My hand flew instinctively to my forehead, fingers trembling as they brushed against something wet.

Sticky.

Warm.

I pulled my hand back and stared at it.

Blood.

"What the hell—" My voice came out unsteady, barely audible.

"Nice shot, Matteo!" Nico's voice rang out, loud and gleeful.

I blinked, my vision struggling to focus as dizziness washed over me in waves.

When the blur cleared, I saw them.

All six of them.

Standing in a straight line like they had planned it. Like this was a performance.

Gianna. Matteo. Nico. Lucia. Rocco. Alessia.

My babies.

At least… that's what I had always believed.

But the way they looked at me now—

Cold. Mocking. Disgusted.

It was as if I was nothing.

No… worse than nothing.

Like I was something beneath them. Something they had stepped in and couldn't wait to scrape off their shoes.

"What did you throw at me?" I croaked, struggling to stay upright as the room tilted around me.

"A rock," Rocco said with a smirk, completely unapologetic. "Next time, maybe we'll aim lower."