Chapter 3

My wound got infected. I came down with a fever and was out cold for two whole days.

On the third day of my fever, Luca came to see me.

He'd heard I was finally recovering, so he brought cinnamon apple puffs and creamy soup from my favorite place and came into my bedroom.

"The gunshot wound in your shoulder hasn't healed yet. How could you run around like that? Look how badly it's infected."

"I talked to the doctor. You have to rest for the next few days."

Then he opened the container and carefully fed me a spoonful of soup.

As the warm soup went down, my shivering eased, and a little life seemed to return to my body.

"Luca, I—"

"Sienna, don't blame me for losing my temper that day."

Luca cut me off. "Do you know what happened? Ivy was livestreaming herself opening the gifts that day. That stunt of yours humiliated her in front of everyone watching. While you were in bed with a fever, she spent the next two days being torn apart online. When she came to me today, she was in tears. She said she couldn't take it anymore."

"You know she isn't from our world. She's always been timid and sensitive. This destroyed her. She's too ashamed even to show her face now."

It felt as if something had stabbed me in the heart. First it hurt, then it went numb.

It took me a moment to react. Then I asked coldly, "What exactly are you trying to say? You want me to apologize to her?"

"Luca, I told you, I didn't do any of this! I'd never stoop so low as to fight her over anything. She's not worth it!"

"Sienna Rinaldi!"

Luca's face darkened with anger.

"Then what do you want from her? Do you want her dead?"

"You keep saying you didn't do it. Then what about Ivy? Why would she put herself through all this just to frame you?"

I burst out laughing.

So it was true. When people were utterly helpless, all they could do was laugh.

I'd been unconscious for two full days, and I thought his conscience had finally kicked in and he'd come to see me. He'd gone all that way to buy my favorite food, but none of it was really for me.

It was for Ivy.

"Why are you asking me? Ask her why she framed me."

My voice shook, and I couldn't stop it.

"But apologize to her? Not a chance in hell."

I turned away and refused to look at him.

For a moment, the room seemed to freeze.

After a long pause, Luca said coldly, "Fine. Then don't blame me for what happens next."

He handed me his phone. A video was playing on the screen.

One of the Rinaldi family's undercover operatives lay on the ground, writhing in pain.

I went white.

"Bruno? What happened to him?"

"He got into a fight yesterday and was stabbed. The blade was coated with... snake venom."

Luca's voice was so soft, as if none of it mattered.

"The only available antivenom is at a pharmaceutical company owned by the Marchetti Group."

"If you're willing to apologize, I'll send someone to save him right away."

For a second, I couldn't process what I'd just heard.

Bruno Costa had protected my family for years. His family had been loyal to ours for generations.

He was one of the few bodyguards I'd brought with me to New York.

I was the one who had sent him to work for the Marchetti family.

He had watched me grow up. He had always doted on me and treated me with the utmost respect. And I was the one who had put him in danger...

"Krait venom. It kills in two hours. You don't have much time, Sienna."

At the thought of Bruno's kind, gentle smile, tears sprang to my eyes.

I grabbed Luca's wrist. "I'll apologize! I was wrong! I'll post an apology right now. Please, don't drag innocent people into this! Save Bruno. Get the antivenom now!"

With shaking hands, I took out my phone.

With red-rimmed eyes, I recorded an apology video.

"I'm sorry. I let my jealousy get the better of me and said awful things about Ms. Palmer. I never should have called her names. I was wrong. From now on, I wish Don Marchetti and Ms. Palmer nothing but the best... And I ask everyone in the Rinaldi family to leave Ms. Palmer alone..."

I choked out the final words, then posted the video to every East Coast alliance group chat, one by one.

I also uploaded it to social media for the rest of the world to see.

Now everyone would see me as the spoiled Mafia heiress who'd tormented an innocent girl.

Luca looked a little moved.

By the time I finished, 10 minutes had passed. My voice was hoarse. "Luca, I promise I'll never make trouble again. You two can be together. I'll disappear from your life completely. Please, don't hurt my family..."