Chapter 3

Only Silvia and I remained in the underground garage. She slowly turned around, her gaze cutting into me like a knife.

After staring at me for a few seconds, she suddenly chuckled. "Don't think that just because Lorenzo spared you, this is over. I alone get to be Donna, so you'd better give up on that idea!"

With that, she walked away haughtily.

As she passed by me, she deliberately flicked her hair. The ends of her hair struck my face.

I rubbed my cheek, too bewildered to even get mad.

Lorenzo had killed countless people, so why had he let me go?

In fact, he hadn't even gotten angry about his car being destroyed like that.

The three birds seemed to realize they had caused trouble. They cautiously flew over and nuzzled my legs with their warm little heads.

"Mommy, don't be afraid. That mean woman is gone now."

I took a deep breath and pulled them tightly into my arms.

No matter what, I was no longer alone.

…

The next morning, Lorenzo went to inspect the branch office. No sooner had he left than my door was slammed open.

Silvia stood at the doorway. Even though she was smiling radiantly, her eyes were icy-cold.

Behind her stood a squad of burly men, each holding a pitch-black electric baton.

She swept her gaze over the three birds with sinister intent.

"Lorenzo is too busy to deal with you, so I'll take care of things for him. First of all, those ugly little wild birds can't stay here. Get them! Electrocute them and turn them into roast birds!"

The Soldati closed in on command, their batons crackling with electricity.

"Over my dead body!" I lunged forward wildly, shielding the birds with my own body. "They're not wild birds—they're my life! Don Fontana said he wouldn't pursue it yesterday, so what right do you have to do this?"

"Right?" Silvia laughed and slapped me hard across the face. "And what right does a lying little whore like you have to question me, the future Donna?"

I was struck so hard that my head whipped to one side. My ears wouldn't stop ringing, and blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.

I gritted my teeth and turned my head back. Then, I locked my eyes on hers, refusing to back down even an inch.

My stare must have unnerved her. She suddenly shoved me backward.

My head slammed against the wall with a bang, and the pain was so intense that darkness swam before my eyes.

Blood dripped down my forehead and into my eyes, painting my whole world in shades of crimson.

The three birds cried out in distress. Even though they didn't speak, I could clearly understand what they were saying.

"Mommy!"

Then, their eyes suddenly turned gold, and from their mouths came a blast of flame.

Silvia didn't have time to get out of the way, and the fire singed her perfectly styled hair on the spot. She shrieked and scrambled to put it out.

"You monsters can breathe fire too?" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Just where the heck did you all come from? Hey, are the electric batons in your hands just for show? Beat them to death! Get Alessia too! When Lorenzo returns, he'll praise me for handling this well."

Seven or eight electric batons came down on me in unison.

The moment the current shot through my body, I went completely rigid. Then, my muscles began to spasm uncontrollably.

However, I couldn't spare a thought for myself. I pulled the three birds close and held them tightly beneath me.

"Don't worry, sweethearts. I won't let anything happen to you all."

The electric batons came down on my back, my shoulders, and my thighs again and again with a harsh crackling sound. The current seared through my very bones, the pain so intense I nearly ground my teeth to dust.

Even when blood spilled from the corner of my mouth, I didn't make a sound. Instead, all I did was curl myself more tightly around the birds.

They wept softly in my arms.

"Don't hit my mommy. We're going to bite you to death!"

My body grew numb from the electric shocks, and my sight was growing dimmer with each passing second.

But it didn't matter. Even if I died, at least Vorn, Vex, and Vyre would live on.

Just as another baton was about to come crashing down on the back of my head, the door was kicked open from the outside with a deafening crash.

It was Lorenzo.

When he saw my horrific state, his usual indifferent expression darkened instantly.

"Everyone, stop right there."