Page 112 of Reckless Desires

“Honestly, it’s not as bad as what she’d normally do,” Stasia injects.

“I could have forgiven her. Gambling is an addiction.” I clear my throat. “But expecting me to marry Alessio to clear a debt…”

When I look up, neither one of my sisters holds a judgmental or pitying look in their eyes. Instead, they seem almost relieved that I’ve finally come to my senses.

“Now that you see her true colors, why don’t we tell you the rest?” Stasia says in a more serious tone.

And they do. Both my sisters finally confess all the treacherous things our so-called mother has done over the years. The manipulations, betrayals, and lies that have woven a web of deceit. By the end of it, I am in tears.

“What will happen to her now?” I ask as I think of our fractured family.

“Permanent house arrest,” Stasia states firmly. “We have paid off her debt to avoid anyone else coming after us. And she will never be able to leave the house without supervision again.”

“That doesn’t sound like something you’d do.” I arch a brow.

Selene chuckles before turning serious. “Stasia practically wanted to burn her at the stake, but we need to look out for Serafina. Just as Stasia did for me and what we did for you.”

“How can you let her get away with it?” I try to sit up in the hospital bed.

They help me adjust, making sure I’m comfortable with their hands steady on me.

Stasia takes a deep breath as if gathering her thoughts. “Dad often said, ‘We learn through making the mistakes, not by the warnings of our mentors.’ Maybe it wasn’t the right choice in this scenario, but I think that’s what Dad would recommend.”

Selene looks at me. “Did you want to see her?”

“Would it be awful if I said no?” I reply with a heavy heart.

“We don’t want you to regret not saying anything to her face,” Selene replies. “Cameron has her outside in case you change your mind.”

“You think I should?” I furrow my brows. Uncertainty swirls inside me.

“We said our peace.” Stasia nods at the memory. “And it was surprisingly refreshing. I can actually look at her without wanting to murder her.”

I nod slowly. “Okay. Let her in.”

Selene steps out, and when she comes back, there is Mom, following in behind her. Mom stands at the edge of my bed, her lips pressed into a thin line, arms crossed. She says nothing, her eyes on me like I’m the biggest inconvenience in her life.

“Good to see you too,” I mutter, shifting to try and put a little more distance between us, my leg protesting in pain. “Do you love? Any of us?”

Mom’s eyebrows climb, and she turns her attention to Stasia. “Are you trying to turn all my daughters against me?”

“Oh, this is all your doing,” Stasia replies, placing her hands on her hips.

Mom shifts her attention back to me. “I love you all more than I love my own self. Whether you believe that or not is up to you.” Her voice cracks. “I dug myself into a hole and tried to get out of it. You happened to get caught in the wildfire. It wasn’t right, and I’ll spend the rest of my life regretting it.” She looks between Stasia and Selene. “Same goes for you both.”

None of us reply at first, feeling the weight of her words on our shoulders. Despite this all, I feel bad for my mom.

I clear my throat. “Be honest, Mom, were we just trophies for you?”

“You’re all my biggest pride and joy. If you felt like I was using you all as pawns to feed my own ego, that’s not how I see it.”

“What is Serafina going to be told?” I question the room.

Selene replies, “Mom will help pack up the car with all her things to move into the dorm. After that, she is to have minimal contact with Serafina.”

Mom speaks up. “Should you choose to never speak to me again, Lily, I’ll respect that. Just know I’ll never stop loving you.” Now tears swell up in her eyes.

“I don’t know how to feel right now,” I confess.