In the heart of a modern city, two rival families hold the power. Valentina, a fiercely loyal daughter, and Matteo, a cunning and determined son, find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous feud. But when their paths unexpectedly intertwine, th...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
As I watched Valentina's mom continue her snide remarks, I could feel my patience wearing thin. The way she spoke to Valentina, always critical and dismissive, was clearly making her feel worse.
It was frustrating to see how her mother's harsh words seemed to chip away at her confidence.
I couldn't understand why Valentina wasn't fighting back—why she just took it all without saying a word.
It was as if she'd been conditioned to accept this treatment without resistance.
When Valentina finally emerged from the dressing room, now back in her normal clothes, the store worker brought the dress she'd chosen up to the counter.
Without even glancing at the price tag, I pulled out my wallet and paid for it, my decision final.
I wasn't going to let Valentina's mother's comments overshadow what was supposed to be a special occasion.
Once the transaction was complete, I turned to Valentina. "We've got stuff to do, so let's go."
She gave Sabrina and her mom a quick goodbye before walking with me to the car. As we got in, she turned to me with a soft smile. "Thank you for the dress. You really didn't have to buy it."
"It was nothing," I said, brushing off her gratitude.
Valentina glanced at me, noting my indifference to the cost. "But it was expensive."
I scoffed lightly. "You think that was expensive?"
The car fell into a brief silence. Then, I broke it with a question that had been on my mind. "Why didn't you stick up for yourself back there?"
Her eyes flashed with irritation. "It's my mother. I don't have much of a choice. I know better than to push back."
I could see she was getting defensive. "You have to stand up for yourself, Valentina. No one should treat you like that."
She snapped, her frustration evident. "You don't get it. It's not that simple. It's more complicated than you think."
I could tell she wasn't ready to explain further, and her irritation was clear. "Even so, you deserve to be treated with respect, no matter who it is."
Valentina's jaw tightened, and she looked out the window, her voice cold. "I'm just telling you, it's not as easy as you think."
I watched her, feeling the weight of her frustration. "You know, I get that it's complicated, but I just want you to understand that you deserve better. No one should make you feel less than you are."
She shifted in her seat, her tone sharp. "It's not always that black and white. You don't know what it's like."
The car fell silent again, the air thick with tension. I could sense she was hurt and frustrated, but it was clear this was a topic she wasn't ready to delve into further.
