Elvira left her seat at intermission to touch up her makeup. When she stepped out of the restroom, she saw Vincent leaning against the wall in the hallway, smoking.

She tried to walk past without looking at him, but he grabbed her wrist.

"Why did you sell the gifts I gave you?"

His voice was quiet, with a hint of roughness.

Elvira lifted her eyes, her tone edged with sarcasm. "Why did you step in earlier? Are you going to say it's because I'm Lilian's friend, or maybe because I'm Elena's sister?"

Vincent pressed his fingers against his brow, a hint of fatigue flickering across his face. "You're always like a hedgehog, prickles out all the time. How does that help you?"

How did that help her?

If she didn't protect herself like that, this family and Elena would have devoured her long ago.

"My matters have nothing to do with you," Elvira answered, jerking her hand free. "And as for men, I can have as many as I want. You don't get a say on it either."

His voice dropped lower. "Where are you going?"

She didn't answer him. She turned and walked away.

She returned to her seat, wanting this farce to end so she could leave Norwell for good.

However, when the next auction item appeared, her expression froze.

It was a blue diamond ring. The design was vintage and elegant. Inside the band, she could see the account password for a secret bank in Norwell engraved into the metal.

That ring had been her mother's most cherished possession. It was the last form of protection her mother left for her.

Her gaze shot to Elena, and the smug look in Elena's eyes said everything. Antonio must have stolen her mother's ring and given it to Elena, who then gave it to a charity auction just to humiliate her.

Elvira forced herself to stay calm and took part in the bidding. She couldn't let her mother's ring fall into anyone else's hands.

After several intense rounds of bidding, Elvira went all in and finally won the ring. Relief washed through her as she stood to collect the ring.

Just then, Elena suddenly rose. "Wait."

Her tone was gentle, but the malice behind it was clear. "I made a mistake. I brought the wrong item. This ring is my personal keepsake, and I must've mixed it up. Sorry, but I'm not planning on auctioning it."

With that, she took the ring, flashed Elvira a smile of victory, and turned to leave.

Elvira hurried after her, catching her outside the club. "Elena, give the ring back. I'll pay you whatever amount you want."

"I'm not short on money."

Elena toyed with the ring, smiling cruelly. "You've always been so proud and cared so much about appearances. If you want it, you can go down there and pick it up yourself."

She walked to the edge of the man-made lake and tossed the ring into the dark water.

Elvira jumped into the freezing lake without a second of hesitation.

Mud clung to her clothes and smeared the makeup across her face, but none of that mattered. She searched the bottom blindly, her fingers scraping against sharp stones.

That ring was the only remaining piece of her mother. She couldn't lose it.

…

When Vincent came out after finishing his cigarette, the first thing he saw was Elvira struggling in the lake. His brows tightened, and he hurried toward the water.

He reached his hand toward her, his voice tinged with suppressed fury. "Elvira, get out of there!"

She pushed his hand away and kept searching.

Finally, her fingertips brushed something solid and cold. She grabbed it and clutched it tightly, dragging herself out of the lake, soaked from head to toe.

Vincent looked at the ring in her hand, his eyes dark. "You donated hundreds of millions like it was nothing, yet you're willing to throw your life away for a trinket like this?"

"You don't understand anything!" Elvira was trembling from the cold and from anger. "You're the one who said we were done, so do me a favor and leave me alone, Vincent. Don't talk to me either."

Her words pierced straight through him. His body stiffened, his pupils constricting.

Just then, Elena approached, reaching immediately for the ring. "Thank you for retrieving it for me."

"This belonged to my mother!"

Elvira held on tightly, refusing to release it.

"Vincent, my mom gave it to me…" Elena said softly, turning to him with wet eyes.

Vincent looked at Elvira's stubborn grip, then at Elena's expectant gaze. His hand closed around Elvira's wrist. "Let go," he demanded sharply.

Elvira glared at him, her eyes bloodshot. "No!"

Vincent used more and more force, practically relying on brute strength as he pried her fingers open one by one.

A sharp crack sounded, and Elvira let out a stifled cry of pain. Her wrist had been snapped by him, just like that.

Agony rushed through her entire body. Her face turned completely pale as she stared at the cold and ruthless man in front of her, unable to believe what he had just done.

Elena took the chance to snatch the ring, shot Elvira a triumphant look, and walked off while holding onto Vincent's arm.

Elvira held back the pain and tried to chase after them, but as soon as they stepped back into the club, the lighting rig above suddenly came loose and dropped straight toward Elena.

Vincent reacted immediately and shoved Elena out of the way. The side of the heavy frame ended up scraping against the back of Elvira's head.

"Elena!"

His expression shifted dramatically. He lifted Elena into his arms and ran toward the parking lot without once looking at Elvira, who was curled up on the floor in pain.

The pain had her on the edge of losing consciousness as she clutched at her fractured wrist. Fortunately, she was taken to the hospital by a kind passerby.

When the doctor examined her injuries, he couldn't help but ask, "Who did this to you?"

Elvira didn't respond. She stared out the window, her tears falling silently. Her heart hurt far more than her body did.

Elvira had barely settled into her ward when Vincent walked in with a dark expression on his face. "Elvira, I checked the security footage. You bribed the club staff and loosened the lighting rig on purpose because you wanted to kill Elena, didn't you?"

His voice was cold enough to cut.

She found it ridiculous and looked at him coolly. "No, I didn't."

"Who else would harbor this much hatred toward Elena if not you?" Vincent stepped closer. "I truly underestimated you, Elvira. You're reckless and capable of doing anything!"

"I said I didn't do it. You have no right to accuse me." Elvira's entire body shook with anger, and the pain in her wrist nearly made her collapse.

"I'm accusing you?"

Vincent took out his phone and dialed a number, speaking into it with a cold command. "Elvira Corleone, the daughter of the Corleone family, is suspected of assault. Send people over and lock her up for a few days until she learns."

"Vincent!"

Elvira stared at him in fear, unable to believe he was actually using his connections to have her thrown in a detention center.

No matter how she struggled or tried to explain, nothing helped.

Soon, uniformed officers arrived at the ward. They all belonged to the Allen family and followed Vincent's orders without hesitation.

…

Ignoring the doctor's protest and Elvira's condition, the police took her away by force.

Life in the detention center was a living hell.

The three women in the same cell were clearly following Elena's instructions and bullying her in every way possible.

They knew Elvira was the daughter of a Mafia family, but they also knew she had fallen from power and had no one left to protect her.

Beatings became routine. Her already fractured wrist was deliberately stomped on again and again, each time sending unbearable pain through her body. Her wounds became infected and inflamed. New injuries layered over the old, and the blood never stopped.

Elvira curled up in the corner like an abandoned stray. She even started to wonder if she would make it out alive.

Just when she was on the brink of collapsing and giving up completely, her phone buzzed. It was a notification that her visa to go abroad had been approved.

At that moment, Elvira latched onto it like a lifeline.

She couldn't die here. She needed to leave Norwell, survive, and make sure everyone who hurt her paid the price.

Fueled by that belief, she forced herself through the days that followed.

…

A few days later, when Elvira was finally released, she was barely recognizable. Covered in injuries, she was weak and close to passing out.

Dragging her broken body, she took a cab back to the Corleone residence. She only wanted to grab her luggage and head straight for the airport.

As soon as she walked inside, she saw her best friend Lilian.

Lilian had just returned from traveling around the world. The moment she heard what had happened to Elvira, she rushed over immediately.

The second she saw Elvira in that state, Lilian burst into tears and hugged her tightly while apologizing profusely, "Elvira, I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I never liked Elena and knew Vincent still had feelings for her, so I encouraged you to go after him.

"I never imagined it would turn out like this. If I had known, I would never have let you go, even if it killed me."

Elvira shook her head. Her voice was hoarse and barely audible. "It's not your fault. It's over now, and I've already let it go. I'm leaving Norwell. I won't ever come back."

Lilian froze and tried to stop her. "Elvira, don't go. Stay here. I'll take care of you. I'll protect you. I won't let my brother get away with this."

"No," Elvira murmured. "There's nothing here worth staying for."

Seeing the emptiness and finality in Elvira's eyes, Lilian knew nothing she said would change her mind. With red, swollen eyes, she helped Elvira pack her remaining belongings.

Before leaving, Elvira took one last look at the house that held all her childhood memories and was now full of betrayal and darkness.

She took out a can of gasoline she had prepared long ago. Ignoring the housekeepers trying to stop her, she poured it in every corner without a change in expression, then lit a lighter.

Flames shot up instantly, swallowing everything from the past.

All the false affection, hopeless love, and cruel abuse were turned to ashes with the fire.

Elvira picked up her luggage and walked away without a single glance back.

Lilian drove her to the airport and kept apologizing the entire way, saying she would give Elvira the power of judgment over Bayton Harbor's underground scene as compensation.

Yet, Elvira shook her head and leaned against the car window, watching the scenery blur past. "No need. Letting go of the wrong person is the only way to meet the right one. I'm pretty. I'll definitely find someone better in the future."

Lilian quickly agreed. "You're right. You're the prettiest, Elvira. You'll find someone who cherishes you."

…

When they reached the airport, Lilian clung to her and sobbed uncontrollably. "Elvira, you have to live well, and make them regret everything!"

Elvira hugged her back and gave her a gentle pat before letting go. She gave a carefree wave, then turned and walked toward security.

Lilian watched her silhouette disappear into the long hallway and finally broke down, crouching on the floor as she cried.

After a long while, she gathered the courage to call Vincent. The phone rang for a long time before he finally answered.

"Vincent," she said in a nasally tone, her voice strained with anger. "I know you like Elena, but Elvira was with you for three years. She's leaving now, and she'll never come back. Are you not going to send her off?"

The line went silent.

A few seconds later, Vincent's voice came through, with a barely detectable tension and hoarseness. "Who... did you say is leaving?"