"Someone say something," she whispers.
I take a breath.
"Papa owes money," I say. "A lot of money. To the Sartori family."
Gianna's face goes pale. Everyone in Chicago knows the Sartoris.
"How much?" she asks.
"Two million."
She sways. I reach out to steady her, but she pulls back.
"Two million? How is that possible? How could he—" She stops. Her eyes find Papa. "You promised. After Mama's funeral, you promised you'd stop."
Papa doesn't answer.
He doesn't have to.
"The Sartoris want payment," I continue. My voice sounds distant. Like it belongs to someone else. "They want our family to work for them. The business. Claudio. Everything."
"And?" Gianna's voice trembles. "What else?"
I hesitate.
"Antonella." Claudio's warning comes too late.
"They want one of us to marry into their family."
Gianna's hand flies to her mouth.
"No," she breathes. "No, they can't—we can't?—"
"I'll do it."
The words leave my mouth before I can stop them.
Everyone turns to me.
Claudio's face twists. "Antonella, no."
"I'll do it," I repeat. Stronger this time. "I'll marry whoever they want. I'll clear the debt."
"You can't." Claudio crosses the room in three strides. He grabs my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. "You can't ruin your life because of him."
He jerks his head toward Papa.
"Because of his mistakes. His gambling. His lies." Claudio's grip tightens. "You've already given up everything for this family. College. Your future. Your life. You can't give them this too."
"What choice do I have?"
"There's always a choice."
"Is there?" I pull away from him. "Look around, Claudio. Look at where we are. Look at what's left." I gesture at the room. The house that's probably not even ours anymore. "If I don't do this, what happens? They take everything anyway. And maybe they take more. Maybe they take Gianna."
Gianna makes a small sound.
"I won't let that happen," I say. "She's nineteen. She has her whole life ahead of her. She deserves a chance to live it."