passed out cold in our living room—-"

"So?"

"—-while Ynez and Jovanni were having sex in my room."

Romance's laugh is obviously forced. "You must be mistaken—-"

"Isawthem," I hiss under my breath. "Iheardthem. So it's no use lying to me about it. Was it my sister or Jovanni who told you to pretend to be his girlfriend so they could get away with their affair? Can you imagine what Massimo and his family would do to all of us once he finds out Ynez has been cheating—-" My voice breaks off when Romana suddenly stalks past me and dumps the entire pack of beer in the garbage bin.

What in the world?

Romana walks away without looking back, and my stomach turns upside down when I see the other girl enter our apartment building.

Shit.