Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Two
Alicia's POV
We pulled up to the estate. Signora Moretti was waiting at the door. She looked like she'd been crying.
I got out of the car slowly. Walked toward her.
She opened her arms.
I stepped into them. Let her hold me. Let myself be held by this woman who was my grandmother. Who I'd never known existed.
"My girl," she whispered. "My Giuliana's girl. I can't believe you're here. That you've been here all along."
I started crying. Couldn't help it. All the stress and fear and loneliness of the past few weeks came pouring out.
"I'm so sorry," Signora Moretti said. "I'm so sorry we didn't know. Didn't find you. Your mother... if I'd known she had children. If I'd known she needed help..."
"She didn't want help. She chose to leave."
"Because we were going to force her to marry someone terrible. Someone cruel. She fell in love with your father and we forbade it. So she ran. And I let my pride keep me from finding her. From making amends."
