Chapter 126. The Confrontation

Elena POV

No one breathes.

Not the guards frozen mid-step.

Not Vincenzo, whose hand lifts like he wants to pull me back and doesn’t dare.

Not even Nico or Riccardo, whose faces have gone rigid with pure, unfiltered alarm.

Lorenzo stares at me.

For a heartbeat…two…three.

Then he laughs.

It’s low. Soft. Almost amused.

A laugh that crawls under my skin.

“Killed your mother?” he repeats, tilting his head slightly. “Elena, you’re exhausted. Traumatized. You’ve just been through an attack. Your mind is reaching for something to blame.”

“My mind is clear,” I say. My voice shakes now, but I don’t stop. “Clearer than it’s ever been.”

I clutch the diary harder, knuckles burning.

“You killed her after making her go through physical, emotional and mentally abuse,” I continue. “You made it look like an accident. You planned her death.”

The silence snaps.

Riccardo swears under his breath.

Nico t