Chapter 4

Lorenzo’s head tilted to the side, and a trace of blood immediately seeped from the corner of his mouth.

He covered his face, his eyes filled with shock and pain.

He probably couldn’t understand how someone so mentally weakened could still have such strength.

“Are you crazy? How dare you hit me?”

I slowly cupped his chin and warned him coldly, “Lorenzo, don’t push it.

“After a year of playing, have you forgotten what you really are?”

The affectionate look that was always in Lorenzo’s eyes flashed with a hint of panic for the first time.

This foolish man thought I had been poisoned into stupidity by his pills during this year.

My clarity and indifference today made him feel, for the first time, what it meant to lose control.

The car came to a steady stop outside the iron gates of the headquarters estate.

My stepsister, Angelina, stood arrogantly at the gate with several capos loyal to her.

She caught sight of the slap mark on Lorenzo’s face, froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.

“Oh my god, Annelise, did you get dumped by a man and get mad?

“What a loser.”

Lorenzo forced down the pain on his face and the humiliation in his heart, stepping in front of me.

According to plan, he sided with Angelina and deliberately raised his voice at me.

“Annelise! You can’t fight Angelina! Give the power to her, and let’s leave now!”

Angelina looked down at me, her tone sharp.

“Annelise, as long as you kneel and bow to me three times right now, I’ll spare your worthless life and let you run off with this pretty boy.”

I looked at the two of them putting on a show and sneered before slowly straightening my gloves.

“Then let’s see who will kneel today.”

After saying that, I walked straight toward the family gates and entered the meeting hall without giving them another look.

In the highest conference room, the atmosphere was heavy.

The don sat in the main seat, coughing violently, looking extremely ill.

Several capos who had long been bribed by Angelina exchanged glances, their eyes filled with greed.

Angelina couldn’t wait to stand up and present her “achievements” on the big screen.

“Elders, the casinos under Annelise have suffered heavy losses this year.

“Meanwhile, I not only recovered my losses, but also took control of all the marinas on the East Coast.

“Today, I demand to take over as donna!”

The capos nodded. A bespectacled consigliere stood up and pointed at me.

“Annelise, you’ve indulged in men and squandered the family’s assets. How can you still have the audacity to sit here?

“We should remove you completely and drive you out of New Haven!”

Several capos from Angelina’s faction immediately echoed him, openly accusing me of losing control this year, indulging in men, and ruining the family’s reputation and business.

“She should be expelled from the family to atone for her behavior!”

Voices rose one after another, and the entire conference room turned into a meeting condemning me.

At that moment, Lorenzo rushed in.

His face was full of “anxiety” and “affection” as he grabbed my hand.

“Annelise, don’t fight anymore! Give everything to Angelina! I’ll take you away, and we’ll travel the world. I’ll support you for the rest of your life!”

Angelina had already stood up in excitement, ready to receive the transfer of power.

All eyes were on me and the don.

Sitting there, I suddenly let out a soft laugh.

I shook off Lorenzo’s hand.

“Support me?” I raised an eyebrow, my gaze teasing.

“With your drugs that you thought could control me? Or with your body that serves both Angelina and me?”

“No way…”

His lips trembled uncontrollably.

“You clearly took them every day…”

Angelina’s face instantly turned red. She slammed the table and shouted, “Throw this madwoman out of the family!”

I ignored her shouting and slowly removed the glove from my right hand.

I raised my hand.

On my thumb was an ancient, heavy black-gold ring, engraved with the family emblem—a phoenix in flames.

The don’s ring was the symbol of the family’s highest authority.

The entire room fell silent.

“Impossible!”

Angelina screamed, “How could Father’s ring be on your hand?!”

At that moment, the “weak” don suddenly stopped coughing.

He stood up abruptly. His eyes were clear, without a trace of illness.

“Who said it’s impossible?”

The don laughed and walked over to me, personally draping a black head-of-family cloak over my shoulders.

“Annelise is the only heir I chose from the beginning!

“I pretended to be ill for a year just to draw out all of you ungrateful traitors!”

As soon as his words fell, the doors were kicked open.

Countless armed assassins rushed in.

Dozens of cold, silenced guns were pressed against the backs of Angelina and the traitorous capos.

I sat there, lifted a glass of red wine, and looked at the pale-faced Angelina with a smile.

“Kneel.”