Chapter 4

"Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for attending the launch of Cosima AI."

Applause swept through the venue as Serafina stood on stage and spoke with calm confidence, drawing steady gasps from the audience below.

"This emotional AI system, named by my mother, represents the purest and most flawless love in the world. It will be integrated into our latest companion-style simulation robots. The first batch starts at 8 million dollars, and is limited to 100 units. The bidding begins now."

…

As the numbers climbed higher and higher, tears welled in Serafina's eyes.

She'd gambled everything, pouring all of the Gambino Group's assets into this research team, and she'd been right.

Serafina was about to turn the tide. Years of suppression, Cosima's humiliation, and the secret she'd carried for so long would finally be washed away after today.

When the final unit price was locked at 50 million dollars, she steadied herself and walked toward the podium.

She was about to announce that this successful investment belonged entirely to the once-renowned Gambino Group.

Just as her fingers brushed the microphone, Niccolo stepped forward and took it first.

"Thank you, Serafina, for this thoughtful wedding gift for your sister-in-law. I didn't expect you to put in so much effort, even naming it after our mother so she could bless us from above."

The large screen displayed a patent transfer agreement stamped with the Gambino Group's official seal and Serafina's signature.

The transferee was Matilde.

Serafina went still. For five years, she'd conducted this research in secret to prevent interference from the Greco family. How had he known?

Unless…

Her eyes snapped toward the audience. The one man who had ever made her heart skip was right there, watching her quietly, as if he was waiting for her to demand an explanation from him.

Serafina didn't know how she made it off the stage.

She didn't know how she slipped the sapphire ring off her finger either. All she knew was that it struck the ground in front of Alessandro with a sharp crack.

He froze for a second, then bent down and picked it up, gently brushing the dust from its surface.

"What is it? You're not afraid of getting close to me anymore?"

He reached out casually, as if to take her hand, but the moment he saw the tears streaming down her face, he stopped.

In all these years, he had never seen Serafina cry.

His chest heaved, and something crept into his heart, a hint of panic he didn't even seem aware of.

"Amore mio, it was urgent. The company Niccolo planned to give Matilde ran into trouble. Since you had your launch today, we borrowed your research for now."

When she didn't respond, he lifted his hand to wipe away her tears.

"Do you have any idea how much it hurts me to see you cry?

"I didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd get upset, and it would affect the baby. As for Gambino Group, I'll figure out a way to help you revive it. But without this gesture of goodwill from the Greco family, the Denaro family wouldn't acknowledge Matilde."

Serafina avoided his touch and shouted, "Whether the Denaro family acknowledges her has nothing to do with me!"

Alessandro's brows drew together slightly. "Serafina, you've always been levelheaded. Why are you being so petty now? She's your sister-in-law. Her reputation affects the future of the Greco family."

Serafina kept backing up until she caught sight of Matilde walking onto the stage to speak.

The last thread of restraint inside her snapped.

She grabbed the wine glass nearest to her and hurled it at Alessandro, then the vase and the display pieces she had arranged with such care.

Alessandro didn't dodge. He caught each item in silence.

Red wine soaked into his white shirt, spreading across the fabric, and the stark contrast only accentuated his striking features.

The crowd began to close in. As men pressed nearer, Serafina felt nausea surge up violently, and she started retching uncontrollably.

Her female bodyguards rushed in, pushing the approaching men aside, but as Serafina straightened, she saw Matilde looking at her from the stage, a provocative smile curling at the edges of her lips.

Serafina felt her blood boil. She stormed onto the stage, seized Matilde by the hair, and yanked hard, trying to drag her down.

Gasps rippled through the venue.

At the same time, Alessandro and Niccolo gave the same order in unison. "Pull Serafina away!"

In an instant, two groups of tall bodyguards surged forward and overwhelmed Serafina's female guards one by one.

A dark wave of bodies closed in around her. In the chaos, someone tore at her gown, and the fabric ripped. Under the harsh spotlight, her body was laid bare.

Serafina trembled as she tried to push herself up, but she was knocked down again and again. Sweaty hands reached for her like snakes, and tears streamed down her face as she backed away in fear.

"Ora basta!"

A gunshot cracked through the air, and everyone halted.

Alessandro stood there with a gun raised, his expression ice-cold, the pressure in the room dropping so sharply that no one dared make a sound.

He moved through the crowd until he reached her and draped his suit jacket over her shoulders.

When she lifted her eyes to him, the frost in her gaze made him stiffen.

Serafina shrugged his suit jacket off.

She pulled the coat from one of her female bodyguards and wrapped it tightly around herself before walking away under their protection.

Through the crowd, her voice carried back to him.

"Alessandro Madonia, I regret ever meeting you."