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?]

Vincenzo replied, [Sofia is safe. When the time comes, I'll pick you up myself.]

My tears finally broke free, relieved that my precious daughter was alive.

Just then, the bedroom door slammed open. Henson stood in the doorway, his face dark with anger.

"Who are you texting?" He strode over and snatched my phone.

When he saw the unfamiliar number on the screen, even without any name attached, his eyes turned dangerous.

He could barely contain his fury and growled, "Who the hell are you talking to now? Did you already hook up with someone else?"

"Henson..."

"Shut up!" he roared, smashing the phone hard against the floor. "You shameless woman!"

He looked down at me with contempt and added, "Tomorrow, you're attending the Costello family's annual charity gala. In front of the Five Families and the media, you're going to publicly admit that we've been divorced for a while now."

"What?"

He said, "You will tell everyone that you asked for the divorce because you fell in love with someone else."

I stared at him in shock. "Why?"

He replied flatly, "My heir needs a legitimate status, but our arrangement won't change. You can keep living in my villa."

"I'm not doing that."

He seemed to be in agony. "Do you even have real feelings for me? After everything you've done, time and time again, you don't have a choice!"

Before I could answer, he stormed out and slammed the door.

The next morning, a man in a suit came to my room. "Ms. Astor, I'm Christiano Faugno, the Costello family's attorney. This is the divorce settlement. Please sign it."

I looked at the document. It stated that I was giving up all assets and admitting to infidelity during the marriage.

I said, "I'm not signing it."

"Ms. Astor, you have no choice. Please don't make this difficult for me."

I thought of Sofia and remembered Vincenzo’s promise. In the end, I picked up the pen and signed my name.

Christiano collected the document with satisfaction and left.

Later, I picked up the landline by my bed and dialed a number. I said calmly, "Vince, you can release all the evidence now."

"Are you sure?"

"I am sure. It is time to end all of this."

After hanging up, I walked to the kitchen and turned on all the gas burners without lighting them. Then, I pulled out a cigar, lit it, and tossed it gently onto the antique rug, which was soaked with expensive whiskey.

Once I was done, I grabbed my small bag of belongings and walked out the estate's front gate.

A black luxury sedan was parked outside, and Vincenzo's driver opened the car door for me. I slid into the back seat and looked through the rearview mirror to see thick smoke beginning to rise from the estate behind me.

Not long after, roaring flames swallowed the entire building that had symbolized my humiliating marriage.