Chapter 6

The instant the scalding soup flew through the air, I moved on pure instinct, throwing myself over Luca to shield him.

"Ahhh!"

Luca's scream tore through the restaurant's elegant atmosphere.

Although I blocked most of it, the hot liquid still splashed onto his pale forearms and chest.

His skin instantly turned a raw, angry red, and blisters began to form.

And the one who did it, Finn, immediately burst into a theatrical wail, playing the victim.

"Mommy! That woman tried to hit me!"

He was completely unharmed, yet he cried more pitifully than Luca. "I was so scared, my hand slipped and I dropped the soup...."

His pathetic lie instantly drew the attention of Santino and Riley as they walked over.

"Finn! My baby!" Riley snatched Finn into her arms, her eyes flashing as she accused me, "Erin, how could you be so cruel? Finn was only trying to share his soup with Luca. Why would you push him?"

I held Luca, who was trembling in pain, my eyes burning with rage.

"Riley, drop the act!" I pointed to Finn's perfectly clean hands. "He did it on purpose! Look! Luca is the one who's burned!"

Santino strode over. When his gaze landed on Luca's angry red blisters, a sharp intake of breath escaped him and he instinctively reached out a hand.

But then his eyes met Riley's.

He stopped, withdrew his hand, and swept the "frightened" Finn into his arms, soothing him gently. "It's okay, Finn. Don't be afraid."

"Erin," he said, turning to me, his voice cold as ice. "When did you become so hysterical? Accusing a child who was only trying to be kind?"

I was so furious I couldn't speak. I pointed at the angry red welts on Luca's arm. "You call this sharing? Santino, are you blind? That soup was boiling!"

"Enough!"

Santino cut me off impatiently. "All I see is you screaming, and Finn terrified of you."

Luca was covered in a cold sweat from the pain, his small hand gripping my clothes, unable to even cry out anymore.

"Mommy, it hurts. It hurts so much."

My heart was bleeding. Santino, that's your son moaning in pain. Can't you hear him?

I didn't have time to argue with them. I scooped Luca up and tried to rush out. "I need to get Luca to a hospital. His burns need to be treated."

Santino glanced at the blisters on Luca's arm, his brow furrowing as if the sight was an ugly inconvenience.

"Leaving so soon?"

"No one is leaving after upsetting my guest."

Black-suited bodyguards immediately blocked the exit.

I held Luca, turning back in despair. "What are you doing? He could be permanently scarred!"

Santino, while gently patting Finn's back, said casually, "You can go. But first, you apologize to Finn."

"What did you say?"

"Your outburst scared Finn. Apologize. And keep apologizing until he forgives you."

Luca began to tremble violently in my arms, his breathing growing shallow. "Mommy, it hurts so bad. Am I going to die?"

His was the injury, but the pain was all mine.

On one side was my dignity. On the other was my son's pain.

Looking at Santino's cold profile, I finally understood. In this man's heart, Luca and I were worth less than stray dogs.

To appease Riley's son, he would let his own flesh and blood suffer.

"Hurry up. My patience is wearing thin," Santino urged.

Finn peeked out from Santino's arms, waiting for my humiliation.

I closed my eyes, a single tear tracing a path down my cheek.

For Luca, I would walk through hell.

I turned, faced the boy who had burned my son, and said,

"I'm sorry."

Santino watched me coldly. "Is that how you apologize?"

Luca's breathing grew more ragged.

Finally, I bowed my head. "I was wrong. Please, I beg you, let me take him to the hospital."

Santino looked surprised that I would go that far, hesitating for the first time, his jaw tight. "I didn't tell you to..."

I didn't wait for him to finish. The moment the bodyguards were distracted, I bolted.

At the nearest emergency room, doctors treated Luca's burns.

Second-degree burns, deep enough to threaten nerve damage.

After his wounds were treated, Luca finally fell into an exhausted sleep.

Watching my son, wrapped in bandages, I leaned against the cold hallway wall, completely drained.

I dragged myself to the end of the hall to pay the bill. As I passed the smoking area, I overheard two familiar voices.

"Santino, wasn't that a bit much back there?" Riley's voice was probing. "What if Erin gets really angry and tries to run away with Luca? He is your biological son, after all."

The air was silent for a few seconds.

Then came Santino's mocking laugh.

"Run? Where could she run?"

Through the glass, I saw him leaning against the railing. "She cut all ties with her family to marry me. She endured five years in the slums for me. Just now, she was willing to bow to Finn for that kid."

"She and that worthless kid would do anything for me. This is just a little tantrum."

"She'll never leave me."