Semua Bab Broken Heiress: My Paintings Judge the Wicked: Bab 1 - Bab 10

From then on, Aria began appearing frequently at events related to the Leone famiglia. Sometimes it was a charity auction; other times, it was an exclusive dinner at the harbor warehouses. Logically speaking, with her famiglia's status, she had absolutely no business being in those places. Yet, she always found a way. Sometimes she would show up as a plus-one for the scion of another famiglia, and other times she would be delivering confidential documents on someone's behalf. Like a needle, she threaded herself into the tightest seams of the Leone famiglia. Strangely, she didn't make a single move on Federico. On the contrary, she gifted me rare art anthologies, chatted with me about the Valrosa gallery and stolen famous paintings, and would smile as she praised my work, telling me my paintings had a unique spark and that I would surely make a name for myself one day. Aria had worn her heart on her sleeve to the point that I had once believed she truly loved art and truly wanted

"Give it back to me, Aria!" I reached out to snatch it back, but she deliberately tore the acceptance letter into shreds right in front of my eyes. At long last, I snapped. I lunged forward and slapped her hard across the face. But she wasn't upset. Instead, she slowly turned her head back around and smiled at someone behind me. I went rigid. Slowly, I followed the direction of her gaze. Federico was standing at the entrance. There was no telling how long he had been there. His expression was terrifyingly dark as his gaze swept across the shredded paper on the floor before finally settling on my face. I parted my lips, but my throat felt unbearably tight. "She was the one who—""That's enough!" he cut me off coldly. He didn't ask what that piece of paper was, nor did he ask why she was in my room. He merely spared me a single glance before calling his soldatos over. "Lock her in the disciplinary chamber." I stood frozen in place, staring at him in utter disbelief. There we

Third-Person POVLong after Sera's car had vanished from sight, Federico remained rooted to the spot. Back when he was choosing a gift, he had intended to bid on an expensive painting at an auction, but Aria had specifically requested this one. He hadn't questioned it and just given it to her. But why was she getting it authenticated now? Did she not plan on keeping it? Federico was skeptical by nature. Hence, he couldn't help but speculate, though his doubts were soon eclipsed by another thought—Sera.He never imagined their paths would cross again, let alone that she would look far better off than she had while living under the Leone residenza. The spoiled, petulant young lady was gone. Now, she conducted herself with effortless grace, without a single trace of insecurity left in her eyes. Sera was a far cry from the woman who had once been on her knees in front of them, weeping helplessly. His chest tightened sharply. Just then, his bodyguards from earlier stepped up again

Third-Person POV Every last drop of color drained from Federico's face. He had spent the entire drive here thinking about how to explain himself, how to apologize, and how to repair his relationship with Sera. He had even mapped out a solution for his famiglia. As long as Sera agreed, he could bring her right back to the Leone residenza. However, it had never even crossed his mind that another man would already be standing by Sera's side.He even recognized the man. Marino was also a Don, with considerable power and influence. In fact, the two of them had frequently crossed paths over the years. To think that this man had been hiding his woman right under his nose. Federico's blood boiled as he dwelled on that thought. Part of him wanted to storm upstairs right now and shoot him dead. However, he couldn't. So, he called his soldato and ordered a full investigation into the Vitale famiglia, specifically targeting Don Marino.Then, he waited until Marino's car had finally dri

Given the stellar reputation I had already established in our circles, the public trusted my judgment implicitly. In an instant, the buyers erupted in outrage, as the least expensive of those paintings was worth millions of dollars. These collectors were all influential figures who had purchased the works out of trust in the Leone famiglia. To discover they had been swindled was an unforgivable betrayal. To be fair, plenty of mafia syndicates dabbled in the exact same trade, but the Leone famiglia was the first to ever be exposed. After hearing the news, countless partners canceled their cooperation with the Leone famiglia, and the Leones went ahead and directly impeached Federico from his position as Don. When our paths crossed again, it was late evening. He looked haggard, his eyes bloodshot. The moment he caught sight of me, his voice trembled uncontrollably. "Why? Why did you expose me? Those paintings were all replicated by your father! If he were alive to see you destroy hi