Chapter 1

Sophia Rossi looked down at me, her eyes filled with contempt.

“Who gave you permission to use the Don's name? Don't think you can act close to him just because you overheard the don's name.”

I bit my pale lips tightly, not daring to move, terrified that any sudden motion would speed up the blood loss.

The tearing pain in my lower abdomen made me tremble all over, but weakly, I raised my head and told her, “The child I’m carrying… it really is Brett's. If this baby dies, none of you can afford the consequences...”

Sophia covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

“What a fake. Don Brett Falcone doesn't even have an official girlfriend, so where would a child come from? If you want to use such a lame excuse to scam money, you've picked the wrong person.”

She didn't know, of course.

Brett had enemies everywhere, and to protect me, he kept my identity completely hidden. The outside world believed the mafia boss didn't touch women, and even his right-hand men had never seen me.

This secrecy, originally meant to save my life, had now become a deadly death sentence.

A few meters away, the snow was stained red with blood.

I tried hard to control my struggle as I reached out to grab the black-clothed henchman’s pant leg.

“Please... move aside… Take me to the hospital... Nothing can happen to my child...”

However, the two henchmen pinning my shoulders didn't budge. One of them even lifted his foot and stomped hard on the back of my hand.

My bones made a sickening crunch.

“Boss's orders. Until Miss Sophia nods, not even a fly is allowed to fly out.”

I broke out in a cold sweat from the pain, as my abdomen cramped in relentless waves. My consciousness was fading fast.

“Baby... hang on a little longer...” I murmured under my breath. “Mommy will take you to see a doctor right away!”

For the sake of the child in my belly, I put down all my dignity and weakly grabbed the henchman’s pant leg again.

“Let the medical staff outside come in... I’m begging you... as long as you save my child, I'll trade my own life for it...”

The lead henchman pulled out a black handgun and pressed it directly against my forehead.

“Shut up. That thing in your belly isn't worth much. If you make another scene, I'll kill you right now.”

The area was packed with onlookers. Nearby, a few maintenance workers in work clothes couldn't watch any longer.

They raised their wrenches and shouted, “Does being in the mafia mean you can disregard human life?!”

“Clear the road! The ambulance can't get in!”

“That's a pregnant woman!”

The crowd’s emotions started getting out of control, and some tried to push past the men on the perimeter.

Then, a gunshot rang out.

The lead henchman fired a deafening shot into the sky. In an instant, the crowd covered their heads and crouched down in fear.

Several submachine guns cocked at once, their dark muzzles pointing straight at the crowd.

“Take one step forward, and you die.”

Sophia looked at the terrified civilians, satisfied.

She walked up to me, reached into her bag, and pulled out a few large bills before slapping them onto my face.

“Poor people never change. All this drama just to extort a payout.”

She stepped on a piece of broken glass that had fallen from a Bentley headlight, still smeared with car oil.

“Eat all the broken glass on the ground. As long as you eat it clean, I’ll show mercy and let those doctors outside come in to collect your body.”

I trembled with rage. “You're trying to kill me!”

Sophia sneered and raised her foot, kicking away the hands protecting my belly.

“I'll give you ten seconds. If you don't eat it, I'll have the motorcade run straight over your belly right now.”

Severe contractions came wave after wave, and warm blood had already soaked through my woolen coat.

With the child’s movements in my belly growing weaker and weaker, I was forced to make a choice.

I slowly crawled toward that pile of broken glass and grabbed a handful of sharp shards and stuffed them into my mouth. Though blood poured out from the corners of my mouth in large streams, I chewed mechanically, forcing it down my throat.

My throat was cut into countless slits, hurting until it cramped in severe pain. With air leaking from my windpipe, my voice came out hideously raspy.

“I ate it. Quick, let the doctors in. Save my child...”