Chapter 4

Mamma was completely overwhelmed by rage. She sealed off the entire estate and had the Vitelli Famiglia's private doctor summoned that night.

Having drawn my blood for examination, the doctor's expression immediately shifted. "There are stimulants in Ms. Salvatore's blood, Donna Salvatore. She was already in a fragile state, making this substance lethal to her heart. She's barely holding onto life now."

Mamma didn't shed a tear or raise her voice. She stood up with a chilling composure and retrieved a handgun from a drawer, checking the clip to make sure it was loaded before heading for the door.

She didn't look angry, though her eyes were brimming with killing intent. She charged straight toward Serena's living quarters.

In that instant, chaos erupted throughout the estate, but in the midst of it all, the door to my bedroom swung open.

Luca was wheeled into the room by two bodyguards. He glared at me, who was lying on the bed, with a terrifying expression and ordered, "Get her out of here."

His bodyguards hesitated. "Ms. Salvatore may not survive being moved because of her current condition, Mr. Moretti. If she dies on the way—"

Luca gritted his teeth in rage. "What the hell are you worried about? I'll take the heat if anything happens! That bitch had the nerve to frame Serena and ruin our engagement, costing me my marriage and my legs! I'm going to throw her in the cold storage, giving her exactly what she deserves!"

I kept my eyes closed and let them pull me off the bed. I could no longer feel the pain—only a penetrating cold.

They brought me to the estate's abandoned underground cold storage, where it was dark, freezing, and used specifically for handling enemies.

I was thrown onto the cold floor and instantly began shaking from the intense cold.

Luca sat in his wheelchair, looking down at me. "You can stop it with the act now, Grazia. I'll let you go if you admit that you intentionally framed Serena and agree to restore the marriage alliance between the two Famiglias."

I didn't even have the strength to open my eyes. I simply let out a weak whimper.

Luca flew into a rage when I remained silent. He ordered the bodyguards, "Give her a taste of suffering!"

I was instantly doused with a bucket of ice water. I shuddered as the cold pierced straight through to my bones.

It was then that footsteps echoed, and Serena walked in. "You shouldn't be so rough with Grazia, Luca."

Serena approached me, squatted down, and studied me closely, maintaining a smile throughout the encounter.

Luca turned to Serena and asked, "Why did you come in here, Serena? It's too cold here—I don't want you catching a chill."

"How could I not come over when you got seriously injured because of me, Luca?"

Serena then looked down at me and hissed, "You certainly are hard to kill, Grazia. You actually survived the fall from the rooftop and also the stimulants in your medication. It won't change anything, though. You're as good as dead since you're stuck in this cold storage now."

I made an effort to open my eyes and directed my gaze toward her.

Serena's smile grew smug as she gripped my chin. "Do you really think Mamma can save you now? Did you even take a look at yourself, Grazia? Papa, Marco, and Luca don't even want anything to do with you! I'm the one who put the stimulants in your medicine and ordered people to spread the oil to the rooftop.

"I'll become the sole Principessa of the Salvatore Famiglia once you're dead! I'll get all the love from Papa, Mamma, and Marco—and I'll get your fiance as well. How can a sickly person like you fight against me? You should learn your place and stay away from me in your next life, Grazia!"

She released my chin, stood up, and dusted off her hands. "It looks like Grazia is about to die, so let's leave before Mamma catches us, Luca."

Luca nodded, signaling his bodyguards to start pushing his wheelchair.

It was then that the cold storage door was kicked in from the outside, and the harsh beam of a flashlight flooded the entire basement at once.

Serena's expression froze mid-smile. She turned her head, following the direction of the light.

Mamma appeared at the entrance in a black trench coat. She held a Colt 1911 in her right hand, the barrel still emitting faint smoke. She had clearly fired the gun on her way to the cold storage.

Papa and Marco were standing right behind Mamma.

In that instant, every core member of the Salvatore Famiglia's inner circle was there, packing the entrance to the cold storage so tightly that no one could get past.

Mamma's eyes swept over the crowd and landed on me, curled on the cold ground.

She trained her gun on Luca as her eyes turned bloodshot, snarling, "You have harmed my daughter again, Luca. How do you want to die today?"