Chapter 3

“By teaching you a lesson, obviously!”

With that, Isabella raised her hand and tried to slap me.

I caught her wrist mid-air, my expression colder than ice, then kicked her in the stomach.

As she fell onto the ground, Isabella’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“You damn beggar, how dare you—”

Before she could finish, I swung a sharp backhand across her cheek and asked coldly, “Are you satisfied now?”

Having been beaten twice, Isabella was no longer cocky. She bawled.

When Davide stepped forward, she hid behind him with tears in her eyes.

“This trash hit me! You have to avenge me, Dav!”

Davide helped Isabella to her feet and held her in his arms protectively. Then, he glared at me.

“Is this how your adoptive parents taught you to behave, Celina? I was right about you! You were indeed raised by crude, low-life scums!”

He beckoned to his men with a wave of his hands, and they instantly surrounded me.

“As your older brother, I’ll have to teach you a lesson on behalf of those low-lives!”

With that, the men behind me tried to subdue me.

I managed to take one down, but the second was faster and stronger. I was no match for him.

A blow to my ribs sent me sprawling to the ground.

Two men subdued me and dragged me to Davide and Isabella.

Davide turned toward Isabella, who looked very pleased, and spoke to her in a gentle voice.

“Don’t cry, Belle! You can hit her the same way she hit you earlier. You can do whatever you like. I have your back!”

With Davide’s assurance, Isabella felt emboldened to hurt me. She slapped me twice and spat in my face.

“Where is that attitude of yours now, stupid trash? Come on, fight back!”

With that, she kicked me in my lower abdomen, grabbed my hair, and forced me to look up at her.

I endured the sharp pain and glared at them both with gritted teeth.

“How dare you treat me this way?! I’ll get back at you, and there’ll be no mercy!”

Isabella laughed.

“We run this city! How could a slum-dwelling beggar like you fight me?

“Today, I’ll show you what happens to those who offend me!”

She took out a nail file from her purse and cut me on the cheek.

A sharp, burning pain shot through my skin, and blood oozed out.

A bystander said regretfully, “I knew this would happen. After all, she’s only the long-lost daughter of the family. Of course, they prefer the adopted daughter who’s lived with them for so many years.”

Another person said, “I told her not to upset Miss Ferrero, but she didn’t listen and thought that her identity could protect her. Now, she suffers the consequences!”

“She is so pretty. It’s a shame that they’re trying to disfigure her.”

Isabella sneered and tried to cut my face again. Terror surged through me at the thought of being disfigured, and I pleaded for her to stop.

Isabella said, “I won’t stop until I’m satisfied!”

“Make her stop, Davide, or you’ll regret it!” I shouted.

Davide said in disdain, “I’ll explain the situation to Mom and Dad. You’d better apologize, Celina. If Belle forgives you, I’ll allow you to be part of the family.”

“Part of the Ferrero family? Ha! Do you think I want that?”

Utterly furious, Davide glared at me.

“What then? Do you think the scums who adopted you will come to your rescue?

“They must’ve been ecstatic after learning that you’re a Ferrero. They probably hope you’ll stay with us forever, so that they can live an easier life with our money and power.

“Stop being stubborn and apologize right now! I’ll help you out financially since we’re related by blood.”

The phrase “related by blood” seemed to irk Isabella.

She approached me with a vicious glint in her eyes, grabbed my hair, and whispered in my ear, “You slum-dwelling trash, first you win over my parents, then you make Dav show you mercy? Want to take my place? Keep dreaming!

“Dav! The black card is not on Celina! Why don’t we strip her clothes off and see where she’s hidden it?”

Isabella turned around to look at Davide, and he nodded.

“Sure, do whatever you like!”

“No!” I screamed.

Just then, my phone rang.

I struggled and tried to answer it, but Isabella snatched the phone from me and answered it instead.

Alessandro’s voice boomed through the speaker.

“How’s shopping going, Celina? Do you need me to come pick you up?”

I immediately cried for help. “Save me, Alex!”

Davide frowned and took my phone.

“Alex?”

Hearing my cry for help, Alessandro said anxiously, “Who are you? How dare you mess with my little sister?! Let her go, or I, Alessandro Gallante, and my family will come after you!”

Davide and Isabella exchanged looks of fear.

“Gallante? The same mafia family that controls all the crime families across the entire country?”

After a pause, they both suddenly burst out laughing.

“Hahahaha… Now I know who taught this stupid trash to lie!” Isabella said.

Davide kept mocking Alessandro.

“You should’ve namedropped a more convincing family. The Gallante family is powerful and mysterious, especially the Don of the family, Alessandro! He's my idol. Normally we can't meet him even if we want to!

“How dare a scum like you impersonate him! I dare you to come over right now. The Ferrero family will be waiting!”

They hung up on Alessandro, and Isabella slammed my phone on the ground. She raised her brows and mocked me.

“Your beggar family is just as pretentious as you! Stubborn trash, I’ll beat you until they come for you!”

She lifted her hand to slap my injured cheek.

There was a screech of tyres, and a familiar limousine came into view.

Alessandro opened the door and stormed toward us in fury. “Who the hell thinks they can hurt my little sister?!”