Chapter 4

An expedited paternity test would still take several hours before the final report was ready.

Alessio took me back to his private beach house. The place was completely sealed off. Not even an insect could get in or out.

"Stay put. We need to clear a few things up."

I looked up and met his eyes, the anger in my chest burning even hotter. "You took my child without my permission, held me here against my will, and still have more to say?"

He looked at me as if he couldn't understand why I was making such a fuss. Then the phone he had taken from me suddenly rang.

He glanced at the name on the screen and immediately ordered one of his men to clamp a hand over my mouth before answering.

Luca's worried voice came through. "Are you home yet? I'll be back tomorrow. You haven't called me back. I'm worried about you."

I struggled desperately, muffled sounds escaping my throat as I tried to make him realize something was wrong. Alessio listened for two seconds before hanging up and hurling the phone out the window.

His men released me, and I gasped for breath. His face had darkened. "You really know how to keep up the act. But what's the point of pulling this kind of stunt?"

I didn't answer Alessio. Fortunately, I had hidden a tracking device inside my clothes.

That strange, abruptly ended phone call was enough for Luca to realize I was in danger. He had to be racing here at full speed by now.

"You really haven't changed," I said coldly. "I've put every piece of evidence right in front of you, yet you still choose to believe what you want to believe."

Alessio stared at me, his emotions churning wildly in his eyes. "I really care about you, but I also hate seeing you act so unreasonably. Gianna is nothing but my subordinate. She could never take your place.

"You've been carrying on with this for three years. On top of work, I've had to spend all this time looking for you. I'm exhausted."

For once, he lowered himself enough to explain, though there wasn't any trace of remorse in his condescending tone.

I said, "I don't care what your relationship with her is. I just want to see my son now."

I was like a cornered animal, my eyes bloodshot with fury. Realizing I wasn't giving in, Alessio began to feel frustrated.

As we faced off, Gianna walked in with the paternity test report. After reading it, Alessio once again wore that smug, victorious look. He held the report out in front of me.

There, in black and white, it stated that the probability of him being Elio's father was 99%.

"Are you still going to deny it?" he asked, his tone smug. "The results are right here. There's no point dragging this out anymore. You're only making yourself more unlikeable."

In an instant, the blood seemed to drain from my entire body. I shook my head in disbelief, completely losing control.

"Impossible! This has to be fake!" I screamed ferociously at Gianna. "You tampered with the samples!"

Alessio looked at me as I fell apart. His voice was calm but unbearably cruel. "Move the child somewhere else and keep him under heavy guard. No one goes near him without my permission."

He wouldn't abandon the child, but he wouldn't raise him himself either. He simply wanted to keep Elio under his control, turning him into a chain to keep me trapped.

The last shred of my rationality snapped. I tried to rush out and find Elio, but I had forgotten that my ankle was still shackled. I stumbled and crashed hard onto the cold, unforgiving floor.

Alessio immediately bent down and pulled me into his arms, but my hatred for him had reached its breaking point. I fought his touch wildly, clawing and scratching at him with everything I had.

Two deep scratches appeared across the face of the always-untouchable Don, blood trickling down his skin. Whatever patience he had left vanished.

The doctor standing nearby immediately stepped forward and injected me with a sedative. My vision blurred, and eventually, I passed out.