I had just finished zipping the red gown when the door was kicked open with a bang, and two Underbosses in black suits burst in and gripped my arms.

"Get a move on! Don Ariani is almost here!"

I was half-dragged out of the suite, the rough treatment causing the pain in my bruised wrists to flare again.

I reached the private banquet hall on the cruise ship's lower deck and noticed that two rows of armed men were already waiting. I noticed a man with a scarred face standing at the front, looking at me as if I were a piece of commodity.

I recognized him as Calvino Costa, who had only recently been made a Made Man of the Ariani Famiglia by Edoardo.

I recalled that three years ago, when I was drafting the code for the Ariani Famiglia, Calvino wasn't important enough to even get an audience with me.

Yet, here Calvino was, standing over me with an air of authority.

"Mr. Costa, I'd like to introduce you to Chiara Esposito, my daughter," Giulia said, approaching Calvino with a smile before producing a limited-edition cigar and offering it to him.

Calvino ignored the gesture, instead huffing in derision.

"Is this the thing you've spent so much time raising? Did you teach her how to behave? How certain are you that she has learned everything, especially considering how foolish she looks at the moment? You should know that Don Ariani doesn't like fools."

"I can assure you that I've taught her well. Don Ariani will certainly be pleased with her, Mr. Costa," Giulia said as she turned and pushed me forward in front of him after noticing my silence.

I lost my footing, and my knees slammed into the cold marble floor with a heavy thud. The pain was so sharp it felt as though my bones had shattered.

"What are you doing, Chiara? Go show Mr. Costa that smile of yours!" Giulia whispered through gritted teeth, though she kept smiling at Calvino.

"You'd better drop the innocent act now. You ought to know that raising you wasn't easy—and if you weren't so young when your father died, I would have dropped you off at an orphanage back then!"

Gina moved closer, pinched my lower back, and twisted it sharply. She then put on a fake smile like Giulia's and said to Calvino, "You can rest assured that since Chiara and I grew up together, I know she has never been in a relationship—she's a complete virgin.

"Don Ariani can do whatever he wants with her to enjoy himself, so long as he doesn't go far enough to kill her."

I winced, drawing in a jagged breath while my nails dug deep into my palms. I felt sick to the stomach as I took in their sycophantic expressions, which felt even more revolting than the salty, stagnant smell of the docks.

Calvino gave me a slow once-over, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I guess she makes the cut. Just barely, though."

He suddenly raised his voice, his tone turning sharply menacing. "I'll give it to you straight—Don Ariani is a germaphobe and a stickler for the rules. If she performs well tonight, your gambling debts will be cleared, but if she angers Don Ariani…"

He then pointed toward the dark, bottomless water outside and continued, "I'll have you weighed down and tossed overboard for the sharks. It goes for both of you, too. You'll be going straight to hell with her."

Giulia's face instantly turned deathly pale. She yanked my hair back, forcing my head up. "Did you hear that? Give Mr. Costa an answer!"

I felt a searing pain shooting through my scalp as she yanked my hair, but Giulia was blinded by her own terror and avarice. "I'm telling you—if you die tonight, you'd better be in Don Ariani's bed when it happens! If you do anything to upset him and get us in trouble, I'll kill you myself!"

Gina stood to the side and agreed repeatedly, taking a folding knife out of her designer bag and forcing it into my hand. "You should hold onto this! If Don Ariani finds you dull, you can use this on yourself and draw some blood to entertain him!"

Giulia was handing me over to a man's bed, and Gina was telling me to mutilate myself for his amusement.

I held onto the icy knife handle and chuckled to myself. I swallowed the metallic taste rising in my throat, my eyes suddenly gleaming with genuine excitement.

Calvino's excitement spiked at my reaction. "That's it! That's the attitude! That look in those eyes of yours is exactly Don Ariani's type!"

Upon sensing that Calvino was satisfied, Giulia stepped up with a grin. "I've been wondering, Mr. Costa, a man like Don Ariani has his pick of any woman in the world, so why—"

It was then that a sound of a slap rang out, and a red handprint bloomed on Giulia's cheek. Calvino scowled at her, his gaze turning menacing. "You've got a lot of nerve prying into Don Ariani's preferences!"

Giulia fell silent in terror, doing nothing but bowing repeatedly in apology. Calvino waved her off with an impatient gesture and ordered his subordinate, "Get her in there."

I was hoisted up by the two Made Men again, who then hauled me toward the solid gold doors located at the far end of the main hall.

Giulia hissed from behind me, "I don't care how much you hate it, Chiara—you'd better look like you're enjoying yourself. If you don't keep Don Ariani happy, I'll kill you myself once we're home!"

"Got it, Mamma," I replied as I lowered my head, unhurriedly adjusting the wrinkled red gown.

It was only after knocking softly three times that the door slowly swung open. I then stepped into the private elevator bound for the top floor.

Gina breathed a sigh of relief behind me. Giulia was already caught up in an excited conversation with her, debating which exclusive designer handbag to get once they got the money.

I spared them a glance, my smile never wavering. I merely thought that they were idiots. Edoardo had a thing for women with a bit of bite because someone once used that fire to tame him like a hound.

I couldn't help but muse on how Edoardo had been misbehaving in these past few years, even going as far as searching for a stand-in for me. He'd better act like the submissive hound he was back then and kneel before me to apologize later.

It was then that the elevator doors slid open, revealing the penthouse suite. It was decked with gold furniture and every possible luxury, yet a closer look revealed a heavy, soul-crushing stillness.

Giulia and Gina were dazed by the glittering display, their breathing growing shallow and quick.

"I-Is this where Don Ariani lives?" Giulia asked, excitedly stroking a solid gold ornament by the entrance. "Do you see this, Chiara? If you manage to stay here, we'll be set for life, never having to worry about money again!"

Gina looked completely out of her element, touching everything in sight. "Oh my God! If you manage to satisfy Don Ariani, I'll do whatever you say, Chiara! I'd even get on my knees and wait on you myself!"

She became increasingly worked up as she spoke, earning looks of disdain from Calvino and the others, though they were clearly enjoying the power trip.

It was then that Calvino's gaze snapped toward me, confusion flickering in his eyes. "W-What are you laughing at?"

I ignored him, my eyes sweeping over the suite as a wave of contempt washed over me.

I noticed the black roses in the vase on the table—the very flowers I used to love. I saw that the carpet was a specific shade of Klein blue—something I had casually brought up once.

I then saw that the oil paintings displayed on the walls, despite their apparent depth, had originated from my idle sketches on napkins.

I was baffled at Edoardo's—that madman's—behavior. He had actually transformed his entire living space into a gallery dedicated to my personal effects.

Upon seeing me ignore him, Calvino lost his patience and reached out to shove me.

Giulia suddenly leaned in toward one of the paintings, reaching out a hand as a look of confusion crossed her face. "W-Why does this look so familiar? It looks just like those doodles in Chiara's room—"

Calvino's eyes went wide with alarm, his hand locking in place just as he was about to shove me forward.

"Get your hands off that!"

It was then that a cold rebuke barked out before he had the chance to say anything, and a woman with a refined face and eyes brimming with contempt approached, the sharp clack of her four-inch heels echoing on the floor.

It was none other than Tiazana Pesci, one of Edoardo's women, who had once plotted to take over the Consigliere's position.

I had heard plenty about her. She considered herself the most important woman in Edoardo's life and usually treated everyone with indifference. If she couldn't become the Donna of the Ariani Famiglia, then she would aim to become someone Edoardo could never let go of.

"That is one of Don Ariani's most prized possessions—touch it, and you'll be digging your own grave!" Tiziana warned, her eyes raking over Giulia and Gina before locking onto me like a vice.

She took in my features, unable to hide the flicker of resentment that crossed her light blue eyes.

"You're the 'gift' that was sent over?" Tiziana moved toward me deliberately and hooked a finger under my chin, her sharp nails digging deeply into my skin.

I decisively slapped her hand away.

"Hasn't Edoardo taught you how to behave?" I asked flatly.

I looked her dead in the eye with an impassive expression, as if she were the subordinate and I were the one in charge.

Tiziana's expression soured immediately. She never expected that a low-life sent to serve Edoardo would ever have the nerve to strike her.

In the next instant, she swung her hand at me with all her strength.

I instantly turned sideways from the slap, tasting the metallic tang of blood filling my mouth as blood began to trickle from the corner of my mouth.

"You worthless bitch! You actually think you can tell me how to behave myself, huh?" Tiziana let out a cold, mocking laugh, anger rising at my lack of reaction.

"I've stayed by Don Ariani's side for three years! I'm the one he trusts most! You, on the other hand, are merely a plaything. You couldn't possibly think that sleeping with Don Ariani would earn you a place in the Ariani Famiglia, right? You're being utterly delusional if you think so!"

"You think I'm being delusional, huh? Edoardo will show you who's the truly foolish one once he gets here!" I calmly wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, already contemplating a dozen different ways to train that mutt of mine.

Edoardo was a mutt I had abandoned years back. He might have forgotten his place, but I knew exactly how to make him heel once he saw his master again. Those around her wouldn't even be a challenge to her then.

"Get on your knees and apologize to Tiziana this instant!" Gina, face drained of color, lunged at me and kicked the back of my knees hard.

I could feel my knees buckling from the blow, but I gritted my teeth and fought the urge to fall, keeping my posture rigid and upright.

Gina, seeing that I refused to submit, cried out desperately at Giulia. "Hold her down and make her kneel, Mamma!"

Giulia lunged at me as soon as she heard that, pinning my shoulders with all her weight to force me to kneel on the floor. "You're going to get us all killed, you filthy bitch! Get on your knees and beg Tiziana for forgiveness right now!"

I stared coldly at their expressions, which were warped by cowardice and greed. I held my back rigid even as my bones creaked under the weight of their force, refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing me kneel.

So this was the family I had expected warmth from after sacrificing everything?

Tiziana's smile turned wicked. She picked up a sharp letter opener and ran the cold tip along my cheekbone.

"You really are the wild type Don Ariani likes. You've certainly got that wild streak—and a stubbornness to match."

She continued in a voice brimming with malice, "Your face is a bit common, isn't it? I think I'll help Don Ariani out and give it a makeover to make you truly unforgettable."

"You should just go ahead and cut her, Tiziana! You can do whatever you want with her!" Gina agreed instantly, her voice dripping with sycophancy.

She was eager to prove her devotion, so she grabbed a solid gold ashtray and held it out to Tiziana like an offering.

"It would be a shame to ruin Don Ariani's carpet with her blood, so you should just knock her teeth out first, Tiziana! I'm certain that she'll become much more submissive toward Don Ariani if she can't bite back!"

"That's right! Chiara needs to be taught a lesson!" Giulia added, yanking my hair back so hard my neck strained, leaving my face defenseless against Tiziana's knife.

"You should just endure it, Chiara. If you'd just done what you were told, we wouldn't be here. You should be grateful for the chance to serve Don Ariani!"

I couldn't help but feel an excruciating pain.

This was the family that constantly insisted they had my best interests at heart, yet, for a price, they were more than willing to strip me bare and tear me apart piece by piece.

I noticed Gina swinging the ashtray upward and bringing it down hard, aiming right for my teeth. I wrenched my head out of the way just in time, causing the blow to land squarely on my shoulder with a sickening thud.

I immediately felt my vision going dark, while half of my body went completely numb from the impact. I pushed through the blinding pain, the metallic taste of my blood filling my mouth.

I turned a dead, frozen gaze toward them and snarled, "You're all going to regret this!"

Tiziana punched me squarely in the stomach after I said that. I finally buckled and hit the floor after enduring the combination of the blow to my stomach and reaching the breaking point for my battered body.

I propped myself up with my one good arm and snarled through my gritted teeth, "Get your ass out here, Edoardo!"

I screamed in agony as Tiziana drove the blade into my cheek, tearing straight through the flesh and slicing my tongue. I could feel the blood pouring out, tracing the edge of the knife before splattering onto the floor.

I couldn't even scream as the pain was too agonizing, and every shallow breath I tried to take sent a fresh jolt of agony through my skull.

"You should hold on since I haven't done the other side yet," Tiziana said, laughing with delight before yanking the knife out of my cheek.

I yelped in pain as the movement tore at the wound on my cheek, the pain so sharp I nearly blacked out.

Tiziana glanced smugly at the blood coating her knife before moving the tip to my uninjured right cheek. "You're making such a scene over a little scratch? What should I engrave on you as a permanent reminder? 'Bitch' seems just right—after all, it's exactly what you are!"

In that instant, everyone in the room fell silent.

Gina hesitated for a second before quickly moving closer, flashing a servile smile at Tiziana. "You can carve whatever you want, Tiziana. I'm certain it'll be a masterpiece either way! I'll keep her still so that you can do it properly."

"I'll help pin her down, too. It's about time Chiara learned her place—up close and personal," Giulia added as she crowded in and yanked my hair back with all her strength, locking my head in place.

I didn't even have time to close my eyes before a wave of sharp pain jolted through my brain. I couldn't stop my body from shaking as the agony took hold.

Tiziana plunged the knife into my other cheek. She yanked it back out and grabbed my chin, admiring her handiwork with a look of pure satisfaction.

"I'll carve the words now. I'm going to choose a place where you can never hide it. I want to see how you plan on seducing Don Ariani once I'm finished destroying this face of yours."

Tiziana hovered the knife over my cheek, making small, deliberate movements. She braced her wrist, ready to bear down, and was a split second away from slicing into me.

It was then that the heavy, ornate doors burst open with a loud bang.

A man stood in the doorway wearing a black overcoat, his features sharp and murderous, looking like a devil from hell. He held a half-burned cigar between his fingers, its glowing tip pulsing in the shadows.

"Don Ariani!" Tiziana quickly hid the knife and switched to a flirtatious grin, walking toward Edoardo with an exaggerated swing of her hips.

"You're finally here, Don Ariani!" Gina rushed forward eagerly, gesturing toward me. "I've prepared a gift for you! Chiara has been somewhat disobedient, but Tiziana has already corrected her behavior!"

"I can assure you that my daughter is untouched, Don Ariani. She's yours to use however you like from here on out," Giulia added quickly, rushing to please Edoardo.

Edoardo, ignoring them, looked down at me on the floor with a frigid expression. He suddenly dropped his cigar, and his cold composure shattered almost instantly.

His large frame went rigid, and he seemed to forget how to breathe, nearly choking on the sudden airlessness.

Those present didn't notice the change in his expression.

Tiziana rushed into Edoardo's embrace, whining flirtatiously. "That woman is so insolent, Don Ariani! She had the nerve to use your first name just a second ago, so I was just about to tear her apart for you, Don Ariani!"

"E-Edoardo…" I forced the name out through the pain, my voice a raspy whisper.

I raised my head, meeting his gaze despite the blood trailing down my face. I looked at the man the world feared and gave a faint, chilling laugh.

"Is this how you greet your master after not seeing each other for seven years?"