3

Half-conscious, I felt a lightly callused hand brush the tears from the corners of my eyes.

When I woke up again, I was in clean pajamas, lying in my own bed.

When Rosa saw I was awake, she couldn't wait to tell me. "I knew the Don couldn't bear to punish you. That same night, he carried you out of the cell himself.

"When he found out you had a fever, he put all his business on hold and stayed by your bed the whole time. He didn't leave until this morning."

Conflicting emotions surged through me. I didn't know how to face Matteo.

But when I saw him come back in, I still smiled. "Matteo..."

I'd only gotten out that one word when Matteo shot me a look so cold that the rest of my words died in my throat.

Matteo clenched his fists and pointed at me. "Vivian, you used our family's influence to pressure Claire's director into canceling her contract. She had a breakdown and became depressed because of you! And you still have the nerve to call out to me?"

The barrage of accusations left my head spinning, and I rushed to deny it. "No, I didn't. I just woke up!"

"You just woke up, and you're already causing trouble again. Clearly, you haven't learned your lesson!

"Claire's assistant heard you threaten the director over the phone! Everyone in Sicily knows you don't like Claire. Do you really think she'd throw away the lead role she worked so hard for just to frame you?"

I stood frozen, biting down on my lip. How many times had this happened? Whenever Claire was involved, this man who ruled the underworld lost all reason and condemned me on her word alone.

My despair turned into fury. Despite my weakness, I pushed myself upright and shot back with a bitter laugh. "Ask Rosa! I woke up one minute before you walked in. I had no time to do any of this!

"I told you, if I wanted to hurt Claire, I'd kill her outright. I wouldn't play a stupid game like this!"

Matteo had just called Rosa over to question her when Claire's call came in.

"Matteo, don't blame Vivian. If I'd listened to her from the start and stayed away from you, I wouldn't have lost the lead role. It's all my fault."

Her voice was soft and innocent, but every word was meant to stoke Matteo's anger.

Sure enough, Matteo's face darkened further, and his voice turned icy. "You've hurt Claire again and again, yet she still chooses to forgive you. But instead of being grateful, you only take her kindness for granted and keep pushing your luck!"

"Our family lives by one rule: an eye for an eye. You destroyed what mattered most to her, so—"

The moment he finished, a bodyguard brought out a box from my bedroom and carefully unwrapped it. Inside was my mother's wedding dress. I'd dreamed countless times of wearing it as I walked down the aisle with Matteo.

Every hair on my body stood on end, and I shouted at the bodyguard, "Put that down!"

I threw myself forward with everything I had to snatch it back, but the bodyguard easily overpowered me. All I managed to tear off was a piece of tulle.

Matteo's voice was hard. "Burn it."

"No!"

Flames swallowed the skirt in an instant. I screamed and sobbed hysterically, trying to throw myself over the dress to protect it, but the bodyguard behind me held me back.

As the flames spread, I lost all reason. Somehow, I found the strength to break free of the bodyguard and lunged toward the dress.

I threw myself over the dress, trying to smother the flames with my body. The flames burned my bare arms, yet I felt no pain.

Matteo reacted fast and yanked me back, barking, "What are you doing? It's just a dress!"

When he saw the burns on my arms, he got even angrier and ordered the bodyguard, "Keep burning it!"

"No—"