My mother's expression turned cold when she heard Vincenzo asking her to apologize. "I won't apologize for something I never did."

The moment she finished speaking, one of Vincenzo's men rushed forward and kicked her in the knee. My mother let out a gasp and dropped to her knees on the cold marble floor, sweat instantly beading her forehead.

I was so scared, and I cried as I reached for her. "Mom! Mom, are you okay?"

Vincenzo walked over and kicked me to the ground. My forehead slammed into the sharp corner of the cake table. A blinding pain shot through me, and warm blood trickled down my face.

I wiped at it and saw my hand come away red.

The second my mother saw I was bleeding, she immediately crawled over and shielded me. However, Vincenzo viciously stepped on her fingers and ground them under his foot. My mother's face turned pale with pain, and even her voice was shaking as she said, "Vincenzo, let me go! Lia's still a child!"

Vincenzo let out a sneer, his eyes full of contempt. "She's nothing but a fatherless kid! If you don't apologize to Carla, whatever comes next isn't my fault!"

The guests all stood by and watched. Some looked uneasy, but no one dared to step forward. They were afraid of Vincenzo's influence, and they were even more afraid of getting dragged into trouble. One by one, they lowered their heads.

"Sofia had a daughter before getting married, and nobody even knows who the father is..."

"Vincenzo's right. She brought this upon herself for not following the rules!"

"I heard Don Rossi doesn't have much time left. Once he's gone, the Rossi family will belong to Vincenzo. Don't meddle in their affairs!"

Every word cut into my heart like a knife.

I clenched my fists and shouted through gritted teeth, "I'm not! I'm the principessa of the Rossi family! You're the bad one!"

My mother was still trembling from the pain, but she still reached for me with everything she had. "Lia, don't be afraid. Mom's here... Have you lost your mind?! Lia is your daughter!"

Vincenzo let out a cold sneer as if he had just heard a joke. "My daughter? If you hadn't drugged me back then, why would I have even slept with you? You're just another shameless woman trying to trap me with a daughter!"

Carla stood off to the side, sobbing as she said, "How could you do something like that?! Even if you wanted to keep Vincenzo around, you shouldn't have used a trick like that."

I shuddered with rage. I had never learned the truth until Matteo avenged us in my last life. Carla was the one who had drugged Vincenzo and wanted to force him to take responsibility for it after the fact.

But that day, Vincenzo happened to be at my mother's house.

Afterward, Carla had spread rumors everywhere. She said my mother had a messy private life and had been involved with many other men, so no one could tell whose child I was. That was why Vincenzo hated my mother so much and doubted that I was his daughter.

Giuseppe had treated him like family, yet now, he believed Carla's lies and let her torment my mother and me.

I struggled to get up on my feet and then pointed at Carla as I screamed while still swaying, "You're the one who spread lies and drove us apart! You're the evil one and the liar!"

The moment Vincenzo saw me accuse Carla in front of everyone, his face darkened. He grabbed my arm and lifted me into the air. "Apologize to Carla!"

I cried out in pain, but I still glared at him and Carla. "I won't apologize! You're both bad people! I hate you!"

Vincenzo was so furious, he laughed. "You're just a child without a father! This is already lighter than what you should be getting!"

Then, he suddenly let go after he was done speaking, and I fell headfirst toward the floor.

The pain I expected never came as a pair of strong hands caught me instead.

It was Matteo!

I raised my head and looked up at him. He was dressed in a black suit with the Sorrentino family crest pinned to his collar. His face was expressionless, but a terrifying aura surrounded his entire being.

He held me close, then reached down and helped my mother up from the floor.

"This is a birthday party organized by the Rossi family. Outsiders don't get to cause trouble here." His voice was not loud, but the whole banquet hall went silent. Everyone looked at him, their eyes full of fear and caution.

Vincenzo's men rushed forward at once. One of them slammed a fist into Matteo's face, and blood immediately spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Then, even more men closed in. They punched him from every side as they mocked him and beat him.

"Matteo, you bloodthirsty lunatic. You think you can interfere in Vincenzo's business?"

"Do you think the Don would ever let Sofia marry you? You're just a gangster who only knows how to fight and kill!"

"Get out now, or we'll make sure you die here today!"

Matteo was covered in blood, but he never loosened his hold on my mother and me for even a second. Then, his men finally rushed in as well and started fighting with Vincenzo's people. Tables and chairs crashed over, and wine glasses shattered across the floor.

My mother cried out, "Stop! If this keeps going, I'll call in the Rossi family soldati! I'll make sure that both of you pay the price!"

Only then did Vincenzo call off his men and look at Matteo coldly. Suddenly, Carla clutched her stomach and cried out weakly, "Ah... my stomach… It hurts so much... I drank the wine Sofia handed me just now. Was there something wrong with it?"

With that one sentence, she pushed all the blame onto my mother as Vincenzo's eyes instantly turned red. "Did you drug Carla? You knew she was carrying my child, and you wanted to kill her?"

My mother looked at him coldly. "I never poured her any wine. She did not even have an invitation. She's not worth dirtying my hands for."

"You dare talk back to me?!" Vincenzo roared, his eyes full of cruelty.

"I'm warning you, Sofia. If you don't kneel and beg Carla for forgiveness, then once the Don is gone, I'll make sure you and that fatherless girl die! Don't think I won't do it! The Don is gravely ill now. He can't protect either of you!"

He was using my grandfather's illness to threaten my mother.

Even as I was curled up in Matteo's arms, I reached out to my mother. "Mom, don't be scared. Matteo will protect us. My grandfather's status can only go to Matteo. Vincenzo is a bad man. You can't trust him."

My mother lowered her head and looked at me, her eyes full of heartbreak and hesitation. She reached out and touched my bleeding forehead, tears falling one after another onto the back of my hand. It was unnervingly warm.

After a long time, my mother finally nodded. She pulled me into her arms and said to Matteo, "Thank you."

Matteo looked at my mother, and the hard edge in his eyes softened a little. He gently shook his head. "It's what I should do."

My mother forced herself to stand with me in her arms, then turned to take me away so my wound could be treated.

When Vincenzo's men saw that my mother and I were both covered in blood, they exchanged looks. None of them dared stop us. They could only pretend not to see.

I looked back at Matteo as I rested in Mom's arms.

He was standing there, staring coldly at Vincenzo.

I knew he would protect us.

After we left the birthday party, Mom took me to the Family's private hospital.

The doctor treated the wound on my forehead and wrapped it in gauze. My mother stayed by my side the whole time, her eyes red, and she said nothing.

I held my mother's hand and said in a childlike voice, "Mom, don't be sad. Matteo will protect us from now on, and we'll never have to be afraid of Vincenzo again."

Mom patted my head and sighed. "Lia, how do you know all this? You're only five."

I lowered my head. I did not dare to tell her I had regressed. So, I could only say, "I just feel like he's a good man, and Vincenzo is a bad man."

My mother did not press me as she simply pulled me into her arms and held me tight, almost as though she was afraid I might disappear.

-

As my grandfather's condition kept fluctuating, the engagement party was forced to move up. This party would also decide who would become the next don of the Rossi family.

The entire underworld from Silabria was watching. Everyone thought my mother would choose Vincenzo. After all, he had spent years building an enormous influence.

On the day of the engagement party, the Rossi estate was filled with guests. All of them were VIPs from the major families. My mother held my hand as we greeted guests at the entrance to the banquet hall. She was wearing a red gown and looked so beautiful tonight.

Not long after, Vincenzo arrived. He wore an expensive white suit with his hair perfectly combed as he walked in with his head high.

The moment he saw my mother, he smiled smugly as he walked over and reached for her waist. "I knew you'd give in to me sooner or later, Sofia. You still chose me in the end. You followed me around all day when you were little because you liked me best. Have you forgotten already?"

My mother stepped back in disgust and avoided his hand. Her voice was cold as she said, "Don't touch me with your filthy hands. You disgust me."

Vincenzo's face darkened. His tone became mocking and vicious. "You won't let me touch you? A woman with a filthy private life like you is rejecting me? Other men can touch you, but I can't?!"

His words were so vulgar that my mother's face went pale with rage.

I held my mother's hand and glared at him. "Don't bully my mom, you creep!"

Vincenzo ignored me and kept moving toward my mother, clearly planning to put his hands on her in front of everyone.

Just then, Matteo appeared and stepped in front of my mother. The brutal aura around him made Vincenzo stop and pull his hand back. Matteo was wearing a fitting black suit for the night. He stood tall, looking at Vincenzo with cold eyes. "Vincenzo, mind your manners."

Vincenzo looked at him and laughed mockingly, his voice full of contempt. "Matteo, I see you're dressing up like a groom tonight. Don't tell me you actually think you can marry Sofia and inherit the Rossi family and the position of don?

"Stop dreaming. You're nothing but a madman who knows nothing but violence and murder. Why would Don Rossi ever choose you? Even if he lost his mind and picked you, you still wouldn't be able to protect everything the Rossi family has!"

His men joined in and mocked Matteo, calling him a bloodthirsty brute who was not fit to become the don. Laughter spread throughout the banquet hall.

Matteo paid no attention to them as he turned to my mother, a hint of gentleness in his eyes. "Sofia, I'm here to take you with me."

Just as the two sides were facing off, my grandfather's underboss walked in carrying a red box. Inside were the Rossi family's signet ring and the succession papers. The entire banquet hall fell silent as all eyes were now on that box.

Vincenzo immediately straightened his collar and raised his head proudly as he reached out to claim them. "What perfect timing. The papers come just in time. I suppose it's finally time to announce our engagement."

The underboss avoided his hand and looked up at the crowd. "No. The name on the papers is not Vincenzo Bello."

The underboss then declared in a loud voice for everyone in the hall to hear as he held up the succession papers. "The position of the next don of the Rossi family will go to Matteo Sorrentino, as written here on this document!"