Chapter 24
Mia turned eighteen and surprised everyone.
She applied for a position inside the Bellandi charitable education program.
Serafina read the application only after the independent hiring panel finished its first review.
Mia ranked second.
The panel interviewed her.
She ranked first.
Renato called it proof blood eventually returned.
Mia corrected him publicly.
“I applied for a job, not a blood ritual.”
Leo heard about it and nearly choked laughing.
Serafina was less amused.
Not because she opposed Mia working there.
Because the program reported indirectly to a foundation that still received Bellandi donations.
Conflict rules required Serafina to disclose her relationship and avoid involvement in Mia’s employment decisions.
She did.
Mia hated how formal it felt.
“You can’t even approve my travel budget?”
“No.”
“You’re literally my mother.”
“At home.”
“That’s weird.”
“That’s governance.”
“Same thing but more annoying.”
The first year went well.
Then Mia discovered a scholarship committee member giving preference to applicants from families connected to longtime Bellandi employees.
Not bribery.
Not explicit discrimination.
Just habit.
“These families sacrificed for us,” the committee member said.
“So their children get extra points?”
“Unofficially.”
“That means secretly.”
Mia reported it.
The review confirmed the pattern.
The committee member was removed.
Several older employees became angry.
They accused Mia of forgetting loyalty.
Renato called her.
“Those scholarships were one way we cared for our own.”
Mia answered:
“Then create an employee scholarship and say that’s what it is.”
Silence.
The solution was obvious once named.
A separate fund was created for employee families with published criteria.
The public scholarship returned to need and merit standards.
No hidden advantage.
Serafina watched from a distance.
She had not instructed Mia.
Had not recruited her.
Had not even known she wanted the role.
Yet Mia had chosen a place inside the reformed Bellandi world.
Leo had chosen outside.
Neither answer proved the other wrong.
At dinner Renato made the mistake of saying:
“At least one of your children understands duty.”
Mia’s fork stopped.
Serafina did not need to intervene.
Mia looked directly at him.
“I work there because I like the program.”
“You also represent your family.”
“No.”
“You carry the name.”
“So does Leo.”
“He left.”
“He took a job.”
Renato shook his head.
“You young people are terrified of obligation.”
Mia smiled.
“No. We’re just making you label it.”
Renato frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“If it’s a job, call it a job. If it’s a favor, call it a favor. If it’s family pressure, call it family pressure. Stop putting all three under loyalty.”
Serafina looked down at her plate.
Leo whispered:
“She’s terrifying.”
“Yes.”
Mia heard.
“Good.”
The table laughed.
Renato did not.
May you like
But he stopped arguing.
For that evening, enough.
