"Mom, get up!"

I finally broke free from the guards, rushing to my mother's side and pulling her to her feet.

"Don't you dare kneel for these people! They aren't worth it!"

Her knees were raw, blood soaking through her grey dress.

"Elara, please, just stop talking," my mother begged, her voice shaking as she gripped my hand. "Please, I’m begging you, just apologize to Mrs. Moretti."

"I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize?"

Seeing this, Isabella's face twisted into a wicked smile.

"Wait, Sofia," she said, placing a delicate hand on her new mother-in-law's arm. "I have an idea."

Everyone looked at her.

"I can't bear to see Elara's mother in so much pain," Isabella said, faking sympathy. "So how about this? We give Elara a chance to prove herself."

"What kind of chance?" I asked coldly.

Isabella pointed to an iron cage at the back of the church.

Inside were two starving Dobermans. Sofia's pets. Her instruments of discipline.

"If you dare get in that cage and spend ten minutes with our family pets, I'll let your mother go."

Hearing the voices, the Dobermans began to slam against the bars, crazed and furious.

Their eyes were red. Saliva dripped from their mouths.

The guests gasped.

"My God, that's too dangerous."

"Those dogs haven't been fed in three days."

"This is murder!"

But Isabella didn't care. "Well, Elara? Are you brave enough? Or do you not even have the guts to sacrifice yourself for your own mother?"

"No!" my mother cried, clinging to me. "Elara, Mom isn't worth this!"

Marco stood by, watching. He even gestured to the sound technician. "Turn up the music," he ordered. "I don't want any... unpleasantness to ruin the celebration."

He didn't even want to hear me scream.

This was the man I loved in my past life.

"Marco!" I stared at him. "Are you really going to watch me die?"

"It's your choice," Marco shrugged. "Nobody's forcing you into the cage."

Just then, my father walked over.

He pushed my mother out of the way.

"That's enough!" he roared at her. "Stop embarrassing yourself!"

He turned back to the guests, his voice like ice.

"From this day forward, I, Antonio De Luca, have only one daughter: Isabella."

He looked at me, his eyes empty of any emotion.

"As for Elara... her and her mother have nothing to do with the De Luca family."

His words were a knife straight through my heart.

My mother collapsed onto the floor, staring at him in disbelief.

"You... how could you?" Her voice sounded like it came from hell itself. "Antonio, have you forgotten the promises you made to me?"

"Promises?" Father laughed coldly. "That was just foolish talk from when we were young. Isabella is my pride, my heir."

He sneered, nudging my mother with the toe of his polished shoe, "As for you two, you are a stain on this family's honor. A mistake that should have been erased long ago."

I looked at my mother, sobbing on the floor. I looked at Isabella, glowing with triumph. I looked at Marco, cold and indifferent.

"Fine." I stood up. My voice was terrifyingly calm. "I'll get in the cage."

“Elara, no!” My mother lunged for me, but my father sent her sprawling with a brutal kick.

“Since you’re all so eager to watch me die,” I said, my voice terrifyingly calm, “then I’ll give you the show you came for.”

I knew I wasn’t going to die here.

And soon, every single one of them would regret that they hadn’t killed me when they had the chance.

I walked toward the iron cage.

Each step wasn’t a walk of shame, but a procession toward my throne.

The Dobermans’ snarls were deafening. The guard’s hand rested on the heavy lock.

Any second now.

“Wait.” I turned back, took one last look at these people, and a strange smile appeared on my lips. “Remember everything about today. One day, you will pay the price for this.”

A guard stepped forward, his hand on the lock.

"Watch closely," I said, my voice terrifyingly calm as I turned back, taking one last look at them all. "Remember this day. Because I will make every last one of you pay."

Just as the guard's hand touched the lock, the church doors burst open.

"Stop!" a man's voice boomed. "By order of the Don! Who the hell dares touch Don Dante's wife!"