"May, you've just gotten out of the hospital, give yourself more time at least," Andy insists during the drive.

"He has my baby's ashes, Andy. There's no way I'll let his final resting place be that bastard's. Ezio may have been his son, but that doesn't give him the right to take mine !"

Andy sighs and slumps resignedly in her seat, her head resting on her hand propped against the window.

"You can be such a pain, so stubborn. Even a mule is more docile compared to you, and that's without luring it with a turnip."

"You use a carrot to lure a donkey, Andy," I sigh.

"Whatever ! You got my point," she snaps.

The rest of the journey unfolds in a heavy, tense atmosphere. Andrea's calmness prevents the tension from igniting the car's interior. Unperturbed, he remains neutral, not wanting to spark a conflict.

In a collective and contained relief, we finally arrive at the manor gates. Despite Andrea's attempts to convince them to open the gate via the intercom, the doors remain stubbornly closed. Impatient, I decide to get out and show myself to their camera. With a heavy step of irritation, I approach the intercom and shout:

"Open the damn gates, Raphael! I will get into your dump one way or another, either gently or forcefully !"

A few seconds pass before the gates creak open ominously. Smiling victoriously, I get back into the car, which Andrea parks a few meters ahead, in the courtyard. I get out and march determinedly and quickly towards the front door. I can't think anymore, driven solely by the desire to retrieve my son's ashes; my surroundings blur and lose significance. With a decisive push, I open the door and find Isabella.

"Where is he ?"

"Who are you talking about ?"

"That scumbag you're screwing, where's Raphael ?" I thunder.

"In the living room, but he's occu..."

I don't bother listening to the end of her sentence, pushing her aside brusquely as I storm into the living room. I find my target sitting at the dining table with a sharply dressed man. Upon seeing me, Raphael abruptly stands up from his chair, glaring at Isabella.

"Why did you let her in ?" he flares up.

"I thought it would resolve the house issue more quickly," she explains, sitting down.

"Fine, May, have a seat so we can settle this," Raphael hisses, trying to contain his anger.

"I don't give a damn about your issues ! I want my son's ashes, where are they ?!"

Raphael stiffens at my question. After a deep breath, he responds:

"We'll talk about that later, once the notary has left. We won't keep him waiting."

Ignoring his reply, I insist.

"For the second time, where are my son's ashes ?!"

Raphael doesn't relent. We engage in a silent standoff. Realizing this could go on indefinitely, I grab the katana displayed behind me on a sideboard. Drawing it from its sheath, I threaten Raphael, the table becoming his shield.

I point the sword a few centimeters from his face. His smug smile fades, and despite his obvious defiance, fear slowly clouds his eyes. The notary, petrified, fidgets nervously at the end of the table while Isabella, surprised by my action, remains stone-faced and attentive to my every move.

"I asked, where are my son's ashes ?" I articulate calmly, each word suppressing the storm raging inside me.

"Lower your weapon and I'll tell you."

I comply without lowering my gaze, which would signify defeat in this battle. He clears his throat and adjusts his jacket.

"I scattered them over Ezio's grave."

His words unleash the tempest that takes over my mind and body. With all my strength, I deliver a powerful vertical slash with the katana, but it meets only the back of the chair where Raphael was sitting. Just quick enough to evade the blow, he stands behind his notary, who has fainted in fear.

"How dare you cremate him and scatter his ashes over his father's grave ? You could have buried him beside Ezio instead of discarding him like he was nothing."

"I did what he deserved. With a mother like you, he would have been nothing more than a bastard. I treated him as the fetus he was. There was no way I would give him a place beside my son or honor him with a marked grave. He would have been a shame to the family, so I anticipated it by giving him a burial fit for him: underturned soil. He'll become the compost and food for the insects that will beautify my son's grave."

His words drive me mad. I start screaming and swinging the sword wildly, slashing the air and destroying everything in my path. Isabella and Raphael take refuge in another room while I continue to wreak havoc around me.

I quickly tire, and it's at this moment that Andrea chooses to contain me from behind, forcing me to drop the sword. Crying, I let the katana fall to the ground with a resounding clang.

He lifts me and carries me outside. Once under the porch, he sets me down.

Back turned to him, I quickly turn around and punch him in the chest, trying to get past him and back inside. Despite using all my strength, he doesn't budge. Frustrated at my inability to move him, I continue hitting him, each blow slightly relieving my anger.

After a few moments, he realizes I won't stop and decides to sling me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, carrying me back to the car. Once inside, he engages the child lock and speeds off.

"Why didn't you let me kill him ?!"

"So Raphael's goons could come and kill you afterward? No thanks."

"It would have been a fitting end; I would have killed my two greatest enemies !"

"What do you mean ?"

"Raphael and myself," I reply, arms crossed, staring out the window.