Chapter 2

Lina's POV

I had injured my knees when I threw myself in front of a hail of bullets to protect Dante four years ago. As a result, they ached terribly on rainy days.

I knew that I couldn't oppose Dante's orders, so I slowly sank to my knees.

A fierce glint flickered in Dante's eyes. He swiftly pressed his hands on my shoulders and shoved me to the ground.

My knees collided against the marble with a loud thud. Sweat beaded across my skin from the pain as the color drained from my face.

Guilt flashed through Dante's eyes for a split second. He grabbed a glass and approached me, bringing it close to my lips.

"Admit your mistake," he murmured. "If you admit that you hired someone to start the fire and put on an act, I'll call the doctor immediately to tend to your wounds."

I looked at the glass of water before staring into his eyes that used to look at me with affection.

I lifted my hand and knocked the glass out of his hand.

"It wasn't an act. Papa is dead! Are you blind, Dante?"

The glass crashed on the floor and shattered into a million pieces.

Bianca shrieked and shrank back in her seat.

"How scary! Is she trying to kill me, Dante?"

Dante's expression darkened instantaneously. Any sympathy he had for me disappeared completely. He snatched the whip from the punisher and hissed, "I see that I'll have to personally discipline you since you insist on being stubborn."

The whip cracked loudly as he brought it down on my back. Both the back of my shirt and my skin split open from the impact.

Dante's eyes flashed. His fingers subconsciously trembled as he gripped the whip.

It was obvious that he was holding back when he whipped me again.

"Why must you be so stubborn, Lina?" he demanded as he continued whipping me. "Why must you target Bianca? I can sweep everything under the rug as long as you admit your mistakes!"

I bit my lip harshly and refused to make a sound, staring at Dante with hollow eyes.

My silent resistance only stoked the flames of his frustration even more compared to if I had cried and wailed.

Dante raised the whip high in the air. He tightened his grip on it, but he didn't bring it down on my back for a long time.

Just then, Bianca's teary voice cut through the air.

"Stop it, amore mio! I'm begging you. Please don't hurt Lina anymore."

Tears streamed down her face as she trembled.

"It's all my fault. I'm too cowardly. I shouldn't have been scared of the fire, and I shouldn't be here. I'll leave right now so Lina won't get angry just by looking at me. I don't want her to be punished because of me either."

She then ran toward us, looking like she wanted to put herself between Dante and me. However, her legs suddenly gave out, and she crashed to the floor with a loud cry. Her face was deathly pale as she heaved for breath, looking as if she was seconds away from passing away.

"Bianca!" Dante exclaimed with wide eyes.

He tossed the whip aside before rushing over to her side and picking her up.

"Call the doctor now!"

Dante turned to look at me.

I was still kneeling on the floor. I watched the scene unfold before me with a cold gaze, feeling nothing at all.

The fury in Dante's eyes intensified.

"Don't you feel anything even after she begged for mercy on your behalf? Is your heart made of stone, Lina?"

Dante whipped around and picked up the whip again. This time, his eyes were devoid of hesitation.

"Since you refuse to change your ways, you'll just have to be punished!"

The whip whizzed through the air before it cracked against my back.

I nearly collapsed as black spots exploded across my vision.

Dante continued to punish me, whipping me exactly 20 times. My skin and flesh split open every time the whip collided against my back.

I dug my nails into the gaps between the marble tiles as blood poured from my back. However, I still refused to make a sound.

I fainted after Dante brought down the whip on my back for the last time.

Right before I slipped into unconsciousness, I heard Dante bark an order in an icy tone.

"Throw her into the dungeon. She's not allowed to leave until she admits her mistakes."