Chapter 1

While the Famiglia is choosing the territories where they will base their operations, everyone gathers around my younger twin sister, Clara Lombardi, to discuss the matter.

My older brother, Giulio Lombardi, points at the map.

"We're going to Millano, of course. I've already set up several luxury boutiques and real estate firms there. Besides, it's safer in Millano. It's the perfect choice for us!"

Nicolo Piazza, the Consigliere, shakes his head in disagreement. "No, Clara. Don't listen to him. We should break into the medical industry together. I can help you turn the Famiglia's entire fortune into legitimate income within the next year."

Nicolo and Giulio continue arguing heatedly while Mamma and Papa watch the scene with amused smiles.

"Clara, we're not going to have to worry about handing the Famiglia affairs to you with the two of them by your side."

A very long time later, they finally remember that I'm also there.

Nicolo walks over to me and speaks in a gentle voice. "Julia, you're not familiar with the Famiglia business. So, once Clara makes her decision, you can just tag along with us."

Giulio chimes in without even looking up at me.

"Right. Besides, it's not like you have good grades anyway. You can wait a couple of years before concerning yourself with the Famiglia affairs."

I stand rooted to the spot, a chill spreading deep within me.

Even when we were very young, Giulio and Nicolo would always favor Clara over me. Every time she cried, Giulio would immediately give her everything that belonged to me, whether they were my clothes, my shoes, or my toys. Clara also always got everything I ever wanted.

Meanwhile, all I got was just a vague promise of, "I'll get you one next time."

As it turns out, the situation is still the same even after we've grown up. Nothing has changed.

I take out my phone and book a flight to Palerama instead.

Since nobody at home cares about me, there's no need for me to see them ever again.

Chapter 1

After booking my flight, I turned to leave, but Nicolo Piazza, the Consigliere of the Lombardi Famiglia, suddenly grabbed me by the arm.

He frowned at me and asked, "Why aren't you saying anything, Julia? What are you acting up about this time?"

Before I could even get a word in, he continued, "We're setting off for Millano in a week. Stop being so upset. You're nowhere near as capable as Clara anyway, and you'll learn a thing or two when you tag along with us."

I stared at him quietly as I thought about all the diplomas and certificates stuffed inside my bag.

I didn't feel a shred of joy.

All these years, I'd studied so hard I nearly wore myself out, winning scholarships, earning multiple degrees, and obtaining various professional certificates. At the same time, I also worked hard to build connections, preparing myself to eventually take over the Famiglia business.

As for my younger twin sister, Clara Lombardi, she spent all her college years partying and travelling the world with her friends. She even failed four classes in a single semester and was eventually forced to leave college after failing to earn enough credits.

We returned to our home country after completing our studies. However, nobody bothered to ask me how I'd fared in college or what I'd achieved.

That was because the moment Clara stepped through the front door, she broke down in tears and lamented how she'd disappointed Mamma and Papa and let them down.

Yet Mamma and Papa never scolded her or told her off. Instead, they comforted her and said, "It doesn't matter, Clara. College isn't that important anyway. We're still going to hand over the Famiglia business to you, no matter what."

My elder brother, Giulio Lombardi, chimed in and said, "You'll always be our little Principessa, Clara. And I'm always here to help. Worst-case scenario, the Famiglia will just support you for the rest of your life."

Nicolo comforted her as well. "It's fine, Clara. Even if you were bad at college, you're still much better than Julia."

In their eyes, I could never measure up to Clara. They thought she was beautiful and charming, and every elder in the Famiglia would always heap praise upon her the moment they saw her.

Mamma and Papa were especially proud of her, taking her along to every banquet and charity gala held in the Famiglia.

On the other hand, I wasn't as pretty or charming as Clara. I had an ordinary appearance and was nothing special to look at. Because of that, I was often the one overlooked in the Famiglia.

Clara and I were twins born on the same day. Yet, Mamma and Papa only ever remembered to buy her new dresses and birthday gifts. The same went for Giulio, who ordered a custom-made swan-shaped birthday cake just for her, and Nicolo, who gave her his most prized custom-made diamond pen.

I initially thought that I would also be able to receive my parents' love as long as I behaved myself, but I was soon proved very wrong. Nobody remembered that it was also my birthday that day.

By the time they finally realized it, they simply played it down and perfunctorily told me that they would make it up to me next time.

I didn't get good grades in school when we were little, and Clara and Nicolo would often gather around, discussing topics that I knew nothing about. I worked extremely hard to catch up to them so that I could fit in, which was the only reason I eventually surpassed Clara in my grades.

However, they all still thought I was still the dumb, stupid, dim-witted Julia Lombardi I'd been before.

I couldn't help asking Nicolo, "Didn't you say that you wanted to have the base in Palerama to manage the Famiglia's arms business?"

He smiled at me. "That doesn't matter to me. What matters is that Clara wants to go to Millano, so, naturally, I have to help her."

Nicolo once told me that his dream was to go to Palerama, believing that only by establishing a foothold there could his true capabilities be fully recognized.

Yet now, for Clara's sake, he had changed his mind without a second thought.

At that moment, I realized that there was no point in staying with them anymore. So, I turned and left without a word, heading to my room to pack my bags.

Chapter 2

After the territories were chosen, Mamma and Papa transferred a sum of money to both Clara and me, summoning me back out of my room.

Clara clung to Papa's sleeve, acting like the spoiled daughter with a look of feigned grievance.

"But Papa, this is my first time taking on the Famiglia business… How am I supposed to manage without any connections? And what if I run into danger?"

Papa thought it over for a moment before assigning two Capos and ten Soldatas to accompany her in Millano.

Clara nodded in satisfaction before turning to look at me. "How much money is on your card?"

I glanced down at my phone and replied calmly, "200 dollars."

She burst into laughter and patted me on the shoulder, putting on a show of sisterly affection. She said, "That's okay. You can come to Millano with us. Giulio, Nicolo, and I will all help you out."

Mamma added, "The two million dollars and the Capos we gave you are meant to help you build your own influence in Millano, Clara. We wouldn't feel safe with you there by yourself."

Then, Mamma gave me a once-over with a disdainful look. "As for you, you'll never be able to measure up to Clara. You still haven't made any progress after all these years. You're such a huge disappointment to me.

"If things still don't change after going to Millano with them, we won't be handing over any Famiglia responsibilities to you."

Clara quickly spoke up for me.

"Mamma, Julia works just as hard too. She's just not that bright. It's already a great achievement that she managed to graduate at all!"

I didn't feel the slightest bit of gratitude toward Clara for her words. I simply remained calm and composed.

Every time Mamma or Papa criticized me, Clara would always "defend" me like this, but it would only result in even harsher criticism from them.

Just as I expected, Mamma pulled Clara into her arms with a look of tender sympathy on her face.

"You're really the sensible, well-behaved one after all, Clara."

I didn't bother watching their display of mother-daughter affection and turned to leave. But just as I turned, Giulio arrived with gifts for Clara and me.

Clara tore hers open and saw a car key lying inside the box. She shrieked with excitement and jumped to her feet before throwing herself into his arms.

"It's for the limited-edition red sports car I've always wanted! Thank you, Giulio! I absolutely love it! You're the best brother in the whole wide world!"

Nicolo broke into a grin and ruffled her hair. "Giulio ordered it three months in advance as a surprise for you."

I glanced to the side and silently estimated the price of the car. Then, I opened my gift. It was also a key, but it was for a secondhand scooter. It wasn't even worth as much as the spare tire on Clara's car.

I was also Giulio's younger sister, yet nothing he gave me was ever of equal value to what he gave Clara. I had once burst into tears and asked him why he only liked her and not me, but he merely shot me an impatient look before walking off.

After asking him about it multiple times to no avail, I eventually stopped asking.

I stuffed the key into my back pocket, thanked him, and headed toward the door.

When Clara saw it, she grabbed my arm and asked, "Julia, don't you like the gift Giulio gave you? If you don't, I don't mind giving mine to you."

Although she said that, she still subtly hid the key behind her back.

"Don't worry about it. I like mine very much," I said with a smile before turning to leave.

I heard Giulio complaining loudly behind me. "Julia's always like that, acting upset and ungrateful even after I gave her a gift. Whatever. Who cares about her anyway."

Nicolo shook his head and said, "Julia's always had a horrible temper. Just ignore her."

I quickened my steps, afraid of hearing anything more from them. I returned to my room alone while the rest of them stayed in the living room, discussing the business in Millano that Clara was about to take over.

When it was time for dinner, I reemerged at the dining table, where they were still happily discussing their plans. The atmosphere was warm and cheerful, but my arrival spoiled the mood.

Papa frowned. "Where did you go off to without a word just now? We were all here celebrating Clara, and you were just wandering elsewhere in the estate?"

I glanced at the dining table. It was laid out with all of Clara's favorite dishes. I had once told Mamma that I didn't like those particular dishes, but she had frowned and called me immature. She then lectured me about how the dinner menu shouldn't cater to one person's tastes.

Yet Mamma didn't care for some of the dishes Clara liked, and she still accommodated Clara anyway.

Apparently, my preferences didn't matter, but Clara's did.

I said calmly, "I don't like these dishes."

Papa looked at me. "If you can't even endure this bit of unpleasantness, Julia, then how do you expect to take over the Famiglia business later?

"Look at Clara! She'd never behave like you."

I wanted to tell him that it was because none of the food Clara disliked would ever appear on the table, but I ultimately said nothing. After all, I'd said those words far too many times in the past, and saying them again wouldn't have made a difference anyway.

In the end, I simply left in silence and went back to my room to continue packing.

Chapter 3

I finally finished packing a day before I was set to leave.

That evening, Nicolo came over to visit, bringing two cups of ice cream, one for me and one for Clara.

Clara's eyes lit up the moment she saw the ice cream and took a huge bite. "Pistachio! How did you know that I was craving pistachio ice cream today?"

I stared at my pistachio ice cream and didn't eat it.

The first time I met Nicolo, he told me he had an elder brother too, and that he was often overlooked in his household. Since we came from very similar circumstances, we hung out more often than not.

I used to think that we were the same kind of people. That was until he was introduced to Clara.

From that day on, Clara came along whenever we met up. I was still willing to hang out with Nicolo nonetheless, because he always bought us the same kind of candy and prepared two separate birthday gifts for us.

Then, one day, things changed. Both gifts would be things that Clara liked, just like this pistachio ice cream today.

Nicolo walked over and ruffled my hair. "What's the matter, Julia? I bought this especially for you. Don't you like it?"

I set the ice cream down and shook my head. "I don't like pistachio. And I'm severely allergic to nuts."

Clara was the one who loved pistachio, not me.

Nicolo stiffened. He looked a little awkward and said, "I'm sorry, Julia. I forgot. I promise I won't forget again.

"Are you still mad because we bought the car for Clara yesterday? It's because we didn't have enough money to buy one for each of you, so we bought Clara's one first. Besides, you can always travel with her, so there's no need to get petty over something like this. I'll buy you one next time."

I listened to his empty promises with a blank expression.

So he had pooled his money with Giulio to buy that red sports car for Clara as well.

I used to just eat the pistachio-flavored treats he bought for us because I didn't want to upset him, but I'd told him time and again that I was allergic. Before Clara appeared, Nicolo had never forgotten.

Also, I wasn't mad about the car. I wasn't upset that he'd forgotten about my nut allergy, either. I was just tired. I was done being the one singled out in their three-person bubble.

…

The next day, Mamma and Papa hosted a farewell banquet for Clara in the Famiglia hall.

I waited at the Famiglia estate for three hours, but the driver never showed up. Eventually, I went back to my room to make sure my belongings were all packed and ready to go.

Then, Mamma called.

"Julia Lombardi! Where are you? The banquet is about to start! Why aren't you here yet?"

"The driver never came," I replied in a low voice.

There were a few seconds of silence on the other end of the line. Then Mamma's voice softened. "I sent the driver to pick up Clara's ballgown and forgot to tell you. Just take an Uber instead."

I was about to ask her about my outfit when she hung up on me.

So I changed into a simple dress and called an Uber to the Famiglia hall.

When I arrived, I saw Mamma and Papa escorting Clara among the guests, introducing her to key contacts and resources. They didn't call me over. They barely even acknowledged me at all.

Since they clearly had no intention of introducing me to anyone, I simply found a seat and sat down.

A while later, Clara walked to the center of the crowd with a glass of wine and cleared her throat.

"Respected elders and members of the Famiglia, I have some good news to share. Julia Lombardi, my elder sister, will be assisting me in managing the Famiglia affairs.

"Although her abilities are far from mine and not that great, she is a hard worker, so she's just about passable as my assistant."

The guests murmured their admiration at once.

Papa nodded and said, "We hadn't originally planned for Julia to take on any responsibilities, but Clara is kind and willing to help her out by giving her the boost she needs."

I didn't feel a ripple of emotion, even after hearing that. Instead, my gaze swept over the ring on Clara's finger, and I suddenly jumped to my feet, nearly dropping the glass I was holding.

That was the ring Grandma had given me!

Chapter 4

I took a step forward and pointed at Clara, shouting, "Did you steal my ring?"

Clara froze. Then, her eyes welled up with tears. "Julia? What do you mean by that? Grandma left this ring to me. Even if you don't like me, you can't just snatch my things from me, can you?"

Before Grandma passed away, she had given a gift to both Clara and me. She had told us that if we ever found ourselves with nowhere else to turn, we should take the gifts to Sivilly and seek out the Naderno family. They would help us at once.

That was my only way out.

"Is that so, Clara?" I asked, staring at her. "Grandma gave you a necklace. That ring is mine!"

Papa's face turned dark at once.

"Julia! Stop making a scene. How could you embarrass the Famiglia in front of all the elders and guests!"

"I'm not making a scene," I replied calmly. "I'm just taking back what belongs to me."

Clara lowered her head, letting her tears fall.

"I never knew you didn't see me as family… How could you make such a huge fuss at such an important event in my life and embarrass the Famiglia like this, Julia?"

The moment she began to cry, everyone around us felt pity for her.

Mamma immediately shielded Clara behind her.

"Julia Lombardi! You think you're all that now that you're an adult? What do you mean, it belongs to you?

"Your grandmother's gifts belong to the Famiglia, and everything that belongs to the Famiglia belongs to Clara! What right do you have to kick up a fuss like this?"

Mamma fought hard to suppress her anger. "You don't even get a say in Famiglia business, so what gives you the right to take anything from Clara? Even if it did belong to you, you will now give it to her as a gift to make up for your outrageous behavior today!"

Giulio stepped forward and jabbed a finger in my face. "That's enough, Julia! Do you even know where you are right now? How dare you make a scene here?

"Everything here belongs to the Famiglia! It's not up to you to decide who that ring belongs to! Even the dress you're wearing belongs to us!"

Nicolo frowned and chided me too. "Julia, stop embarrassing the Famiglia. It's just a ring. Clara's about to take over the Famiglia's most important affairs in Millano. This is something worth celebrating. Just give it to her as a gift."

I glared at Nicolo and dried my tears.

"You don't understand," I said. "This is the last gift Grandma ever gave me."

Giulio lost his patience and grabbed my arm, dragging me toward the exit. "Take her home and lock her up!"

My heels snapped and I twisted my ankle, making me hiss loudly in pain. As he kept tugging at my arm, he tore a huge hole in my sleeve, exposing my skin. It was extremely awkward and embarrassing.

Still, I dug my nails into the door, refusing to let go. "I only want my ring back."

Papa's face turned thunderous. The guests around us began to murmur.

"Seeing Julia like that, I'm guessing that the ring really does belong to her. Why would Clara take something belonging to her sister?"

"Why else? She's more outstanding than Julia. Doesn't she deserve to have it?"

"But still, that ring doesn't belong to her…"

Clara had been the apple of everyone's eye growing up, and she had never heard anyone talking about her like this before. In a fit of rage, she yanked off the ring, tossed it at my feet, and ran off sobbing.

Papa was furious. He yelled, "Look at what you've done, Julia Lombardi! You're always so selfish and unreasonable!

"This Famiglia has no place for you anymore! You can leave tomorrow and never think of ever coming back!"

I picked up the ring and turned to leave. The moment I got home, I grabbed all of my things and suitcases and left immediately.

On the way to the airport, I blocked and deleted all of the Famiglia members' numbers and social media. I didn't want to see any of them ever again.