Emma was asleep in her little hospital bed right next to me. Her tiny hands were cle

e. His expensive suit stood out in the plain hospital room. Even though I was sti

ice all business. Mr. Sterling gets Emma every other weekend starting wh

hen she was barely old enough to see clearly. She'd be

I asked, even though I

kay in writing. Blackwood gave a thin smile. He's paying a lot of money in supp

es were all that mattered. As if my broken ma

three years ago, I was Izabela Romano, set to take over one of the biggest companies in E

only to find out that money can't buy everything-like loyalty, honesty,

Mikel's dark hair and stubborn chin, but when she opened her eyes, I saw my own determina

se with more medicine. But then I saw someone from my past-tall, with gray

barely a whisper; I

ray eyes took in everything in the room, just like she did when she was building he

accent making the endearment

laugh. Nice to see you too, Nonna. I was

t she was thinking. I made sure I knew when my great-granddaughter was

through generations of strong women who wouldn't let an

love over what I was supposed to do, remember? Ever since I walked away from everything yo

o thought love was all she needed. I also remember telling her that family is more

se in Italy because I was mad at Elena for being old-fashioned about marriage and what I

I told you so'? I asked,

ce and protective in her eyes. I came here to take b

kipped a b

while unimportant men tell them what to do. She sat in the chair Blackwood had been in, si

vorce papers, the custody agreement that would take Emma away every other weekend. I told her about Sophia's smug s

When I was done, she sat quietly for a long time, putting her hands to

hinks you're weak, alone, and beaten. He's made up this custody agreement and i

papers, Ele

er smile was like a knife. Especially when someone didn

it was huge, with businesses in technology, medicine, and media. The family was so

chose love over money, remember? I wanted a s

t not forgiving. You gave up your family for a man who couldn't even keep hi

e she knew who she was. My grandmother-great-grandmoth

ed to calm down. You look just like your nonna did when she

t had been asleep for three years. Pride. Not the fake kind I'd been using to get through

? I asked, even tho

eyes sparkled. You are Izabela Romano Sterling, set to take over one of the most powerfu

tody ag

a held Emma comfortably. A good lawyer could get rid of that agreement before your husband even finis

he weak, left-behind wife and become the strong woman I was born to be. I could

hind, accepting help from a family I had turned aw

re always was with Elena. There's a

s taking your place as my heir, raising your daughter to know what

de me. This wasn't just about me anymore. It was about what kind of woman

aking whatever you could get while another woman took what was yours? That being a

to build empires, smart enough to beat her enemies, and v

and get my inheritance back, Mikel will fight bac

can company, but it's nothing compared to Romano Enterprises. Your husband has been

appear. The woman who believed in happy endings was gone. Now

was watching me like she co

need me to

e teach your husband what happens when he messes with us. Elena stood up, still holding

ferent this time. It felt stronger and more purposeful. It was the pain of b

ked, reaching

ma will grow up knowing she is loved, protected, and strong enough to change

he would never know the weakness that almost destroyed me. She would be Romano through and thro

d felt defeated was gone forever. Now, there was someone that Ele

mano was c

anyone who go