A Painter's Revenge.

Ten years later.

A woman stepped out of a sleek black car, her eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses that shielded her from the late morning sun. She wore a simple yet elegant dress, cinched at the waist, with a light cardigan draped over her shoulders. Her chestnut hair, styled in soft waves, fell gracefully to her shoulders. In one hand, she carried a leather satchel.

As she approached Caffè Serenità, nestled in a quiet, cobblestone street in the heart of Bella Notte, she paused for a moment to take in the familiar sight.

'Little by little, I established my own business.'

A café she built herself had always been a sanctuary for her, a place where she could find solace. Pushing open the wooden door, she was greeted by the welcoming aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the soft murmur of conversations.

Inside, the café was alive with the usual morning bustle. Regular patrons occupied their favorite tables, engaged in quiet discussions or lost in the pages of their newspapers. Bianca made her way through the room, offering polite nods to those who acknowledged her.

Behind the counter, the barista, an older gentleman with a warm smile, glanced up and greeted her. "Good morning, Signorina Bianca. The usual?"

 "Good morning, Signore Marco. Yes, please," Bianca replied with a smile, her voice soft yet confident. 

Marco nodded and began to make her coffee.

While Marco prepared her coffee, Bianca took a moment to glance around the room, her eyes lingering on the framed photographs that adorned the walls. 

Soon, Marco was done with her coffee and placed it in front of her. She smiled brightly and said, "Thank you."

Her gaze then shifted to the discreet door near the back, partially hidden behind a large potted plant. With her coffee in hand, Bianca made her way to that door. She glanced over her shoulder to ensure she was not being watched, then slipped inside. The narrow staircase led her down to an art studio that lay beneath the café.

The sounds above faded into a distant hum as she descended the stairs. Reaching the bottom, she pushed open another door and stepped into the dimly lit room. Here, surrounded by her paintings, blank canvases, and paints, Bianca exhaled with contentment and placed her satchel on a table close to her easel. This was her domain, a place where she could lose herself in her art.

'I also took my time to perfect my skills... in art. It was necessary for my plan.'

She set down her coffee on the same table, shrugged off her cardigan, picked up a full-length apron, and tied it neatly at her waist. She slipped her hand into the large pocket in the front, where she kept her brushes and other small tools, and pulled out a brush and several bottles of paint. As she started mixing colors, her thoughts drifted away.

She looked at the blank canvas in front of her and thought, 'Where do I begin?'

She then began to trace abstract designs across the canvas, slowly at first, moving to the edges of the painting to make more sense of what she drew. She worked in silence, allowing the sounds of the café to fill the air around her.

Her concentration lasted for just over twenty minutes when a gentle knock sounded three times at her door. Bianca glanced at her watch and saw it was already 13:30. "Yes," she called, without looking away from her work.

The door slid open to reveal a much older woman. Her black hair, with slight grey strands, was pulled up into a bun at the nape of her neck, giving her a severe appearance while still remaining stylish. Her dress was a simple but elegant dark blue. The hem reached mid-thigh. Her shoes were a pair of brown suede heels.

Without looking up, Bianca spoke, "Signorina Silvana, you're quite late."

She continued working on the painting, ignoring her presence.

"You know the rules."

Silvana sighed as she entered the room. Bianca knew her well enough to recognize the exasperation and frustration in her tone and posture. "My apologies, Bianca," she said, closing the door behind her.

"Do you think it's easy doing this work for you?" Silvana asked, leaning on the door.

"You're doing this for both our benefits," Bianca replied with a smirk, continuing her work.

Silvana stood silently, observing her work. Bianca was so absorbed in her painting that she didn't notice the woman had moved closer until Silvana cleared her throat to gain Bianca's attention. Bianca blinked rapidly, startled, before glancing at her.

"What?" she asked irritably, wiping her hands with a rag. "Do you have something to say?"

"No one has asked for a new art piece, and you're already making a new one?" Silvana asked incredulously, crossing her arms over her chest and raising her eyebrows. "You already have lots of other finished paintings," she motioned toward the paintings hanging on the wall, their frames covered by sheets of fabric.

"Keeping them in bulk is easier," Bianca replied, returning her focus to her painting. "So if you will be so kind…"

Silvana's face fell. "This isn't about that, Bianca. When are you planning on revealing yourself? Your paintings are being displayed under someone else's name."

Bianca paused, her brush hovering over the canvas.

"Just do what I tell you. You need not concern yourself with anything else," Bianca assured her calmly, turning back to her painting and continuing.

Silvana opened her mouth to respond but hesitated. Bianca never broke her word. And if what Bianca said was true...

She stood there in silent contemplation for a few minutes, lost in her own thoughts. Suddenly Bianca spoke again, "Did you do what I asked?" She looked over at Silvana expectantly, her expression calm but focused.

Silvana nodded curtly as she opened her bag and pulled out two invitation cards. She handed Bianca one and tore the other in half. "I need not attend such things. Anything related to the Moretti family is not my concern, and don't worry, I didn't say anything about you."

Bianca took the invitations and tucked them into the pocket of her apron. "Thank you for your help."

Silvana's gaze softened as she said, "I'm just worried about you, Bianca. Why would you want to go there? Do you plan to hurt yourself again?"

Bianca gave her an enigmatic smile and added, "Pain, hurt, agony—I can't feel it anymore, or should I say I have become accustomed to the feeling... it's normal now."

"But still, you shouldn't hurt yourself more," Silvana insisted, putting a hand on Bianca's arm.

"It's ironic, someone like you who once hated me with your whole heart is worrying about my own emotions," Bianca said, gently pushing Silvana's hand away from her body and grabbing her coffee mug to drink.

Silvana's eyes widened in shock. "Bianca, no—"

Bianca interrupted, "We're done here. Good day."

Silvana sighed as Bianca returned to painting. She then turned around and left the room, closing the door behind her. She covered her mouth and thought, 'That girl, I shouldn't have done that to her... maybe if I had given her enough love and care she wouldn't have become this...' Her mind then drifted back to the moment Bianca changed.

---

*Flashback*

"The Favoloso family were a line of nobles since the beginning of time, and my father, who married your sister, my mamma, Isabella Favoloso, was from a humble background," Bianca explained.

Silvana's eyes narrowed. The girl knew everything, everything she shouldn't have known.

Silvana swallowed the lump in her throat as she realized that she couldn't hide anything from this girl. She lowered her head to avoid eye contact as she admitted, "What is it that you want?"

"You said he killed my mamma, right? This was because he wanted to become the sole owner of all her inheritance." Bianca replied, ignoring her question. " I wasn't aware then, but now that I think about it, he was already seeing another woman within three months after my mother's death. And after a year, he got married to her and left seven-year-old me in your care," Bianca continued, placing he right index finger on her chin.

Silvana closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears, as she nodded and said, "I wanted revenge, and I intended on making him pay. By harming you, I'm so ashamed. How could I harm my sister's daughter? I'm sorry," Silvana looked back at Bianca, her eyes pleading for forgiveness.

"If I were in your shoes, I would have done the same," Bianca said softly, giving her a sad smile.

"You asked me what I wanted? I want exactly what you want. It's not fair my father is living the time of his life while we both suffer," she said, taking a deep breath, shaking her head.

Silvana's eyes grew wide in surprise as she let Bianca's words sink in and realization dawned upon her.

"Do you want to get revenge on your father and reclaim the inheritance?" Silvana asked, with a raised eyebrow.

Bianca tilted her head and said, "Revenge, yes. But reclaiming the inheritance... maybe, I mean once I end him, the inheritance will be mine... Hmm I will think about it. I just want to see my father suffer everything he made me suffer since my mamma's death."

Silvana's heart clenched painfully at Bianca's words. She was too young to think of revenge. 'This is my fault,' Silvana thought bitterly as she bit her lips.

"All I ask of you is to help me. Help me make him pay for everything he's done," Bianca pleaded, holding Silvana's hands tightly, her olive-colored eyes imploring Silvana's gaze to meet hers.