Chapter 4

After I hung up, the hotel butler brought in an expensive, custom-made wedding dress.

“Donna Lena, this was sent up at Don Nico’s request.”

I had already blocked Nico’s number, so he called the hotel landline.

“The wedding will proceed as planned! I expect you to behave these next few days and stop fooling around. Lena, this is your last chance. Don’t disappoint me!”

I didn’t take his words to heart. I worked day and night revising the M&A plan, and privately contacted minority shareholders of the Luciano family to acquire their shares.

Two days before the wedding, Sophia stopped me in the hotel lobby.

She suddenly dropped to her knees, crying, “Please give my son back! I was wrong. I shouldn’t have taken Nico from you. I’m willing to leave the Luciano family and disappear forever! My son is still so young. If anything happens to him, I won’t live either!”

I looked at her coldly. “The hotel is fully monitored. I haven’t even left these past two days. How could I have taken your child?”

“Who else could it be if not you?” Sophia screamed hysterically.

The onlookers around us raised their phones to record, cursing me as a vicious woman.

Nico rushed in, pulled Sophia into his arms, and looked at me with burning anger.

“Lena, I didn’t expect you to be this cruel, not even sparing a baby!”

“I said it wasn’t me.”

He seethed, “If not you, then who? Do you have to drive her to death before you’re satisfied?”

I looked at him coldly. “Nico, if you have evidence that I took your child, then call the police. Let them decide.”

Hotel security stepped forward and stood in front of me. Nico left with Sophia, furious.

That night, I didn’t sleep well. My dreams were filled with scenes of my mother shooting herself, her blood splashing onto me, burning hot.

The next day, my nose was congested. When I went to the hospital to get medicine, I ran into Nico.

“We found the child. He’s in shock and has a high fever.”

He blocked my path. “Lena, if you have any grievances, take them out on me. Don’t hurt the innocent! Come with me now and apologize to Sophia and the child!”

Dizzy and irritated, I said, “Why should I apologize to that b*st*rd? I’d rather he were dead.”

Nico didn’t get angry. He only watched me leave.

After getting my medicine and arriving at the underground parking garage, a figure suddenly appeared behind me and covered my mouth and nose with a drugged cloth.

My vision blurred. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed.

A nurse was adjusting the IV, her tone sympathetic.

“You’re awake. The hysterectomy was successful. Please rest well…”

Hysterectomy?

I felt as if struck by lightning. I struggled to sit up but fell heavily to the ground.

Nico pushed the door open and looked at me.

“I ordered it.”

“The Luciano family already has a legitimate heir. Removing your uterus is a warning. So you won’t have improper thoughts in the future, giving birth to a child to compete for inheritance and disrupt the family.

“Only this way will Sophia feel at ease ending things with me.”

He bent down and touched my hair, his tone falsely gentle.

“The wedding will proceed as planned. I will give you everything a Luciano family donna should have, except a child.”

I tried to call the police, but Nico snatched my phone away.

“Don’t waste your effort. Stay here and recover. Tomorrow morning, I’ll send someone to take you to the wedding.”

I stared at him, hatred reaching its peak. “Get out!”

On the day of the wedding, the most luxurious hotel ballroom in New Haven was filled to capacity.

Nico kept checking his watch, but the bride never appeared.

“Don Nico, something’s wrong. Ms. Sorrentino is missing!”

At the same time, the large screen in the ballroom suddenly changed.

I was sitting in the council chamber at the Luciano family headquarters, with all the family elders standing behind me.

“On behalf of the Luciano family council, I hereby announce by unanimous vote that Nico Luciano is removed from his position as don, effective immediately. All his authority within the family is revoked.”