Nothing But This

Everyone knew that the mafia family's second son, Luca Romano, loved Serena Vitale to his very bones. Five years ago, Serena climbed into bed with the Romano family's eldest son, Adriano Romano. Photos from that night spread everywhere, but Luca quietly suppressed them all. Four years ago, Serena gave birth to Adriano's child, but Luca raised the baby as his own. He could forgive Serena for anything she did, as long as she loved him. The underworld whispered that Serena stayed with Luca not out of love but to grab at the mafia's power and influence. Luca did not care. He poured every ounce of his strength into treating Serena and the child well, but it was not enough. Serena became Adriano's caged canary instead. The night they broke up, she threw his illegitimate birth in his face to humiliate him. Yet she willingly, even gladly, let herself be imprisoned by Adriano, enduring the wax and the whips. Everyone cursed Serena for being shameless and desperate, but she was the only one who knew the bitterness she endured. Chapter 1 Everyone knew that the mafia family's second son, Luca Romano, loved Serena Vitale to his very bones. Five years ago, Serena slept with the Romano family's eldest son, Adriano Romano. Scandalous photos spread far and wide, yet Luca quietly had everything suppressed. Four years ago, Serena gave birth to Adriano's child, and Luca raised the boy as his own. He could forgive Serena for anything she did as long as she loved him. Word across the underworld ran that Serena stayed by Luca’s side not out of affection, but to grab at the mafia's power and influence. Luca did not care. He simply devoted himself wholeheartedly to caring for Serena and the child well because they were each other's first love. They had grown up together in the orphanage. Serena was an orphan, and Luca was the illegitimate son who the Romano family abandoned. He clawed his way up from nothing. Only he knew the bitterness of that climb. In college, Luca started his own business and achieved some modest success. That was when his half-brother, Adriano Romano, found Serena and demanded she become his woman. Serena refused, but Adriano threatened her with Luca's life. At first, she did not believe him. However, she then watched Luca's business collapse around him as deals fell through one after another until a partner's breach of contract nearly killed him. She could not take that gamble, so she agreed. To make Luca give up on her, Serena used his illegitimate birth to humiliate him the night they broke up. She would never forget the look on his face that day. His eyes had already gone red, but he stubbornly refused to let the tears fall. He only asked in a hoarse voice, "Serena, are you serious?" She nodded. With that answer, Luca turned and left. His back stayed straight, but he stumbled at the corner. That day, Serena became Adriano's caged canary. She was imprisoned in a villa, humiliated in every degrading way imaginable, and filmed in compromising videos that were pushed to the top of trending searches. Whenever the pain became unbearable, she would bite down on the corner of her pillow. Her tears soaked through it over and over again. She did not dare scream. The more she screamed, the more it excited Adriano. All she could do was grip Luca's photograph tight enough to wrinkle the edges, her knuckles bone-white. Every time she could not bear it any longer, she would stare at the person in the photo. She looked at his eyes and at the way he smiled. She thought that Luca had to be working hard. Luca would come to save her one day. Over time, she started hallucinating. Hence, when Luca actually came to rescue her that day, she froze in place. She did not dare move forward. She was afraid that if she moved, the hallucination would disappear, so she stayed frozen until Luca rushed over and pulled her into a crushing embrace. His arms locked around her so tightly that she could barely breathe. Both his body and voice trembled. "Serena, I'm late. I'm so sorry." The burning warmth of his embrace told her it was not a dream. Her Luca had really come to save her. He had become the Don. He wielded absolute power now, and he had come to save her. However, Serena developed severe depression after this experience. She could not sleep through the night. Every time she closed her eyes, she would see those images from her imprisonment. She was afraid of the dark and of being alone. Luca stayed with her 24 hours a day, holding her as he repeated over and over in her ear, "Serena, it's all over. I'm here. I'm always here." It took her two months to slowly recover. They eventually went back to how things were before, finding their rhythm again. Then, one day, Serena discovered she was pregnant. It was Adriano's child. She planned to terminate the pregnancy, but the doctor told her that her uterus was severely damaged. If she went through with it, she would never be able to conceive again in this lifetime. When she left the hospital, Serena sat on the steps for a long time. When Luca found her, she just sat there blankly, her eyes hollow. She told Luca what the doctor said. She finished it with, "Luca, let's break up." Chapter 2 Luca crouched down and took her freezing hands in his. "Don't talk nonsense." "I don't deserve you." She kept her head lowered. Tears fell onto the back of his hand. "I'm dirty. I'm pregnant with another man's child. I can't give you children. I can't give you anything—" "Then have the baby." Luca cut her off and reached up to wipe away her tears. "As long as it comes from your body, it's my child." Serena shook her head. "That's not fair to you." "Serena." Luca cupped her face and forced her to look at him. "I only want you. I don't care about anything else." After Mattia Romano was born, Luca truly treated the baby as his own. He would feed Mattia, change his diapers, and pace the floor at midnight to soothe the baby to sleep. He did it all more skillfully than she did. The first time the little one called him 'Papa', Luca froze for a long moment. Then, his eyes went red. At that moment, Serena thought that even if the whole world betrayed her, at least she still had Luca. That was until today. Mattia suddenly spiked a high fever at preschool. The diagnosis came back as leukemia. They needed to find a bone marrow match as soon as possible. Serena was not a match. She called Luca three times, but it was not picked up. Frantic, she asked his Underboss, Tommaso Marino, and learned he was entertaining clients at The Monarch. She took a cab there, praying the entire way. "Pick up the phone, Luca. Mattia's sick. Please come back." Upon arriving, she took the elevator to the third floor. She found the private room and had just touched the door handle when she heard the voices inside. "Luca, you're ruthless, you know that?" The voice from inside made her freeze. "Back in college, your business was thriving and you had the old Don backing you up. Adriano wouldn't have dared touch you, but you still sent Serena to his bed, then accused him of attacking you so that you could blackmail the old man into kicking Adriano out of the family. "Those photos of Serena in bed… You had those leaked too, didn't you? All so she'd turn against Adriano and hate him for the rest of her life. Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant." Serena's hand froze on the door handle. She could hear her own heartbeat pounding so hard her eardrums ached. What did he mean? Luca sent her to Adriano's bed? She did not believe it and wanted to push the door open. She wanted to hear Luca say it was not true, but she could not move. Her entire body felt nailed in place. "Luca, your wedding with your fiancée is next month, right? You'd better hide it well. Don't let Serena find out." "What does it matter if she finds out?" That voice was Luca's. Serena heard the click of a lighter, then the sound of him exhaling smoke. "Serena knows better than anyone how filthy she was during the time Adriano kept her locked up. Without me, she has nowhere to go. But Ginevra's different..." When he said Ginevra's name, Luca's tone suddenly softened. "She reminds me of Serena back at the orphanage—clean and dependent on me. I put in a lot of effort to win her over. I never missed a meal with her, showed up whenever she needed me, proposed with all the grand displays she wanted, and filled the street outside her apartment with flowers and candles. "We've been together a year, and the most intimate thing we've done is kiss. She's clean. She's the perfect person to bear the Don's bloodline. "Serena and I have been together so many years that she's become part of my life. I can't give her up. But because she's dirty now, I can't love her the way I used to. "When she gave birth to Adriano's child, I had the doctor remove her uterus as revenge. But as compensation, I'll let Serena stay by my side as a mistress for the rest of her life. It's not a bad arrangement!" Serena's nails dug into the gap around the door handle until they broke, but she could not feel the pain. Had her uterus removed? Stay by his side as a mistress? She remembered that after giving birth, Luca had held her hand and said, "Serena, the doctor said your body was too weak. They did a repair surgery while they were at it. We won't have any more children, but having Mattia is enough." She had believed him. She had believed everything. From the very beginning, she had been living inside a lie Luca wove with his own hands. Serena stumbled away from the door. She did not know how she made it down the stairs. On the last step down, she missed her footing and fell. Her knee slammed into the edge of the step. Pain shot through her and she gasped, but she did not dare stop. She scrambled up and limped toward the exit, breaking into a run. She kept running until she left that street and ducked into a narrow alley. Only then did all her strength drain away and she slid down against the wall. She covered her mouth, not daring to make a sound, but tears fell onto the back of her hand and onto the ground. She thought about those days locked away. She thought about all the things Adriano had used on her. She thought about the photograph she had clutched every time she could not bear it anymore. She had thought that photograph was her light, but Luca was the very one who had shoved her into the abyss. Serena looked up at the sky. The world was so vast, and she had plenty of places to go besides staying at Luca's side. Since their pure love had turned rotten, there was no need for her to stay. Chapter 3 By the time Serena returned to the hospital, Mattia had finished his examination. The small figure lay on the hospital bed, his face flushed with fever. When he saw her, he reached out his arms. "Mamma, hold me." Serena pulled him into her arms and pressed her cheek against his. Mattia asked softly, "Mamma, where's Papa?" "Papa's busy." "Will he come see me when he's done?" "He will." The doctor called her to his office to talk. He said the best option for now was to wait for a match from the bone marrow registry or find a close blood relative to test. A close blood relative. That would be Adriano. Serena clenched her fingers. That period of her life was the deepest nightmare she would ever know. She thought she would never have to face that man again, but now… She had not yet figured out what to do when her phone buzzed. It was a message from Luca. [In a meeting. I'll stop by the hospital later.] She did not reply. When she took Mattia for a follow-up exam, they passed by the maternity ward. That was where she saw Luca. He was supporting a young woman, treating her carefully and cautiously like she might shatter at any moment. The woman's belly was slightly rounded. The way Luca looked at her was so tender it was almost absurd. When Serena was pregnant, he had been careful too. However, now that she thought about it, it was more like a performance for her benefit. She was about to turn and leave when Mattia broke free from her hand and ran over. "Papa!" Ginevra Bianchi's eyes went wide. "Who's this child? Why is he calling you 'Papa'?" Her expression shifted. "Luca, you put on such a show chasing after me, but you have a child with another woman behind my back?" She raised her hand and swung it at her own stomach. "Then I'll get rid of this one right now!" Luca's expression changed. He grabbed her wrist with one hand and, with the other, shoved Mattia hard. Mattia fell to the ground. The back of his head hit the tile floor with a dull thud. "It's a stray kid running around calling strangers his father!" Serena rushed over and pulled Mattia up. He clutched the back of his head, tears welling in his eyes, but he did not dare cry out loud. He just stared at Luca and asked quietly, "Papa, why did you push me?" Serena moved Mattia behind her and stood up. She looked directly at Luca. Her heart was pounding wildly. She told herself that as long as he explained, as long as he said those things were not true, she would believe him. Serena wanted so badly to believe him. "Luca, tell me. What's going on?" Ginevra stared at him too. Luca looked at her, then at Ginevra. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, all that remained was impatience. "Did I say something wrong? I'm not the child's biological father. Who his father is and how this child came to be… Serena, you know that better than I do." He looked at Ginevra, and his tone softened. "Ginevra, you know how I treat you. I do have a past with her, but that's over. How could I possibly like someone who's been..." He paused, then said each word deliberately, "... used and thrown away." Serena heard something shatter. It was not her heart but all the beliefs she had desperately built up over the years. She remembered that after being rescued from Adriano's hands, she had nightmares every night. Luca would hold her and say, "Serena, it wasn't your fault. You're a victim. Don't ever think of yourself as dirty." Yet now, to prove his loyalty to another woman, he tore open her wounds himself. Ginevra stared at Serena for a long moment, then suddenly laughed. "Oh, I remember now. You're Serena Vitale, who climbed into bed with the Romano family's eldest son for money and mafia connections. The one who got filmed in those videos, right? "Tsk, how do you even have the nerve? You dumped Luca back then because he was illegitimate, and now that he's made something of himself, you come crawling back. You're even trying to play the sympathy card, making some bastard from who knows where call him 'Papa'?" Serena's body trembled. Images from that dark time surfaced in her mind. Adriano was a monster. During the time he kept her locked up, he had used wax, whips, and chains on her. Memories she buried deepest were dragged back to the surface. Her face went pale, and her breathing became labored. She clutched her chest and crouched down. "Mamma, what's wrong?" Mattia cried out in terror, "Papa, you have to save Mamma!" "Stop putting on an act. Luca, let's go," Ginevra sneered. Luca did not even glance at her. He helped Ginevra turn around and walked away. The world spun, and Serena's vision blurred. The sound of Mattia's sobbing drifted in and out, but Luca's cold, retreating figure remained painfully clear. During those dark days when she was locked away, she cried every single day. However, every plea for mercy only brought more vicious torment from Adriano. In those agonizing moments, all she thought about was Luca. Now, she could never rely on him again. Chapter 4 When Serena woke up again, she was in a hospital room. Luca sat at the edge of the bed, wearing the gentle smile she knew so well. "Serena, you have to understand my position. After you gave birth to Adriano's child, you lost the ability to have more children. The Romano family is vast, and I need an heir to solidify my position as Don." He sighed. "Ginevra and I, it's not what I wanted. But don't worry, the person I love has always been you and only you. Once she gives birth, we'll go back to how things were before. Okay?" Serena looked at him and suddenly felt like she was staring at a stranger. She had listened to this voice, seen this face, and heard these gentle words for over ten years. Now, however, hearing them only made her feel cold all over. "Mattia's sick. Can you get tested for a bone marrow match?" Luca paused, then smiled again, though it did not appear sincere. "Of course. After all, Mattia is my son too. Right?" Serena did not answer. She got up and went to Mattia's room. She asked the doctor and learned that Mattia's condition had worsened because of emotional distress. He needed surgery as soon as possible. Lying in the hospital bed, Mattia finally asked the question weighing on his mind, "Mamma, why didn't Papa acknowledge me?" Serena forced a smile. "He was just joking." "But Mamma, they all call me a bastard." Mattia's tears fell, guilt written across his face. "They said I'm a rapist's child and that you don't love me either." Only then did Serena realize that while she was unconscious, her past had been dragged into the open again. Her body trembled. She could feel her depression threatening to resurface, but for her child's sake, she dug her nails into her palms and held herself together. "That's not true. My Mattia is so wonderful. How could I not love you?" Over the next few days, she did not go anywhere. She stayed in Mattia's room. She heard plenty of cruel gossip. If this were before, Serena would have collapsed already. However, she had to hold on. One day, she received a call from the hospital saying a match had been found, but they needed to convince the donor's family. She rushed to the hospital and pushed open the door. Ginevra sat inside. The doctor gave them both a meaningful look, then stood and left. Serena understood. This was Ginevra's way of cornering her, but she had nowhere else to turn. "Ms. Bianchi, please. I'm begging you to save Mattia. Name your terms. I'll agree to anything." Ginevra folded her arms, her gaze full of contempt. "You really are shameless. After everything Adriano did to you, you still gave birth to his child. What, did you fall in love with him? "If you ask me, that kid getting sick is karma. He's better off dead. Why are you even trying so hard?" Serena grabbed her hand. "No, Mattia can't die. Please!" Ginevra shook her off. Serena stumbled into the desk but did not cry out in pain. "You want me to save that bastard? Fine." Ginevra smiled. "Get on your knees and beg me. Show me you're sincere enough, and I'll agree." Serena dropped to her knees without hesitation. Ginevra froze for a moment, then her smile widened. "Hahahaha... Serena Vitale, look at yourself. You look just like a dog right now! How about this? If I tell you to leave Luca, would you agree to that too?" "I would." Serena looked straight at her. "As long as you save Mattia, even if you ask for my life, I'd agree." Ginevra sneered, "You think I'm an idiot? A vain woman like you could never give up Luca. Here's the deal. Agree to one last request and I'll save that bastard." Serena's heart pounded. "What is it?" "Keep my cousin satisfied." As soon as the words left her mouth, the door opened. A brutal-looking man walked in while holding a phone. A shrill female voice came from the phone. Serena thought it sounded familiar. The next second, the phone was tossed in front of her. When she saw what was on the screen, her body began to tremble uncontrollably. It was a video from when Adriano had kept her locked up. "It's very simple. Just do everything in the video again." "No... Please, no..." Serena scrambled to her feet to leave, but the man grabbed her. "Don't touch me! If Luca finds out, he'll kill you!" Ginevra laughed coldly. "You don't know yet, do you? Luca's the match. He said you and that bastard disrespected me, and he told me to teach you a lesson so that I could vent my anger. Watching you suffer makes him happy. Why would he come save you?" Serena's expression crumbled piece by piece. She shook her head as tears fell silently. "No... It's not like that... Luca said he wouldn't let me get hurt again..." "Yeah, right." Ginevra rolled her eyes. "Gabriele, I'm leaving. Enjoy yourself." "You got it." The man's foul breath hit Serena's nose. She almost gagged. "Come here, sweetheart. Let me take real good care of you." "Don't touch me!" She struggled violently, but she could not budge him. His rough hands roamed over her body, making her stomach churn. In desperation, she bit down on Gabriele Esposito's hand. He threw her against the wall, and the world spun. Gabriele grabbed her by the hair and slapped her across the face several times. "Goddamn bitch, who are you trying to fool? You did all kinds of shit in that video, and now, you're playing innocent with me?" Serena was pinned down and violated. No matter how hard she fought, she could not escape. When the brutal assault finally ended, Serena was thrown to the floor, discarded and broken. After a long time, she gathered her clothes and barely covered herself before leaving. She could not see Mattia right now as she was afraid he would worry, so she went home. In the shower, she broke down and sobbed. She stood in front of the mirror and looked at her ruined reflection. She used to think the dark period of her life was over. She never imagined it would happen again. It turned out no one would ever be her salvation. She could only rely on herself. She gave herself one month. If Luca would not help, she would go to Adriano and make him save Mattia. Chapter 5 The next day, Serena carried a bowl of soup and pushed open the hospital room door. Luca sat at the edge of Mattia's bed. "I'm not a match either." Luca stroked Mattia's head. "But don't worry. I'm already putting more effort into finding a match. We'll have results soon." The soup bowl shattered on the floor, and the liquid splashed onto Serena's pants. "But Ms. Bianchi said... you're a match. She said as long as I..." Before she could finish, her wrist was seized violently, and the wound tore open. Blood seeped out and stained her sleeve red. Luca did not even glance at it. His gaze was as cold as a blade. "Why did you look for Ginevra behind my back?" Pain spread from her wrist to her heart. Serena suddenly laughed. It turned out that in his eyes, she was such a vicious woman—someone who would threaten his beloved Ginevra just to get a bone marrow match. She opened her mouth to explain, but Luca's phone rang. Ginevra's crying voice floated out from the speaker. Every word was clear and piercing. "Luca, if Ms. Vitale can't stand me, I can leave... But why did she use AI face-swap technology to create pornographic videos to slander me? Now, everyone thinks my private life is a mess. I can't go on living like this..." "Ginevra, don't panic!" Luca's expression changed drastically. He hung up and opened his news app. Ginevra's video was ranked first. The comments had already broken a million. A large hand closed around Serena's throat. "Was this your doing?" "I didn't..." Serena struggled to breathe until her face turned purple. "If not you, then who?" His fingers tightened. "Are you so jealous that Ginevra's carrying my child? But you can't have children. Whose fault is that?" 'Can't have children.' Those three words stabbed into Serena's heart like knives. That was right. She could not have children because he was the one who had her uterus removed. "Bad Papa! Don't bully my Mamma!" Mattia lunged over and pounded his little fists against Luca's leg. Luca shoved him away with one hand. The child's head hit the edge of the bed, and blood immediately began streaming from his nose. "Mattia!" Serena struggled like a madwoman. "A bastard actually thinks he's worth something?" Luca dragged her toward the door. "Let me tell you something. If anything happens to Ginevra, your life and that bastard's life won't be enough to pay for it!" He made a phone call. "Turn the city upside down if you have to, but find Ginevra! Also, put Serena Vitale's filthy videos on trending for three days." Serena was shoved into the back seat. She only had time to look back once. Mattia lay on the floor, reaching his little hand toward her. It was covered in blood. By the time they found Ginevra, it was already late at night. She stood at the railing in a white dress by a lake on the outskirts of the city, her hair disheveled. "Ginevra!" Luca rushed over. "Luca!" Ginevra cried pitifully. "I'm ruined. I'm already ruined. I'm not worthy of you anymore..." "It's fake! It's just AI!" "But everyone's seen it... People's words can destroy you, Luca." Ginevra trembled as she pointed at Serena. She said, "Ms. Vitale, I know you're jealous that I have Luca's love, but you shouldn't slander me like this!" She sobbed as if her heart was breaking. "Now, everyone thinks my private life is as messy as yours. Are you satisfied? Luca and I can't even have our wedding now!" Luca looked at Serena like she was already dead. Serena's lips trembled. "It wasn't me... I didn't... It was you who told your cousin to..." The words caught in her throat as those terrible images surged up. Rough hands, disgusting laughter, the despair she felt when she struggled but could not break free… What if? What if she told him and Luca sought justice for her? "Enough!" Luca cut her off sharply, his eyes full of disgust. "What else do you want to say? You won't be satisfied until you drive Ginevra to her death, huh? I never realized how vicious you were!" He lowered his voice. Each word was like a knife. "Say one more word and I'll make that little bastard in the hospital join you in the grave." Serena felt like all the strength had been drained from her body. It turned out that in his heart, her life and Mattia's life combined were not worth as much as Ginevra's tears. Luca pulled out his phone, opened the app, and soothed Ginevra. "Look, I already took down your video and put hers up instead. The comments are all cursing her. They're all defending you..." On the phone screen was the video of Serena being assaulted by Gabriele. Comments kept refreshing. [This woman's obviously a whore.] [Disgusting. No wonder the Don dumped her!] [She deserves it. That's what happens to mistresses…] A shrill scream tore from Serena's throat. She clutched her chest desperately. Those rough hands felt like they were crawling over her body again. That lewd face swam before her eyes. The nightmare from five years ago overlapped with the present. She felt herself floating upward, drifting into the air. She looked down at the woman below, pale and broken, discarded like trash. Was that her? She could not let her depression take over. Mattia was still waiting for her. Ginevra suddenly screamed. "Don't show me that! I feel sick! I'm ruined. I don't want to live anymore!" She made a show of jumping into the lake. "Ginevra!" Luca rushed over to grab her, and his shoulder slammed into Serena. Serena was the one who was knocked into the lake instead. Freezing water surged from all directions, flooding into her nose and mouth. She thrashed desperately. The last thing she saw was Luca carefully supporting Ginevra as they walked away. He never even looked back. Chapter 6 Five years ago, Serena had also stood by this lake. Back then, Luca still loved her. She had just escaped after being held captive by Adriano for a month. She took advantage of a lapse in the guards' attention and ran all the way here. She stood at the edge of the lake, the wind scattering her hair. Her mind was filled with those dark, suffocating images. When Luca found her, his eyes were bloodshot red, but his voice shook terribly. "Serena, don't jump... Please, don't leave me." Serena jumped anyway. When everyone else was too afraid to get close, Luca jumped in after her. He pulled her out and held her so tightly that she could barely breathe. He repeated over and over, "I'm here. I'll always be here." What about now? Water surged from all directions, bone-chillingly cold. Serena struggled desperately, but Luca did not even glance at her. The moment she sank beneath the surface, she understood. The young man who would jump into a lake for her died five years ago. … When Serena woke, she was lying in an unfamiliar hospital room. Her whole body burned with fever. Her throat felt like it had been scraped with sandpaper. The nurse said she had been unconscious for three days. It was a kind passerby who had saved her. Serena stared at the ceiling for a long, long time before she slowly sat up. She did not cry because she realized she had no more tears left. After being discharged, the first thing she did was visit Mattia. The child was so thin that he was nothing but skin and bones. His face was a sickly yellow. When he saw her, he tried his best to smile. "Mamma... I'm doing well. It doesn't hurt." Serena held him, feeling like her heart was being wrung out. She asked the doctor how much time he had left. The doctor said, "If we can't find a suitable bone marrow match, a month at most." One month. Serena closed her eyes. She thought about Luca's cold, indifferent gaze. She thought about him calling her and Mattia's lives worthless. She thought about Gabriele's disgusting face. She thought about the cameras, the comments, and the laughter. She also thought about one other person—Adriano. The man who had pushed her into hell was now the only person who could save Mattia. She gripped her phone, her palm slick with sweat. The first call went unanswered, and so did the second. She could not tell if she felt disappointed or relieved, but Mattia could not wait any longer. When the third call connected, she nearly dropped the phone. A low male voice came through the line. "Hello?" Serena opened her mouth, but she felt as though she was being strangled. The person on the other end was in no hurry. He just waited. "This is... Serena Vitale." Her voice wavered. "Mattia's sick. He needs a bone marrow match. Can you come?" There was silence, then came a low laugh. "You mean... the child you bore me?" Adriano's voice betrayed no emotion. "So now that something's wrong with the kid, you come looking for me? Where were you all these years? Every time I wanted to see the child, you and Luca refused." Serena froze. She had not known about this. She always thought Adriano never wanted to acknowledge the child in the first place. "I can save the kid," Adriano said leisurely. "But you and the child must come back to me. I don't want my own son calling another man 'Papa.'" "Okay." The other end suddenly went quiet. Serena said each word deliberately, "I agree. As long as Mattia is safe, you can do whatever you want." After a long pause, Adriano said, "Two weeks from now, I'll come pick you both up myself." Chapter 7 The next day, Luca announced that his wedding to Ginevra would take place in two weeks. Serena was dragged to a press conference so that she could 'clear Ginevra's name'. Camera flashes assaulted her from all sides. Serena's breathing quickened, her face as white as paper. Ginevra nestled into Luca's arms, appearing as delicate as a flower. "Luca, maybe we should cancel. Ms. Vitale looks terrible. What if something happens..." Luca looked at Serena. She was wearing old clothes and had lost so much weight that her features looked gaunt. She stood under the spotlight, trembling. His heart tightened for a moment, but Ginevra's next words crushed that fleeting softness. "It's just being slandered and misunderstood by everyone. My reputation isn't as important as Ms. Vitale's. Let's just forget it." Luca's gaze turned cold. He thought about the news online, about all the comments cursing Ginevra, about her crying and saying, "I don't want to live anymore!" He said coldly, "Let's begin." Serena lowered her eyes, digging her nails into her palms. Ever since the day he knocked her into the lake, she stopped expecting anything from him. However, standing here now, she finally understood that it did not take a single moment for feelings to die. It was a slow and painful process. "Ms. Vitale, you and the Don were childhood sweethearts, but you climbed into bed with Adriano Romano when he extended an olive branch. Is there more to this story?" "In your intimate videos from five years ago, you looked like you were being tortured. Was that real suffering, or was it all part of your plan?" "The Don took you and your child in despite everything, so why did you keep fooling around with the family's eldest son? Are you really willing to do anything to become the Don's wife? Is that man in the trending video Adriano Romano?" The questions stabbed at her like knives. Serena opened her mouth but could not utter a single word. She shook her head and bit down hard on her lip. Tears fell silently. Luca frowned and opened the social media app on his phone. The latest video showed Serena pinned beneath an unfamiliar man. He had not filmed this, so who did? Had she really gotten involved with Adriano again? Fury surged through him as his face turned ashen. If not for all these people watching, he would have stormed over and demanded answers. "It's not like that..." Serena's voice wavered. "It's not like that at all... I was forced..." No one believed her. They all shoved their cameras in her face. The entire press conference echoed with sounds from that obscene video. Her depression manifested into physical symptoms, and Serena collapsed softly to the ground. No one caught her. The camera flashes grew even more frenzied as everyone rushed to film her fall. They put her wretched, agonized state on display for entertainment. Meanwhile, Luca sat on the stage without moving, watching it like it was a show. As Serena lay on the cold floor, her consciousness fading, her last thought was whether Luca loved her or hated her. If he loved her, how could he bear to send her to another man's bed? How could he bear to let the whole world watch videos of her being violated? How could he bear to watch her collapse here, discarded and alone? Her consciousness sank, and she fell into darkness. When she woke again, she discovered she had been unconscious for two weeks. Her phone showed dozens of missed calls and a message from Adriano. [Tomorrow at noon, I'm coming to get you.] Serena replied: [Okay.] … The next day, Adriano's people carried Mattia to the car. Serena stood by the car door and looked back at him. "Can I trust you?" Adriano smiled. "Besides me, do you have any other choice?" His gaze was complicated as he looked at her. From the first time they met, he had told her that Luca was not a good man. Back then, Serena was too blinded by love to believe him. Now, the facts had been laid bare. She had no choice but to believe him. "I know you hate me," Serena said. "After all, Luca and I were the ones who got you kicked out of the Romano family and made you lose your title as the Don. But Mattia is your biological son. You can't hurt him. In exchange, I'll help you clear your name and give you justice." She pulled open the car door, her eyes gradually turning cold. "Luca's wedding is today. I'm going to livestream the whole thing. I'm going to demand an explanation for the past version of myself." Adriano said nothing. He simply accompanied her to the wedding. At the wedding venue, Luca stood on stage in a white suit. Ginevra walked toward him, dragging a ten-foot train behind her. When Serena and Adriano appeared together, the guests erupted. "Why are they here? The two Romano brothers are mortal enemies!" "After everything Adriano did to Serena Vitale, why is she here with him?" "Maybe she's upset. Luca said he loved her, but he's marrying someone else. She's probably here for revenge..." Serena took a deep breath and walked forward step by step. Ginevra smiled smugly. "Luca, Ms. Vitale and your brother came to congratulate us. Ms. Vitale is really something. I sent so many invitations to Adriano and he never responded, but one word from Ms. Vitale and he showed up." Luca stared at Serena intently. He had done so much to make Serena and Adriano turn against each other. Yet here they were, appearing together at his wedding? This made him feel like he was losing control. Luca beckoned to her. "Serena, come here. Don't forget who made you the way you are today..." Serena looked at Luca with cold indifference. There was no love, only hatred. Even now, he still treated her like a fool he could toy with. "Of course, I won't forget who made me this way." Serena pulled out her phone. "This contains the full truth about the Romano family's conflicts and how I ended up in bed with Adriano..."