"Where's Sofia?!" I bolted upright in the hospital bed, my chest heaving.

The white ceiling spun above me, and the smell of disinfectant stung my nostrils.

Henson sat in a chair beside the bed, holding a small silver knife. He elegantly peeled an apple and said, "You're awake."

He did not even look up, his voice terrifyingly calm.

"I asked you where Sofia is!" I struggled to get out of bed, only to find my wrist connected to an IV line.

"She's safe." He finally looked up, those eyes that once captivated me suddenly cold as steel.

I stared at him hard, my heart racing. "What does that mean?"

He set down the knife and held out the peeled apple. "Eat something. You've been out for a whole day."

"I don't want it!" I knocked the apple from his hand, and it smashed on the floor. "Tell me where Sofia is!"

Henson's tone turned threatening instantly. "Aurelia, you'd better calm down."

"Calm down?" I nearly shouted. "You dropped Sofia from that height–"

He cut me off, his tone dismissive. "Don't worry about it. I told you, she's safe."

I froze, tears immediately flooding my eyes. "Really?"

"Of course." He picked up the knife again and started peeling a second apple.

"Then where is she now? I need to see her!"

The blade paused on the apple skin as he looked up at me. "You want to see her?"

"Yes!"

He replied casually, "Then you need to do something first. Angelina's in shock, and she's in the VIP ward right now."

My heart sank. "You want me to..."

"Go apologize to her," he said slowly. "Apologize sincerely for sending people to threaten her."

"I didn't threaten her!"

"Is that so?" He stood up, looking down at me. "Then explain why she said it was you."

I opened my mouth to argue, but I realized I had no way to prove my innocence. "Henson, I swear I didn't..."

He cut me off coldly, "I don't want to hear your excuses. I just want you to apologize. After you apologize, I'll let you see Sofia."

I gritted my teeth. I was willing to do anything for Sofia, so I said, "Fine. I'll go."

He nodded, satisfied. "Good. But before that, you need to do one more thing."

A sense of dread washed over me. "What is it?"

"Angelina needs a blood transfusion, and she has a rare blood type: O negative." He was not asking me; he was giving a command.

My eyes widened. "You want me to give her blood?"

He shrugged. "The doctor says her condition is critical."

"Henson, I just woke up! My body's still weak..."

His voice suddenly turned sharp, making me wince. "She's carrying my child! My heir! Do you want to watch them die?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I told myself that for Sofia, I had to endure this. "Fine. I agree."

Half an hour later, I was wheeled into the blood draw room. The cold needle pierced my vein, and bright red blood flowed through the clear tube. I felt dizzy and gripped the sheets tightly.

The nurse glanced at my condition and said with some concern, "Sir, the patient doesn't look well..."

"Continue." Henson's voice left no room for argument.

I bit down hard, refusing to pass out. Sofia was still waiting for me, and I could not collapse.

Finally, they finished drawing the blood. I lay weakly on the bed as the whole world spun around me.

I used every bit of strength to ask, "Now… Can I see Sofia?"

Henson looked at my pale face, something flickering in his eyes before quickly disappearing. "You haven't apologized to Angelina yet."

I braced myself against the wall and stood up. My legs were weak, and I nearly failed. Even so, I said, "I'll go right now."

At the door of the VIP room, I stopped and took a deep breath. I asked weakly, "After I apologize, can I see Sofia?"

Henson looked coldly at my pale face. "You're awfully concerned about that runt. Just go apologize to Angelina first."

I no longer wanted to explain that Sofia was his biological daughter. In a few days, I would take Sofia and leave this place for good. By then, he would no longer be her father.

The hospital room door pushed open, and Henson dragged me inside.

Angelina was propped up in bed, her complexion rosy. She looked nothing like someone who had just lost a lot of blood. When she saw me enter, a flash of triumph crossed her eyes before she quickly switched to a weak expression.

"Aurelia..." She reached out and grabbed Henson's hand, her voice trembling. "Thank you for being willing to save me..."

I stood there watching her phony performance, my stomach churning.

"Say it." Henson threatened in a low voice near my ear. "Apologize to her."

I took a deep breath and forced out three words without expression. "I am sorry."

"What?" Angelina pretended she could not hear me. "What did you say?"

"I said I'm sorry," I repeated it louder.

A flash of satisfaction crossed Angelina's eyes, then she sighed. "Oh, poor Aurelia..."

Her tone dripped with fake pity, and nausea rose in my throat again.

She continued, "You know what? I don't really blame you. After all, losing a child is devastating for any mother... But you shouldn't take your anger out on innocent people."

She touched her belly. "The baby I'm carrying is innocent..."

My hands clenched into tight fists as I said coldly, "Enough. I've apologized."

"Yes, you have." She nodded, then suddenly broke into a strange smile. "But unfortunately, your daughter is already dead."

I froze. "What?"

"Sofia…" Her voice was soft, yet every word cut like a blade. "She's dead. Her body's in the morgue downstairs right now."

I felt my world crumbling. I shook my head, stuttering, "N-No... That's impossible..."

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way," said Angelina with false sympathy, "but that's the reality."

My sanity snapped in an instant, and I lunged at her. I wrapped my hands around her throat as I shouted, "You evil woman!"

"Aurelia!" Henson roared.

I felt no pain or fear; I just wanted to strangle this vicious woman. "You killed Sofia!"

I used every ounce of strength I had. "I'm going to kill you!"

Angelina's face turned bright red as she struggled desperately.

Suddenly, a powerful hand grabbed my shoulder and threw me off violently. My head slammed hard into the metal medical equipment in the corner, searing pain hitting me as warm liquid streamed down my forehead.

Henson held the frightened Angelina, his eyes full of rage. "Are you insane? She's pregnant!"

"I hate you both! You killed Leo, and now you've killed Sofia! I won't let you get away with this!" I screamed, my head spinning.

When Henson heard me say that, a flash of panic crossed his eyes.

I leaned against the wall, blood blurring my vision.

"Someone! Give her a sedative!" Henson shouted toward the door.

Two nurses rushed in, one of them holding a syringe.

"No..." I tried to struggle, but my body was too weak.

The needle pierced my arm, and cold liquid entered my veins. My consciousness began to fade as I slowly slid to the floor. The last thing I saw was Angelina's triumphant smile in Henson's arms.

...

When I woke up again, I found myself back in the white hospital room.

Henson sat by the bed, his expression terrifyingly calm.

My voice was hoarse as I asked, "Sofia... Is she really..."

"They couldn't save her," he replied calmly, as if nothing had happened. "The doctor said she fell from that height. Her organs ruptured, and she suffered massive blood loss..."

"It's fine," he added calmly.

My eyes slowly widened. Then, I let out an empty, agonized laugh. Tears fell silently, and I vowed to make Angelina and her son pay with their lives.

Just then, the hospital room door burst open.

Angelina suddenly rushed in and delivered a sharp slap across my face.

The sharp sound of the slap echoed through the hospital room. Then, Angelina suddenly dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

"Please!" she sobbed, hands clasped together in desperation. "Leave Matteo alone! I'm begging you, just leave him alone!"

I stared at her sudden performance, completely confused about what was happening. I knew she had given birth to a boy, Matteo Rossi, after leaving the country, but I had never even met him.

"Matteo's been kidnapped!" she wailed, her voice sharp and breathless. "The kidnappers said you sent them! They're demanding ten million in ransom!"

Henson shot up from his chair, his face turning pale with rage. "Aurelia! What the hell did you do to Matteo?"

"I..." I opened my mouth, wanting to explain. However, I realized I had no idea what she was talking about.

"The kidnappers threaten to kill him if we don't pay!" Angelina pointed at me, her voice shaking. "Who else would know which preschool Matteo goes to besides you?"

"I didn't..."

"Stop lying!" Henson grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard. "Why would you go after an innocent child?!"

I looked at the two of them, despair and fury crashing together inside me.

If they had already decided it was me, and if Sofia was truly gone, then what did I have left to lose?

"Yes," I said slowly, my voice cold. "I did it."

Both Henson and Angelina froze, and the hospital room fell deathly silent.

"I sent people to kidnap him." I looked at Henson, my eyes empty of warmth. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"Aurelia..." Henson's voice trembled, as if he could not believe it.

"You killed Sofia. Now it's your turn to know what it feels like to lose a child," I said dully.

"You're insane!" Angelina screamed, scrambling up from the floor.

I laughed bitterly. "I'm insane? You're the ones who drove me to this."

I stared straight into Henson's eyes and said, word by word, "If you don't give Sofia back to me, I'll send Matteo to hell to keep her company."

"Sofia is dead!" Angelina shrieked hysterically.

"Then your precious Matteo doesn't get to live either."

The moment those words left my mouth, I suddenly lunged from the hospital bed, launching myself at Angelina like a madwoman.

Just then, urgent footsteps sounded from outside, and several of the family's Soldati came rushing in.

"Stop her!" Henson roared. The Soldati's strong arms grabbed me from behind and pinned me down hard on the bed.

"Let go of me! I'm going to kill her!"

"Enough." Henson coldly stopped the Soldati.

Then, he walked over to the trembling Angelina and gently rubbed her back. "It's okay, I'm here."

All his tenderness went to her, while he tossed me aside like trash.

"Aurelia, you've really disappointed me." He looked down at me from above as I was pinned to the bed. "How could you do something so evil over those two runts?"

I lifted my head and looked at him with bloodshot eyes. "Evil? Who started it first?"

"That's not the same!"

I sneered. "How is it not the same? They're all children, all innocent lives."

Henson's expression darkened further, and he gave the order like a final judgment. "Strip her and throw her into the dock warehouse freezer."

My heart jumped. "What?"

"She can come out when she's ready to tell us where the kid is." His voice held no emotion whatsoever.

I fought desperately. "No! Henson, you can't do this to me!"

As if annoyed, he scoffed. "I can't? As the Donna of this family, you've done such shameless things, threatening the family bloodline."

The Soldati began tearing at my clothes, and humiliation and terror swallowed me whole.

"Henson!" I screamed his name one last time. "I am your wife!"

"Think about what you've done." He turned away, refusing to look at me anymore. "Take her."

...

The cold darkness swallowed me whole. Inside the freezer at the dock warehouse, the temperature dropped to well below zero. I curled up in the corner, my teeth chattering uncontrollably, and every breath felt like knives slicing through my lungs.

Time lost all meaning in there, and I had no idea how long had passed. Finally, the heavy iron door opened, and the blinding light made it impossible to open my eyes.

"Drag her out," someone ordered.

I was pulled from the freezer, barely conscious. Through my blurred vision, I saw Angelina holding a little boy, and the child looked completely fine.

I stared at the scene in shock, my mind completely blank. After that, they threw me back into my room at the estate. I stumbled over to the bed, reaching for my phone with trembling hands.

The screen showed countless missed calls, all from unknown numbers.

With shaking fingers, I sent a message to Vincenzo. [Vince, is Sofia... still alive?]