Chapter 3

Alessia's face bore a striking resemblance to Pia's own, except that Alessia looked a lot more delicate and innocent as a flower.

Pia stared blankly at Alessia's face, feeling her heart struck once again with excruciating pain.

Vito's conversation, which she overheard in his office, immediately echoed in her ears, and the words on the test report jumped out at her in her memories.

All of the fragments pieced together at once, and suddenly, it all dawned on her.

So, this was how it was.

Pia understood everything now. Vito had completely set her up from the start!

And in this grand scheme of things, everyone played the roles of the audience, watching her make a fool of herself as she fell deeper and deeper into the game by falling in love with Vito and even getting hypnotized by him.

She had been nothing but a clown for other people's amusement after all.

The person Vito loved had never been her. He'd only picked her because she bore a resemblance to Alessia. She was nothing but Alessia's "counterfeit," who could also take a bullet or two for him.

The truth dawned so heavily on Pia that her vision began turning black. All of the pain and grievances she'd suppressed for years immediately burst forth like a broken dam.

She was still hurting from the gunshot wound, and now, her entire chest was beginning to hurt as well. She had to lean against the wall to even keep herself upright in the first place.

A metallic taste rose in her throat, mingling with the taste of tears seeping in through her lips. Yet, she bit on her lips so as not to make a sound while she sobbed.

It was a long while later when she clutched her aching chest, trying to suppress her surging emotions and closing her eyes to calm herself down.

Then, she opened her eyes again. The pain in her chest gradually turned into that of stern determination.

She abruptly turned on her heels and went down another alley before disappearing.

Pia wandered aimlessly for a while. It wasn't until midnight that she finally went back to her ward.

When she went in, however, she realized that Vito was already there, waiting for her.

Vito's face darkened as soon as he saw her walk in. His voice was tinged with displeasure as he demanded, "Where have you been, Pia? Why didn't you answer your phone?"

Pia pulled out her phone and saw that it had been turned off a long time ago. She hesitated for a moment and then said perfunctorily, "Sorry, I didn't know that my phone was out of battery. I just went out for some fresh air."

Vito's expression softened slightly, and he didn't press further after that.

"Alright. I didn't mean to blame you. You're mine, after all. From now on, you should tell me in advance wherever you're going so that I'll always know where you are and I won't have to worry."

Then, he looked at all the injuries on Pia's body with a grave expression on his face and said, "Santi is holding a document containing the Cuomo Famiglia secrets in his hands. He messaged me just now, offering to exchange them for you.

"I need you to cooperate fully in my plan to get the documents from him. His remaining forces are still a constant threat to me, and I must get rid of him once and for all."

Pia's breath caught in her throat. Her face turned deathly pale when she finally realized why Vito had come to see her today.

He hadn't been worried about her injuries after all. It was only because she was still of some use to him.

He wanted her to act as bait to wipe out Santi and his remaining forces in one fell swoop and eliminate all future threats.

This realization shattered Pia's last remaining hope.

As it turned out, she was nothing but a lowly tool, forced to risk her life for him, even though she was severely injured.

However, she really didn't want to continue being his puppet anymore!

She gripped the hem of her hospital gown tightly. For the first time in her life, she mustered the courage to refuse Vito's orders.

"I haven't healed fully from my injuries yet. I'm afraid that I can't participate in your plan this time."

Before she had even finished speaking, however, Vito had already gotten up and slung an arm around her waist.

His force was strong and powerful as he forcibly pulled her into his embrace.

The distance between them suddenly closed, their noses almost touching.

When their eyes met, Pia saw a burning spark in his eyes. A split second later, Vito's fingertips traced provocatively along her waist as a hint of amusement appeared in his eyes.

His voice was deep and dangerous.

"Didn't you say that you would always willingly do anything for me? Hmm?"

It was true that she said that last time, but it was all in the past now.

In the past, she thought that he was her savior, and that he had already treated her as his fiancee.

But now, the truth was out, and the bubble had burst. Pia didn't want to continue being that fool anymore!

Her hair all stood on end as she instinctively tried to break free from Vito's grasp.

"But… But my wounds are still bleeding. I can't move around too much."

Vito refused to let go of her. He just cocked his head to the side and asked in a teasing voice, "Are you seriously going to refuse me? Or, are you just asking for a reward afterward?"

His words pierced into the scars in Pia's heart like needles.

The sweet nothings he used to whisper in her ears now seemed like sugar-coated bombs that could go off at any second.

He continued coaxing her into it, tempting her, in the name of love, to willingly go through heaven and hell for him.

She felt a wave of nausea in her throat, and she could no longer bear to feel his hands on her anymore. She shoved him off roughly and exclaimed, "Let go of me, Vito Castaldo! I already told you that I'm still bleeding from my wounds!"