I felt sick to my stomach.

For five years, I had bled for him. I risked my life time and time again.

I had hidden my identity as the principessa of the Corleone family and came here just to find pure love. Now, it seemed I was nothing but a joke.

"Marco," I said, "Calm down. That man really is my brother."

"Brother?"

Sophia laughed loudly. "Do you call every man you sleep with 'brother'? Elena, take a look in the mirror. "

The soldatos around us started whistling.

"Elena, if you're hard up for a man, I'm right here."

"Yeah, I might not have that old man's money, but I'm younger."

Marco's face turned livid.

I glanced at the ring on his left hand. It was the signet ring of the Leon family Don.

I nearly died helping him snatch it back six months ago.

And now, the ruby ring representing the madre of the House—the Madre—was on Sophia's hand.

"That ring," I pointed at Sophia's hand. "It's mine."

Sophia touched the ring, looking at me provocatively. "This is the matriarch's ring. Marco had it custom-made for me. "

"Marco," I said. "You promised that to me."

"That was before," Marco said coldly. "Back then, you were useful. Now, you're unworthy."

Sophia glanced at my neck.

I was wearing a silver cross necklace.

"Baby," Sophia shook Marco's arm, pouting cutely. "I think that cross looks really pretty. Why not give it to me as an engagement gift?"

Marco knew that was my most treasured possession. I never took it off.

It was the only thing my mother left me.

But he reached out his hand.

"Hand it over."

I covered the necklace and took a step back. "No. My mother gave this to me."

"Ooh, daring to talk back to the Don?" A soldato jeered. "Boss, this bitch has zero respect for you."

Marco rushed over, choked me, and pinned me against the table.

"I've been too nice to you, haven't I?"

Marco's grip was iron-tight; I couldn't breathe.

"Elena, I own everything you have."

"No... let go!"

I struggled desperately.

Snap—

A burning pain shot across my neck. He tore the necklace right off.

It was still stained with the blood from my neck.

Sophia wiped the blood off in disgust, immediately put it on, and kissed Marco on the cheek.

"Thanks, honey! You're the best!"

Marco held her close and announced loudly:

"From today on, Sophia is the family's only Underboss. Anyone who has a problem with that answers to me!"

He turned to look at me.

"As for you, get the hell out. Let's see how long you last in the Corleone's bed!"

I clenched my fists and crumpled the banishment order into a ball.

"Marco," I said. "You better think this through. You can't hold the succession ceremony without the nod from the person backing me."

The hall went silent for a second, then erupted into even louder laughter.

Marco laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight.

"Do you think just because you slept in Corleone's bed, you wield Corleone's power?"

Marco walked up to me and patted my cheek.

"Wake up. I investigated your background a long time ago. You're just an orphan from the slums. If I hadn't picked you off the streets back then, you'd be dead in a gutter somewhere. And you dare threaten me?"

To protect me, my brother had fabricated my identity, so clearly, Marco didn't have the clearance to access my real file.

I turned to leave. Just as I reached the edge of the stairs, Sophia suddenly blocked my path.

She had her back to Marco, revealing a vicious smile only to me, and whispered:

"Trying to leave? It won't be that easy."

The next second, Sophia suddenly screamed, threw herself backward, and rolled down the stairs.

"Ah! My stomach... Marco, help! Our baby!"

Sophia clutched her flat stomach, rolling on the ground.

Marco rushed over to scoop Sophia up, then turned back to glare at me ferociously.

"Elena! You poisonous viper! You dared to push her? She's carrying my child, how could you be so evil!"

"I didn't push her. She threw herself down."

"Shut up!" Marco roared. “Guards, hold this bitch down!"

Two bodyguards rushed forward and forced me to my knees.

The floor was covered in shards from the broken wine glass. My knees hit the glass, and blood immediately seeped out.

Marco pointed at Sophia on the floor.

"Crawl over there and apologize to Sophia! Beg for her forgiveness! Or I'll cripple those hands of yours!"

The bodyguards pushed my head down, trying to force me to kowtow.

I braced myself against the floor, keeping my head up to stare at Marco.

"Marco, you weren't like this before. You said you would protect me forever."

"Letting you stay by my side for these five years was already a charity. Not only are you ungrateful, but you also tried to harm my fiancée and child?"

"Fine," I said. "Marco, remember what you said today."

"From this moment on, we are dead to each other."

"Dead to each other? You think you can escape me?"

He issued a command.

"Send in the Enforcers. We have a traitor here. Take her to the water dungeon and teach her a lesson."

Seven or eight heavily armed men in black rushed in, their guns aimed at me.

That was Marco's most trusted private militia—and I was the one who had trained them.

"Former Consigliere Elena has betrayed the family. Freeze all her assets. Anyone who dares to save her makes an enemy of Marco Leon."

Marco crouched down and gripped my chin.

"There are people outside lining up to kill you for the bounty."

"I'm going to lock you in the water dungeon. When you learn to be obedient like a dog, I might consider letting you out."

"Take her away!"

I was dragged toward the basement by two large men.

The moment the iron door slammed shut, I saw Marco pick Sophia up gently.

"Don't be scared, baby. I've already taken care of that bitch."

Sophia wrapped her arms around his neck and looked back at me with a victorious smirk.

The water dungeon was pitch black, filled only with sewage and rats.

I was chained to the wall.

I didn't know how much time had passed before the iron door clanged open.

Sophia walked in.

"Well, Elena, cozy enough for you?"

She walked up to me. I stared at her coldly. "Sophia, you better pray I don't get out of here."

Sophia laughed manically. "You think you're leaving?"

She suddenly lifted her sharp stiletto and stomped hard on the back of my hand resting on the ground, grinding her heel into my skin.

The piercing pain made me cry out.

"Can't these hands hold a gun?" Sophia ground her heel harder, speaking viciously. "Let's see how you compete with me once I cripple them!"

Blood oozed from under her sole.

I gritted my teeth and stared at her. "Torturing a family member without sanction is a death sentence. If Marco finds out..."

"Marco?"

Sophia crouched down and patted my cheek.

" He thinks marrying me gets him into high society, but my family is nothing but an empty shell."

She leaned close to my ear, her voice cold.

"The loan sharks are waiting outside. Tomorrow, I'll get my hands on his money to pay my debts."

"Do you know why Marco dumped you for me so fast? It's not just my background. And..." Sophia smiled, full of triumph.

"That's right. Five years ago during that fire, you were the one who carried him out. But I took your handkerchief and stole your name. "

Sophia stood up and lashed me viciously with a whip. The dirty water made the wounds sting and burn.

"Enjoy yourself. I'm going upstairs to keep Marco company. He can't stand to be away from me for a second right now."

Sophia left after tiring herself out.

Not long after, sounds drifted down from the ventilation duct overhead.

Marco's master bedroom was directly above this dungeon.

Sophia's voice was exaggerated.

"Marco... you're so good... mm..."

"That killing machine wouldn't know passion like I do... She must be like a corpse in bed, right?"

"Don't talk about that buzzkill bitch... You're the only one for me now..."

A rat climbed onto my knee; I kicked it away.

Since you want to play dirty, don't blame me for what comes next.

I used my tongue to push hard against the loose molar on the left side.

Five years ago, worried about my safety, my brother had a micro-transmitter installed there.

Once crushed, the Corleone family would receive my coordinates.

I closed my eyes and sent the distress signal.