But before I could even explain my condition to the doctor, Scarlett burst in, raking her long nails viciously across my face.

"Evangeline, if you have a problem with me, come at me! Why take it out on my brother?!"

I clutched my bleeding cheek, frozen in shock.

Dante followed her in. The moment he saw Scarlett's tear-streaked face, he flew into a rage and dragged me from the bed.

"Evangeline, Scarlett's brother is just some street punk."

"Who besides you would go to such lengths to kidnap him?!"

“I punished you for Scarlett yesterday, and today her brother vanishes. If it wasn't you, who was it?!”

Dante took Scarlett's side without a moment's hesitation.

Clutching my bleeding cheek, my heart aching, I opened my mouth to speak.

But then Scarlett suddenly dropped to her knees before me and began slapping herself, again and again, more than a dozen times.

"Donna Evangeline, I was wrong. I shouldn't have seduced the Don."

"Just give me my brother back, and I'll be your slave for the rest of my life! I'll do anything to repay you!"

Seeing her like this, Dante’s heart ached. He helped her up, then kicked me aside as if I were a piece of trash.

“Evangeline, are you satisfied now that you’ve driven her to this?”

“I’m telling you, if anything happens to Scarlett's brother, I will never let you go!”

He had kicked me in my lower abdomen, and the pain made me curl up like a shrimp. I instinctively reached for his pant leg.

“Dante, the baby… our baby…”

Dante’s departing steps faltered. For a moment, a flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes, and he almost turned back.

But Scarlett cupped his face and cried out, “It hurts,” instantly recapturing his attention.

“Evangeline, your pity ploy is useless.”

“If you have any shame left, and you don’t want this to get ugly, you’d better release her brother now!”

After Dante and Scarlett left, I clutched my aching stomach, enduring the pain for more than ten hours before I regained a little strength.

Scarlett's brother—I hadn't touched him. But Dante had directed all his fury at me, so I had no choice but to order my men to find him.

All day, my head was splitting, my breathing faint. I drifted in and out of consciousness, but there was still no news of Scarlett's brother.

That evening, Scarlett strolled casually into my hospital room and tossed an envelope onto my lap.

“Evangeline, today is your and Dante's wedding anniversary. He asked me to bring you this gift.”

“Go on, take a look.”

Scarlett's expression was gleeful, like the cat that had gotten the cream.

It had started half a year ago. Dante had become suspicious and paranoid, all because of my old flame's return. I hadn't received a gift from him in a long time. Seeing the envelope, I thought his tests were finally over.

Completely unprepared, I tore it open.

A frigid wind howled around them. Realizing Dante’s intention, I let out a bloodcurdling scream.

“Papa! Mamma!”

The envelope contained a photograph of my parents’ severed fingers, bloody and still adorned with their wedding rings.

Breaking down completely, I scrambled out of bed.

“What did you do to them?!”

“What did you do to my parents?!”

Scarlett toyed with the diamond ring on her finger, nonchalantly admiring my frantic breakdown.

“I didn't do a thing. It was Dante. He couldn't stand to see me suffer.”

"He was just teaching you a lesson for me."

My heart felt like it was being torn to shreds. Consumed by grief and rage, I charged for the door.

But Scarlett snatched my hand and clawed viciously at her own face.

"...Donna Evangeline, I just want to know where my brother is. Why are you doing this to me?"

"Are you really going to let your parents die just to spite me?"

Dante stormed in, and the sight sent him into a rage. He slammed me against the wall, his eyes blazing.

"Evangeline, is this never going to end?"

"Don't think the title of Donna gives you the right to get away with this!"

"I'm giving you two minutes. Tell me where Scarlett's brother is, or don't blame me for being merciless!"

Dante hurled his phone at me, its screen displaying a countdown.

My gaze went blank. Stung by the sight of him defending her again, I didn't even flinch.

The phone struck my temple, breaking the skin. Fresh blood trickled past my eye, staining half of my face crimson.

Dante froze, stunned, and subconsciously offered me his handkerchief.

Scarlett let out a whimpering sob.

Dante immediately had his Capo bring in a large screen.

On it, my parents were kneeling on an abandoned pier, their hands bound with thick rope, their mouths gagged. A frigid wind howled around them. When I realized what Dante intended, a bloodcurdling scream tore from my throat.

"Dante, don't do this."

"My parents are old. They can't take this!"

But Dante just counted down, his voice cold. "Thirty seconds left! Evangeline, don't say I didn't give you a chance!"

His gaze was like ice, determined to get justice for Scarlett.

My knees buckled. With a soft thud, I collapsed at his feet, tears streaming down my face.

"Dante, this is all just a test, isn't it?! Scarlett, all of it!"

"I swear on the Virgin Mary, I will be loyal to you and only you for the rest of my life. If I break this vow, may my soul be damned to Hell!"

"Please, let my parents go! They're innocent!"

Dante was born without a sense of security. It was why, after overhearing him on the phone with his Consigliere one night, worried about my first love’s return, I had indulged him, allowing him to trample my dignity again and again.

But my parents were innocent! I love Dante. He could test me, but he could not treat my family like insects to be crushed!

Hearing my words, Dante's face stiffened, and he abruptly shoved me away.

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

“Evangeline, is your loyalty so precious? Don’t flatter yourself!”

As Dante's words fell, an alarm blared. The three minutes were up. With a wave of his hand, a Soldato on the screen pulled the trigger, aiming at my parents' heads.

Bang! Bang!

My parents' bodies collapsed into a pool of blood.

Dante looked down at me, yanking my chin up and forcing my eyelids open, his voice as cold as ice.

"Evangeline, you'd better remember this! This is the price for messing with Scarlett!"

The moment Dante left with his arm around Scarlett, I raced to the abandoned pier.

A heavy snow began to fall, biting and cold. I followed the trail of blood on the ground, step by step, until I found my parents. They had lost too much blood and had already fallen silent.

"Papa! Mamma!" Tears streamed down my face as I held them, sobbing uncontrollably.

The blizzard grew stronger, quickly covering us in a white shroud.

I had no strength left. Lying between my parents, I slowly closed my eyes, ready to follow them in death.

But then, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Dante called me.

"Evangeline, where are you?"

"My Capo said you weren't in your room, that you ran off."

"Who did you go see?"

"You're carrying my child. Who else would dare take a woman from the Torrino family?!"