For My Legacy, I Was Thrown to the Sharks

“I woke up in my penthouse suite, the morning sun streaming through the windows, glinting off crystal. Today was my 25th birthday, the day I, Ava Corleone, was finally to be named the rightful heir of our powerful family. Then a chilling memory flashed through my mind: the freezing Hudson River, water filling my lungs, the taste of betrayal. My brother Marco, fiancé Alexander, and loyal protector Rick, all standing by as the maid, Katherine, wore my irreplaceable family tiara. They'd told me I was a target, that Katherine was a decoy for my safety. I'd believed their lies, only to discover their true alliance, their poisoned smiles, and the brutal order from my mother's most trusted man, Antonio Perez, to break my limbs, starve me, and cast me into the river. The betrayal was absolute, a calculated move by those closest to me to seize my legacy. How could they erase years of loyalty for a common maid? My heart burned not with sorrow, but with a fierce, cold rage at the profound injustice. But this time, I was back. The same day, the same party, the same betrayal waiting. I carried the full memory of their treachery, and I would not be fooled again. As Rick reached to offer Katherine *my* ring, I launched a clean, powerful kick. No. Not this time. This time, I fight back.”