Chapter 2

With my mangled hands exposed to the air, waves of burning pain drilled into the bone.

My eyes reddened, and I lowered my head to explain.

"While I was cleaning this morning, I knocked over some corrosive cleaner. I didn't want to frighten Miss Moretti, so I kept my hands behind my back."

This was the fallback I had prepared long ago, after my rebirth.

I had kept a small vial of corrosive solution hidden on me. The moment Bianca demanded a massage, I knew something was wrong, and behind my back, I crushed the vial in my grip.

The searing pain spread from my palms through my whole body. I clamped my teeth down and showed nothing.

Rossi's gaze fell on my ruined hands. In his usually cold, unfeeling eyes, something like pity flickered and vanished.

The next moment, his brow furrowed hard.

"Your hands are ruined and you're still parading around the house? Are you trying to scare Bianca?"

With that, he turned to shield Bianca and gently covered her eyes with his hand.

"Don't look. It's filthy."

Then he glanced back at me, his voice like ice.

"Get back to your room."

I said nothing more. Hands dripping blood, I turned and went back to my room.

The moment the door closed, my legs gave out. I sagged heavily against the cold wall and barely stayed upright.

My back was soaked through with cold sweat, my clothes plastered to my skin.

I wrenched the faucet open. Water blasted over the raw wounds, and the pain drilled so deep I shook all over.

Once the corrosive residue was rinsed away, I took out the ointment I had prepared, dressed the wounds carefully, and wrapped the bandages tight, loop after loop.

Only when I finished did I realize I had been clenching my jaw so hard that my teeth ached down to the roots.

The room had just gone quiet when a soft knock came at the door.

"Miss Hale, the Don's orders. You are to attend the charity gala tomorrow evening."

That one sentence sent a fresh layer of cold sweat over my back before it had even dried.

I would never forget that gala.

In my previous life, that was where Rossi first formally introduced me to Luca Bellini, a man with a twisted temper and vicious methods.

Luca had been more than satisfied with what he saw. After the gala, he sent people to Rossi again and again, asking for me.

In this life, I would not let history repeat itself.

I picked up what I had prepared and opened the door.

"Understood. Oh, and Easter is coming. I made some chocolates myself. Please hand them out to the men."

The servant's face fell, and he hesitated, not daring to answer.

I raised my eyes to him, my expression cool and my voice firm.

"Officially, I am still the Don's girlfriend. Protecting the Family's reputation on important holidays is part of my duty. I've done it every year. Just do as you're told."

The servant didn't dare refuse again. He took the chocolates and withdrew.

Late that night, my bedroom door opened without warning.

Rossi stood there in a dark shirt, and a crushing pressure flooded the room, so heavy my breath caught.

He closed in step by step, his dark gaze locked on me.

"Don't think I don't know you're playing games."

My chest seized, and my palms went damp with sweat, but I forced my face to stay calm.

"I don't know what you mean."

Before I could finish, his large hand shot out and locked around my throat.

I couldn't breathe. His grip felt strong enough to crush the bones in my neck.

In my previous life, if he had done this to me, I would have fought him tooth and nail. Maybe even pulled a gun on him.

But now I only held my back rigid, my face red from lack of air, and made no move to fight him.

"Talk." Malice churned in his eyes. "What did you put in the chocolates?"

My breath came ragged, but I forced the words out.

"Inside... just slips of paper with little sayings, same as tradition. No different from every other year.

"I was only trying to help you keep up the Family's image."

He stared into my eyes, searching for any sign that I was hiding something.

After several seconds of silence, he finally, slowly, let go.

The pressure on my throat vanished. Air rushed in, and I couldn't stop coughing.

He towered over me as he delivered his warning.

"I've already had the men who got your chocolates dump every last one in the sewer. My brothers do not eat anything that comes from your hand.

"I know what you're doing. You're trying to win people over and turn them against Bianca becoming my wife. I'm warning you: don't let me catch you playing any more tricks."

With that, he did not spare me another glance. He turned and walked out.

The instant the door shut, my legs buckled and I dropped straight to my knees on the icy floor.

But the faintest smile tugged at one corner of my mouth.

I had known all along that the servant would take the chocolates straight to Rossi for inspection.

The part of the chocolates that mattered was never inside them. It was the wrapping.

In the corner of every single wrapper, I had printed a tiny rose emblem.

That was the signal I had arranged with my contact, who had been in hiding for years.

The moment my contact saw the mark, our plan would begin.

I had never wanted Rossi's love. I wanted his complete destruction.