But then, Silas pushed up his glasses. He looked down at me like I was trash, his voice devoid of any warmth as he warned Julian.

"Don't break her. The Don enjoys breaking the stubborn ones himself. Leave her just like this—full of fight. Let the boss tame her in bed."

Hearing that, my heart plummeted into an abyss of absolute despair.

Of course. The old guard who knew my face had all died in that gang war years ago.

These new bloods didn't know who I was. To them, I was just a toy being served up to the Don!

Seeing Silas let it go, Julian breathed a sigh of relief. That sickening, pathetic grin crept back onto his face.

Crushed by absolute power, he didn't dare breathe wrong in front of the Mafia, so he dumped all his useless rage onto me.

Like a rabid dog, he lunged at me again, grabbed me by the shoulders, and shoved me violently toward the heavy mahogany double doors at the end of the hall!

"Die, you cheap whore!" he cursed, his eyes manic. "Crawl in there! Even if he fucks you to death, you make sure the Don is happy!"

I stumbled. My forehead slammed into the heavy doorframe.

A dull pain hit me. Blood dripped down my temple and blurred my vision.

Then, the doors slowly opened.

I wiped the blood from my eye with my thumb. I looked up with hope in my heart.

The doors swung wide open.

Julian shoved me inside. I fell onto the thick carpet.

Julian and Chloe followed right behind me. They gasped when they saw the room.

The VIP room was huge and lavish. Stacks of dirty cash covered the tables. Priceless paintings covered the walls.

Right in the center hung a massive oil painting. A girl’s back.

She was looking over her shoulder. A dark gold falcon tattoo showed on her shoulder blade.

The ultimate crest of the Valenti family heir.

My father actually hung my portrait here.

"You brought this trash to the Don?"

A shrill, nasty voice cut through my thoughts. It shattered my hopes completely.

The person in the room wasn't my father!

Stella walked out of the shadows. She wore an expensive couture gown and stiletto heels.

Just another cheap flavor of the week. She obviously didn't recognize me either.

She saw my pure, cold face. Pure envy flashed in her eyes.

"Get this cheap bitch out of here!" Stella snapped.

Julian nearly wet himself. He bowed like a dog.

"Miss Stella! You misunderstand!" He pointed at me, desperate to save himself. "She’s just a cheap toy! I owe the Don $50 million. I brought this whore here for him to use!"

"Yes, Miss Stella." Chloe chimed in, sucking up to her. "She’s great at seducing men. The Don will have a great time breaking her."

I gasped for air. Terror crawled up my spine.

If my father wasn't here, these people would kill me!

"What are you staring at?!"

My bloody, tear-stained glare pissed Stella off.

She stormed over. She raised her hand and slapped me across the face!

Smack!

The hit knocked me to the floor. My ears rang.

"Ah!" I cried out.

I ignored my swelling cheek. I scrambled backward. I screamed in a hoarse voice to warn them.

"Don't touch me... I am Don Victor's daughter! You can't touch me!"

Dead silence for a second.

Then, Julian and Chloe burst into manic laughter.

"Hahaha! The Don's daughter?" Julian laughed until he cried. He pointed at my nose. "Are you out of your fucking mind? A broke painter who can't pay rent? You think you're the Mafia Princess?"

Chloe held her stomach. "Vivian, are you losing your fucking mind? You really think you're some high-class heiress?"

Stella felt insulted. She laughed in pure rage.

She grabbed my hair. She looked at me like I was a bug.

"I am the only woman the Don cares about in New York!" Stella hissed. "Who the fuck are you? A lying, cheap slut!"

Thud!

Julian kicked the back of my knees.

Pain shot through my legs. I crashed down to my knees.

"Stay down!" Julian pinned my calf with his boot. He looked up at Stella to claim credit. "Miss Stella, don't be mad. Let me handle this crazy bitch!"

I struggled wildly. My leg bones hurt under his boot.

Stella picked up a sharp cigar cutter from the desk.

She walked up to me. She bent down and pressed the cold blade against my left cheek.

"I hate your face," she smiled wickedly.

"Let's see if the Don still wants you after I shred it!"

She pressed down hard. The sharp tip sliced open my cheek.

Sharp pain flared. I shook with terror. Tears streamed down my face.

"Please... stop... let me go!"

My crying didn't stop her. It just made Stella shake with anger.

"You cheap dog! Stop playing the victim!"

She screamed like a maniac. She raised the cigar cutter high.

"Hold her down! I'll teach you what happens when you mess with me!"

"Yes! Miss Stella!"

Julian looked sick and excited. He put all his weight on my shoulders. He pinned me hard against the edge of the marble table.

Chloe stood there shaking with excitement. Her eyes shined with cruel anticipation.

"I’ll show you who’s boss!" Stella shrieked.

She gripped the cutter and plunged it toward my face!

The blade sliced through my skin.

Flesh peeled back. Hot blood spilled out. It dripped onto the marble table.

"Hold her tight!" Stella shrieked with joy.

Julian pressed me flat against the edge. His sick breath hit my ear.

"Hurry up and die, Vivian. I can't wait to collect your money."

My heart turned to ice. The man I loved was pure evil. The pain ripped a scream from my throat.

"Ahhhh!"

Stella raised the bloody cutter again. This time, she aimed right for my eye!

I jerked my head in pure terror.

The blade missed my eye but slashed my temple. It cut deep to the bone. Blood instantly blinded my left eye.

"Hahaha! Serves you right!"

Stella, Julian, and Chloe looked at my bloody face. They laughed like lunatics.

I was breaking. The pain was blinding. Even my breaths tasted like blood.

I let the blood drip off my chin. I glared at them through a crimson haze.

Even bleeding out, I gave them a look of pure death. That look pissed Stella off even more.

"Still glaring at me?!" Stella fumed. Her wicked eyes dropped to my right hand. "You're a painter, right? Let's see you paint without a hand!"

"Julian! Pin her right hand!"

Julian was loving it. He slammed my right hand flat onto the marble.

He drove his knee hard into my lower back. I couldn't move.

Stella turned around. She grabbed a heavy bronze statue from the desk.

She lifted it high. She aimed at my hand and smashed it down with all her might!

"Ugh!"

Bones shattered. The world went black. A muffled groan escaped my throat. Tears poured down my face.

Agony ripped through my nerves. My right hand was completely destroyed.

"No... my hand..." I sobbed in absolute despair.

Stella leaned in close. She wanted to watch me suffer.

I gritted my teeth. I used the pain. I threw my entire body forward and headbutted her right in the face!

My forehead crushed her nose.

"Ahhhh!" Stella shrieked. Blood spurted from her nose. She stumbled backward.

Her face twisted in pain. She lunged at me in a fury. She grabbed the lace collar of my dress and ripped it!

The cheap lace tore. And she violently yanked the old silver necklace off my neck.

It was my mother's dying gift. Julian always thought it was cheap junk.

Clack.

The silver pendant hit the marble floor. The cheap silver shell cracked wide open.

The room fell dead silent.

Because out of the broken shell, a heavy, solid gold medallion dropped to the marble. A dark falcon crest gleamed under the lights.

It was the Valenti family's most sacred token. The ultimate symbol of power, held only by the Don himself!

Stella stopped screaming.

She stared at the unique token on the floor. She knew exactly what it meant.

Pure terror swallowed her alive. She shook uncontrollably. Her lips turned pale as she backed away.

I didn't care about my torn dress. I looked at the door with my bloody eyes. I roared with tears and despair.

"Victor! Get out here and look at what your damn men are doing!"

Hearing the Don's name again made Stella crack.

To hide her massive fear, she screamed louder. "It's fake! It's a fake token! You cheap bitch! You dared to forge the family crest!"

"Julian! Strip her naked! Throw her to the auction block right now! Let a hundred men take turns with her!"

Julian's eyes flashed with sick excitement.

He didn't hesitate. He reached out his dirty hands, ready to tear off whatever clothes I had left.

Just as his fingertips brushed my skin.

The Mafia Boss, Don Victor, stepped into the room. He brought an icy chill with him.

Stella and Julian jumped. Then they instantly switched back to their disgusting, ass-kissing faces.

"Don Victor! You're finally here!" Julian dropped me. He ran up to him like a dog.

But Victor didn't even look at him.

His ruthless, cold eyes cut through everyone. They locked dead onto the marble table.

He saw me. He saw the blood everywhere. And he saw his wife's golden token.

He was the cold-blooded tyrant of the American underworld.

But right now, the ruthless tyrant froze. Shock, heartbreak, and pure apocalyptic fury shattered his cold mask.

I fought through the agonizing pain. Tears and blood dripped down my face. I gave him a hopeless, broken smile.

"Daddy..."