Chapter 5

Three days later, I did my makeup, slipped into the bespoke gown Cesare had personally picked out for me, and headed to the venue alone.

But the moment I walked in, I locked eyes with Cristiano, who was looking incredibly smug. "Silvia, I knew you couldn't stay away from me. If you really want to win me back, then all you have to do is dress up nicely."

I ignored the narcissistic Cristiano and walked straight past him.

Infuriated by my attitude, Cristiano grabbed my wrist. "Silvia, I'm talking to you. What is your problem? Our seats aren't over there. Where do you think you're going?"

With a frown, I shook off his hand and said coolly, "Who said I was sitting with you?"

I jerked my chin toward the center of the venue as I said, "If you're done, I'm going over there now."

Cristiano followed my gaze, and his face fell instantly.

Tania blinked, suddenly pointing at the ring on my finger.

"Silvia, do you even know whose seat that is? Are you trying to cause trouble by showing up here wearing that ring?"

She deliberately raised her voice, instantly drawing the attention of everyone around us.

"Isn't that the 'Tears of the Goddess'? The ring Don Martelli spent a fortune creating after searching all across North Arocia for the perfect materials?"

"The Donna is supposed to make her first public appearance today. Is she wearing that ring to steal the Donna's spotlight?"

"Cristiano, is this how you control your mistress? If she wants to throw her life away, she can do it without dragging us down too!"

Cristiano stared at me, only to find that I hadn't even spared him a glance.

His face darkened instantly, and he spoke in a much lower voice. "She's not my mistress. I don't know her."

Tania could barely hide the smugness in her eyes as she acted even more arrogantly. "You've got it wrong. She's just a desperate wretch trying to cling to power. She has a death wish! Hand over that ring and get the hell out of here!"

Seeing that resentful look on her face, I couldn't help but curl my lips into a knowing smile. "Are you absolutely sure you want me to leave?"

Tania's eyes went cold, and she sneered. "A broke, powerless woman doesn't belong in a place like this!"

With that, she lunged at me, reaching straight for my ring.

I stepped aside to avoid her, but lost my footing and fell hard. Tania ripped the ring off my finger with a scoff. "It's just a fake. You should've just handed it over sooner."

She seized the chance to step on my hand, digging her pointed heel into my palm.

I gritted my teeth and tried to pull away, but she just pressed down harder. Soon, blood began to seep from the wound.

Tania stood over me, taking pleasure in seeing my pathetic state. She then commanded haughtily, "What are you all waiting for? Throw her out!"

I struggled desperately, biting back the pain as I yelled, "Stop! Aren't you afraid Cesare will come after you for treating me like this—"

Tania slapped me hard across the face. "Are you about to say you're Don Martelli's wife again? You? As if!"

Even after that, she still wasn't satisfied. She slapped me across the face with all her strength again, causing both sides of my cheeks to throb in pain.

I hadn't planned on getting back at her when I came back because I didn't think there was a need to. But now, she was going to pay dearly for this.

Cristiano finally decided he'd seen enough and grabbed Tania by the wrist before she could hit me again. "Enough. Stop making a scene."

Tania's face went stiff. Cristiano walked right up to me. When he saw the blood trickling from the corner of my mouth, he tried to wipe it off for me, but I instinctively turned my head away.

His hand froze, and his eyes instantly turned icy. "Don't be so ungrateful, Silvia. You went to all this trouble to barge in here with that fake ring just to get me to take you back, right?

"If you get on your knees and beg me right now, I might consider taking you back."

Hearing that, I just let out a cold laugh. "You want me to get back together with you? Cristiano, you and your entire family are dead."

He was just about to blow up when the doors behind him swung open. The noisy room fell dead silent in an instant.

Cristiano warned me in a low voice, "Don Martelli is here. You'd better behave yourself. If you just keep your head down, I'll let everything that just happened slide."

How ridiculous. If anyone were to let things slide that day, it would be me.

Cesare walked into the hall. The moment he noticed the Donna's seat was empty, his brows snapped together. He swept an icy gaze over the crowd, clearly searching for someone.

Cristiano took the chance to quietly try to persuade me again. "If you behave and do as you're told, I might even reward you by letting you have my baby."

Instead of replying, I simply covered my wound and tried to get Cesare's attention. Just as Cristiano was running out of patience and about to scold me again, Cesare finally spotted me. And he started walking toward me.