Don, I'm Done Playing Your Fake Bride

Pia Bellucci descends from the slums in Hughlin. Orphans like her are supposed to spend their lives struggling in the bottom rung of society. They are meant to live in the darkness till they draw their last breaths. But the appearance of Vito Castaldo, the Don of the Castaldo family, has completely rewritten Pia's fate. Thanks to Pia's resilience and talent, she fights against all odds and becomes Vito's personal bodyguard. She takes it upon herself to block all harm coming his way and resolve deadly crises for him. Once, when Pia gets kidnapped by Vito's rivals in his stead and almost dies in that ordeal, Vito confesses his feelings to her after rescuing her. After that, he holds an engagement banquet and slides a diamond ring onto her finger before making his vow. "Once I become the Don of Nework, you shall become the Donna." Pia is grateful to Vito for saving her life while showering her with love and affection. It's only natural that she's willing to sacrifice everything for his sake. From then, she works even harder in striking more dangerous deals and wrapping up the most brutal negotiations on Vito's behalf. She practically puts herself at risk just to get rid of all obstacles in his way until his strongest foes are dead. But when Pia thinks her dream is about to come true, she stumbles upon the cruelest truth. It turns out that she's nothing but a tool for Vito to wield from the start till the end. Chapter 1 Pia Bellucci suddenly woke up in excruciating pain, opening her eyes to find herself lying in a hospital bed. As her consciousness gradually returned, her mind was immediately filled with Vito Castaldo's safety. She ignored the tearing pain in her wounds and staggered toward Vito's office, only to find him and a few of his MadeMan laughing and chatting inside. "With our mortal enemies, the Cuomo Famiglia, now gone, we're finally going to be the largest mafia monopolizing the scene in Nework, Don Castaldo!" Pia smiled in relief at that. Finally, Vito's biggest concern and thorn in the ass had been eliminated! "It's all thanks to Pia's shot that saved the Don. Still, it was a pity that Santi got away in the end." Pia recalled accurately shooting Santi Cuomo in the ear, blowing it right off. However, before she could follow up with another shot, a stray bullet had pierced her body, and she lost consciousness at once after that. She never thought that it would end with Santi managing to get away after all. "Back then, during the Famiglia feud between the Castaldos and the Cuomos, they had been so despicable as to abduct your mother and hold her hostage, just to blackmail the Castaldo Famiglia. They then brutally murdered her in the end! "We still haven't forgotten nor forgiven them for her blood on their hands!" Pia suddenly felt a pang of sadness in her chest as her nose stung with tears. She had heard that Vito's mother, Rosita Chiari, had died in an accident. She never expected this to be the truth after all. "And yet, now they're trying to use their old tricks again to target your fiancee, Don Castaldo! Everyone knows that she's someone you cherish and hold dearly in your heart. How dare they harbor such malicious intentions toward her? How presumptuous of them!" Pia felt a warmth in her heart. She was the one who was engaged to Vito. Naturally, she assumed that the fiancee everyone was talking about was herself. "It's all thanks to Don's foresight that he found a woman like Pia from the slums years ago to act as a decoy for Ms. Alessia Serra." Alessia Serra? A decoy? Pia suddenly shuddered. She didn't understand what was going on, and she instinctively leaned closer, wanting to find out the truth. Vito, who was usually always cold and aloof, had softened at the mere mention of Alessia, his eyes filling with love and affection at once. "Alessia is as pure and innocent as a blank sheet of paper. She can't handle the cunning and dangerous schemes in the mafia. "I cannot reveal her true identity as my fiancee as long as the Cuomo Famiglia is still at large. This is the only way to protect her and keep her safe. "As for Pia… She might have come from the slums, but she's very capable and resilient. She's the best tool to draw fire away from us to confuse the enemy. "In short, I absolutely refuse to let Mamma's tragedy repeat itself on Alessia this time." Another MadeMan chuckled and said, "Most importantly, Pia is a real beauty, and she's skilled and absolutely devoted to you, Don. She's the best candidate to use as a decoy!" "Your idea was such a brilliant one, Don! All you had to do was flirt with her a little, and Pia immediately fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. She's the only one who doesn't know that the massive engagement party you threw for her was nothing but a smokescreen. "Really, did she think that she was even fit to be Donna or Madre, coming from a family background like hers? That's just wishful thinking on her part!" The truth struck Pia like a ton of bricks. Her legs went weak as she nearly collapsed to the ground. Vito just chuckled before his next words plunged Pia into another deeper, icier abyss. "Remember to keep your mouths shut about everything and don't let anything slip. Once the last of the Cuomo Famiglia is dealt with, I'm going to give Pia some money and kick her out. "Alessia's safety is paramount. I refuse to let anyone insignificant threaten her or her position." Pia's heart sank. Vito thought of her as nothing more than a decoy—an insignificant one at that. The truth seared her heart like a red-hot iron pan on the fire. The pain was a lot more agonizing than a bullet wound to the chest. As it turned out, her ability to escape death was simply "endurance" in Vito's eyes; her heartfelt loyalty "delusion", and her entire existence merely a tool to deceive his sworn enemies. She had never felt such humiliation in her life, and she could barely breathe. She bit hard on her lower lip, letting the taste of blood fill her mouth and nearly choke her, and she tried to stifle a sob. However, the pain in her chest was just too much for her to bear, so she covered her mouth, staggered backward, and turned to flee. Pia returned to her room in a daze, still reeling from the shock of discovering the truth earlier, when there was a sudden knock on her door. Chapter 2 "You're finally back, Ms. Bellucci," a nurse said, carrying a tray as she entered Pia's room with a professional smile on her face. "It's time for your IV drip." Pia lay down on the bed like an obedient puppet. However, she happened to catch a glimpse of the nurse's movements behind her. The nurse took advantage of the time Pia took to adjust her position in bed to swiftly rip off the label from the IV bag, crumple it into a ball, and stuff it into her white coat pocket. She did it with much haste and looked a little suspicious about it. Since Pia was a top-tier bodyguard, her senses and intuition for danger kicked in at once. She remained calm as she asked, "Why does today's IV drip feel like it's a lot more than usual?" She then kept a close eye on the nurse's expression. The nurse, who was in the midst of hanging up the bag, froze for a second before she resumed her actions and said, "It was specifically instructed by your doctor. He said that it was to help you recover much quicker." However, the nurse's actions and facial expression just now made Pia extremely suspicious of her. After the nurse was done adjusting the syringe on her arm, she left the room. Pia immediately pulled the needle out, jumped out of bed, and locked the door. She then used a sterile kit from the first-aid kit to extract a trace amount of the remaining IV medication on the tube walls and tip of the syringe before sealing it up to preserve it. Then, she changed out of her clothes and avoided all of the surveillance cameras as she slinked out of the manor, bringing the samples to a private testing facility for expedited testing. One hour later, the words on the report she held in her hands shook her. Pia stared at the report in her hands. The words on it pierced right into her eyes, telling her that the medication had actually been a highly concentrated dose of memory inhibitors. Long-term usage of this drug wouldn't just cause irreversible damage to her nervous system—it would also gradually cause her to lose her memory. And to a bodyguard like her, who relied on her clear, sharp memories for the job, it was a devastating blow. Vito couldn't possibly not have known about it. It wasn't until then that she finally realized the truth. Since the Cuomo Famiglia was already destroyed, she was of no more use to him. That was why Vito wanted to erase everything she knew about the Castaldo Famiglia from her memories like this. Suddenly, all of the care and concern that she'd perceived from him felt suffocating to her. She collapsed to the ground in despair, the gunshot wound in her chest throbbing in pain, but it was nothing compared to the pain in her heart. She had been nothing but a tool to Vito after all—a tool that he was planning to dispose of after he had reached the top. However, she refused to believe it. How could she possibly believe it? After all, Vito was the person who had rescued her from the slums, given her a new identity, taught her all her skills, and transformed her from a nobody into a top-tier bodyguard. He was the one who had rescued her from her abductors and tormentors and even chased after them before slaughtering them all, just to avenge her. He was the one who had shared passionate nights and moments with her in the sheets, showering her with love and affection. He was also the one who was now engaged to her and had personally slid the diamond ring onto her finger, promising her the world with all of his heart. How could he possibly not love her at all? If he was only using her as a decoy for Alessia, then why did he always use the Castaldo Famiglia resources to save her and treat her wounds every time she was injured? "It must be a mistake… It had to be a mistake! That nurse must have gotten it all wrong!" she exclaimed to herself. Pia stood up abruptly, her eyes bloodshot, thinking that she had to go and find Vito and demand an explanation for everything. She had to get to the bottom of things! She stood in front of Vito's manor, feeling her heart thumping wildly in her chest. It was thumping so quickly that she felt as though her chest was going to shatter at any moment. After taking a quick glance around and seeing no one, she inhaled deeply and started into the manor. However, as soon as she lifted her leg, she suddenly hesitated and drew it back. She then froze for a nanosecond before ducking and hiding behind the low wall around the manor's perimeter. Just then, the sound of a car engine grew louder. It was Vito's car. The car came to a solid stop in front of the manor, while Vito hurried out of the door at that moment as well. The car door was opened, and a young woman hopped down from the driver's seat in a lively manner. "Vito!" she exclaimed happily, running into his arms. Vito caught her tightly and hugged her. This scene pierced Pia's eyes. She felt her throat running very dry. The young woman then looked at Vito bashfully and said, "Look at yourself! How could you not even know how to take proper care of yourself? I came over as quickly as possible when I heard that you were injured!" While speaking, she hooked her arm around his in a natural, intimate way. The look in Vito's eyes softened. "Alessia. You should have told me earlier that you were coming over!" Alessia? Alessia Serra? Was she the woman who was supposed to be Vito's real fiancee after all? Pia's eyes widened in shock, her gaze fixated on Alessia the entire time. Alessia's back was to her, and Pia saw loose curls cascading down her shoulders. She also had a graceful, slender back, making her look like an angel. Then, Pia instinctively looked down at her own body. Her palms were calloused, her knuckles were scarred, and every inch of her body was marred with welts and ugly bumps. She used to be very proud of these battle scars, wearing them out like medals in the past. But now, they were the main source of her inferiority instead. When Alessia finally turned around, Pia's world completely crumbled. Chapter 3 Alessia's face bore a striking resemblance to Pia's own, except that Alessia looked a lot more delicate and innocent as a flower. Pia stared blankly at Alessia's face, feeling her heart struck once again with excruciating pain. Vito's conversation, which she overheard in his office, immediately echoed in her ears, and the words on the test report jumped out at her in her memories. All of the fragments pieced together at once, and suddenly, it all dawned on her. So, this was how it was. Pia understood everything now. Vito had completely set her up from the start! And in this grand scheme of things, everyone played the roles of the audience, watching her make a fool of herself as she fell deeper and deeper into the game by falling in love with Vito and even getting hypnotized by him. She had been nothing but a clown for other people's amusement after all. The person Vito loved had never been her. He'd only picked her because she bore a resemblance to Alessia. She was nothing but Alessia's "counterfeit," who could also take a bullet or two for him. The truth dawned so heavily on Pia that her vision began turning black. All of the pain and grievances she'd suppressed for years immediately burst forth like a broken dam. She was still hurting from the gunshot wound, and now, her entire chest was beginning to hurt as well. She had to lean against the wall to even keep herself upright in the first place. A metallic taste rose in her throat, mingling with the taste of tears seeping in through her lips. Yet, she bit on her lips so as not to make a sound while she sobbed. It was a long while later when she clutched her aching chest, trying to suppress her surging emotions and closing her eyes to calm herself down. Then, she opened her eyes again. The pain in her chest gradually turned into that of stern determination. She abruptly turned on her heels and went down another alley before disappearing. Pia wandered aimlessly for a while. It wasn't until midnight that she finally went back to her ward. When she went in, however, she realized that Vito was already there, waiting for her. Vito's face darkened as soon as he saw her walk in. His voice was tinged with displeasure as he demanded, "Where have you been, Pia? Why didn't you answer your phone?" Pia pulled out her phone and saw that it had been turned off a long time ago. She hesitated for a moment and then said perfunctorily, "Sorry, I didn't know that my phone was out of battery. I just went out for some fresh air." Vito's expression softened slightly, and he didn't press further after that. "Alright. I didn't mean to blame you. You're mine, after all. From now on, you should tell me in advance wherever you're going so that I'll always know where you are and I won't have to worry." Then, he looked at all the injuries on Pia's body with a grave expression on his face and said, "Santi is holding a document containing the Cuomo Famiglia secrets in his hands. He messaged me just now, offering to exchange them for you. "I need you to cooperate fully in my plan to get the documents from him. His remaining forces are still a constant threat to me, and I must get rid of him once and for all." Pia's breath caught in her throat. Her face turned deathly pale when she finally realized why Vito had come to see her today. He hadn't been worried about her injuries after all. It was only because she was still of some use to him. He wanted her to act as bait to wipe out Santi and his remaining forces in one fell swoop and eliminate all future threats. This realization shattered Pia's last remaining hope. As it turned out, she was nothing but a lowly tool, forced to risk her life for him, even though she was severely injured. However, she really didn't want to continue being his puppet anymore! She gripped the hem of her hospital gown tightly. For the first time in her life, she mustered the courage to refuse Vito's orders. "I haven't healed fully from my injuries yet. I'm afraid that I can't participate in your plan this time." Before she had even finished speaking, however, Vito had already gotten up and slung an arm around her waist. His force was strong and powerful as he forcibly pulled her into his embrace. The distance between them suddenly closed, their noses almost touching. When their eyes met, Pia saw a burning spark in his eyes. A split second later, Vito's fingertips traced provocatively along her waist as a hint of amusement appeared in his eyes. His voice was deep and dangerous. "Didn't you say that you would always willingly do anything for me? Hmm?" It was true that she said that last time, but it was all in the past now. In the past, she thought that he was her savior, and that he had already treated her as his fiancee. But now, the truth was out, and the bubble had burst. Pia didn't want to continue being that fool anymore! Her hair all stood on end as she instinctively tried to break free from Vito's grasp. "But… But my wounds are still bleeding. I can't move around too much." Vito refused to let go of her. He just cocked his head to the side and asked in a teasing voice, "Are you seriously going to refuse me? Or, are you just asking for a reward afterward?" His words pierced into the scars in Pia's heart like needles. The sweet nothings he used to whisper in her ears now seemed like sugar-coated bombs that could go off at any second. He continued coaxing her into it, tempting her, in the name of love, to willingly go through heaven and hell for him. She felt a wave of nausea in her throat, and she could no longer bear to feel his hands on her anymore. She shoved him off roughly and exclaimed, "Let go of me, Vito Castaldo! I already told you that I'm still bleeding from my wounds!" Chapter 4 Pia's resistance caught Vito off guard. He staggered back by a few steps after getting shoved, barely regaining his balance afterward. He stared at her in disbelief. His demand had just been rejected by her, and his eyes grew sharp at once. "How dare you defy me!" Pia clutched at her wound that was now bleeding through the bandages and trembled with pain. Yet, she still met his angry gaze. "Do you truly care if I'm dead or alive? I've already blown off Santi's ear, and you're still offering to give me up in exchange? You're sending me to my death!" Vito's expression softened slightly. He soothed her and said, "You're my fiancee, Pia. How could I not care about you? I will immediately find a way to save you as soon as the document is in my hands and make sure that you're not at all harmed in any way." However, his words were nothing but lies to Pia now. She looked at him with red-rimmed eyes, her voice trembling as she asked, "Who do you actually see me for, Vito? Your fiancee? Or just a commodity used as a transaction?" Vito didn't expect her to ask him such a question. He frowned and said in displeasure, "Of course, you're my fiancee. We're already engaged to each other. Are you telling me that you can't feel how sincere I am toward you?" She recalled the hypnotizing engagement party that had been just for show and chuckled. Every word she said pierced straight into Vito's heart. "So, you're willing to push your fiancee to the forefront and watch her die?" Vito's face was dark, his eyes burning with anger at being defied. They continued staring at each other as the tension around them grew even more suffocating than ever. After a long silence, Vito reached out and gripped Pia by her chin, uttering words that sent a deep chill straight down her spine. "You will go to him in three days." This wasn't just a statement, but a direct order. His piercing gaze cut through Pia, the cold indifference in his demeanor causing a sharp pain in her chest. She felt herself being consumed by a burning hatred. A single thought suddenly crossed her mind. She had already repaid all the debts she owed him over the years when she risked her life multiple times for him. And now, she was completely done playing the fake fiancee. She was going to run away and escape him completely. She was going to escape from the clutches of the Castaldo Famiglia! After Vito was gone, Pia left the hospital, making sure to avoid the surveillance cameras in the hospital, and went straight home to pack. She stuffed her clothes and belongings higgledy-piggledy into her trunk until it nearly burst at the seams. After multiple failed attempts to zip it up and having the zip break and fall to the floor instead, she finally couldn't hold it in anymore and burst into tears, no longer knowing what to do. She just suddenly realized that she had no place to go. Ever since Vito brought her back from the Hughlin slums when she was 15 years old, he had been her only refuge. But now, she realized with a start that her entire world had been built on Vito's lies after all. Now that the lies had shattered, her whole world collapsed, leaving her with no place to go. She felt so helpless that she went completely numb, subconsciously rubbing the diamond ring on her ring finger. Vito was the one who had personally placed it around her finger. It was engraved with her name on it, proving that she was the "one and only person" in his heart. But now, it was pathetically ironic after all. She plucked off the ring in a temper, meaning to throw it in the trash. While raising her hand, however, she hesitated as a final, almost-pathetic shred of devotion pulled her back as if she was bewitched. Just as her fingertip brushed against the prongs, she suddenly sensed a slight looseness in the stone. Her eyes narrowed as she carefully pried it open. To her shock, she discovered a tiny tracking device that was almost invisible to the naked eye hidden underneath the diamond. Pia's eyes widened at once as a chill crept into her bones. Then, she burst out laughing. Her sorrowful, self-deprecating laughter gradually turned colder and fainter with each passing second until tears finally rolled into her mouth. As it turned out, everything had been nothing but a facade—Vito's care for her, his sincerity toward her, and even the ring, which was supposed to be a symbol of promise, turned out to be an invisible shackle instead. He had wanted to make sure that she would never escape his grasp, ever! It only just dawned on her then that she could probably never escape Vito's control on her own without any outside help. The more she thought about it, the more desperate, fearful, and anxious she was. She sat on the cold floor the entire night as she thought for a long time. When dawn broke, she inhaled deeply and dialed a number. "I want to discuss a potential offer with you." Less than half an hour later, Pia received a text message on her phone. It said, "The money has been transferred into your bank account, and your new identity will be finalized tomorrow. I'll be sending someone to take you to the airport at 2:00 pm sharp tomorrow afternoon, and you will no longer have anything to do with the Castaldo Famiglia anymore. "Also, you had better not try any funny business, or you will never be able to bear the consequences!" Pia stared at the text message and finally managed to relax her taut nerves. It finally dawned on her that after sitting on the cold floor for the entire night, she was now burning hot everywhere on her body. Her wounds hadn't healed yet, and now, she was also running a high fever. She hurriedly took some meds and went to bed, slowly closing her eyes. Finally, she could get a good night's rest now. Just when she thought she could get through her last night here in peace before escaping the next day, she received a blaring phone call that immediately shattered the illusion. Chapter 5 "Pia Bellucci! Get downstairs immediately!" She'd only just answered the call when Vito's Underboss, Ciro Pagano, spoke urgently to her on the phone. A pang of fear swept through her as she became alert at once. Ever since discovering the location tracker in the ring, she was no longer surprised that they knew exactly where to find her now. Yet, Ciro's urgent voice made her feel very uneasy. She hurried down the stairs. Before she could even ask what was going on, she was forcefully shoved into the car at once. "Don Castaldo has demanded that you go to the docks immediately." Pia's fingers clenched as her heart pounded in her chest. "I have a fever, and it still hasn't gone down yet…" "This is the Don's order," Ciros said, starting up the car at once and speeding off, his eyes focusing only on the road ahead. Ultimately, Pia wasn't able to fight back, so she followed him to the docks, her heart pounding with anxiety. When she was dragged onto the yacht deck, she realized that chaos had already unfolded at the scene. She swept her gaze across the crowd and immediately saw Alessia standing on the opposite yacht, her makeup a smudged mess, while crying and screaming for Vito. Meanwhile, the man standing behind her was the very person Pia hoped she never had to meet again in her life—Santi Cuomo. The man who had demanded her in exchange for the Castaldo Famiglia's top-secret document had turned up here. Fear and panic gripped Pia's heart at once. She trembled hard as her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach. Santi had grabbed Alessia by her hair, forcing her to look up as he laughed cruelly with a triumphant glint in his eyes. "This is your real fiancee, isn't she, Vito Castaldo? She looks so similar to Pia that I nearly grabbed the wrong person! Had I never followed your car and caught this woman, I would have completely fallen for your ruse! Haha!" Vito's expression changed as he began panicking. He never thought that Alessia would take his car out on a joyride on her own. His initial plan to exchange Pia for the document and then kill Santi was totally ruined now! "Don't you dare try any funny business, Vito!" Santi yelled, the gruesome scarring on his ear twisting with rage. "Hand over Pia Bellucci at once, and I'll let this woman go! If not, then I'll beat her to death right now!" His gaze swept across the crowd before freezing on Pia, his eyes blazing with hatred as soon as he saw her. "Pia Bellucci, you damn bitch! Today, I'm going to make you wish you were dead!" Pia looked at Santi's crazed state and felt a chill running down her spine. He looked like he was the Grim Reaper himself. Vito gulped hard, his Adam's apple bobbing anxiously in his throat as he watched Santi point a gun at Alessia's temples. His throat tightened as he yelled back, "Santi! I've already brought Pia here just as you said! "You can do whatever you want to her! Just let Alessia go!" Pia stared at him, completely stunned, her heart sinking deeper than the ocean itself. So, even though Alessia was the one who ruined all his plans, she was still the one to pay the price because she was nothing but a tool—a sacrificial pawn, to him. "You want me…to die in Alessia's place?" Her voice trembled hard as if there was a needle pricking at her throat. Vito answered in a low voice, "You're skilled in combat, Pia. But Alessia… She isn't." Even so, did that still mean that Pia deserved to be tortured by Santi and used as Alessia's scapegoat again and again, like this? Pia felt all of her strength drain away. She looked at Vito's resolute eyes and suddenly laughed out loud, tears forming in her eyes. "I don't want to be your bodyguard anymore. You have no right to decide my life or death!" Vito's face was as dark as thunder. "You became a MadeMan of the Castaldo Famiglia the moment I saved you from the slums. I am your Don. And whatever I tell you to do, you will do it!" While speaking, he seemed to notice Pia's hurt, wounded look in her eyes, and her pale face, and suddenly softened inexplicably. His tone softened as he said, "Just work with me, Pia. I won't abandon you even after rescuing Alessia." Pia continued to struggle, but Vito ordered his men to tie up her hands and gag her mouth. "Trust me." Santi, on the other hand, was beginning to lose his patience. He threatened loudly, "Stop yapping nonsense and send her over at once! Otherwise, I'm going to shoot!" Vito inhaled deeply like he was making a hard decision, and personally handed the restrained Pia to Santi's men. Almost at the same time, Alessia was released and shoved back haphazardly into Vito's arms. Santi's eyes were filled with hatred. The moment Alessia landed in Vito's arms, he cocked his gun and pulled the trigger, roaring and cursing out loud. "Die, all of you!" Gunshots rang out, and Pia saw Vito instantly shield Alessia behind him. The bullet embedded itself right into his left arm. He let out a painful groan as blood instantly began seeping from his arm. His Soldati acted swiftly, immediately rushing to shield him behind them and suppressing Santi's Soldati with more gunfire, managing to pull their wounded Don to safety. Pia wanted to scream for help, but her hands were tied, and her mouth was gagged. She could only twist her body in vain while looking at Vito in despair. The same man who had rescued her from the slums and given her a new life was now pressing on his wound on his bloody arm while looking at her as if to say, "Wait for me. I'll save you!" She remembered Vito saying the same thing to her countless times during past shootouts and chaos, and she'd always believed him. But this time, she resolutely turned her head away. She didn't want to see him again. She was no longer his puppet. She was never entrusting her life to anyone else again! Chapter 6 Pia was pinned to the deck by Santi's Soldati. Her wrists ached from the tight grip as her old wounds also began throbbing in pain. Santi crouched down and slammed the butt of his gun hard against her head, laughing manically like a demon. "You might have blown off my ear, Pia, but you're going to wish you died in that crossfire now that you're in my hands!" The blow made Pia very dizzy. She tensed up and dug her nails into the cracks in the deck, trying her best to suppress the pain and fear in her chest. Just then, Vito's voice sounded urgently from the other end. "I've already handed Pia over to you, Santi! Hand over the documents now!" Pia gasped coldly at that, not daring to move an inch while lying on the deck. When Santi heard Vito, however, he chuckled and sneered at him. "Pia was for your stupid fiancee. And now, you're still demanding even more from me?" He looked at Pia on the ground, who was now beneath his feet, as an evil, calculating glint appeared in his eyes. Then, he grabbed Pia forcefully by the hair and forced her to look at Vito. "Sure. I'll give you the documents you want, Vito, on one condition. "I want this bitch to die the slowest, most painful, and most horrible death. I know that you're head over heels for her. So, if you'll open fire at her and slowly shoot her to her death, I'll consider giving you back the documents." The entire world seemed to freeze at Santi's cruel words. Vito's face turned pale as he looked at Pia helplessly. Hearing that, Alessia immediately went over to Vito's ear and said, "Say yes to him, Vito! Say yes! She's nothing but a scapegoat anyway. If she dies, she dies. You need to get hold of the documents to eliminate all future threats! Don't lose the forest for the tree!" Pia's face was also ashen as she awaited Vito's answer, as if it were her death verdict. When Santi saw that Vito was still hesitating, he yelled loudly and threatened him again. "Why are you still dragging things on, Vito Castaldo? Either shoot her now or watch me throw the documents into the sea! And when that happens, you're not getting back either of them! I'm only going to count to three. "Three… "Two…" "Fine! I'll shoot! I'll shoot!" Vito exclaimed, raising his run in the air and taking aim at Pia. Pia stared back at him coldly. This man, the Don of the Castaldo mafia, who had saved her from the slums and used to be her entire religion—was now pointing a gun at her. Vito's hand holding the gun was trembling slightly. His eyes were filled with reluctance as he fought with himself. However, with Alessia's constant urging and Santi's endless threats, he finally pulled the trigger, firing the first shot at Pia. A single, piercing gunshot rang out. The final obsession Pia kept clinging to, the one she'd been holding onto for years, crumbled as well. The bullet struck Pia squarely in the shoulders. Blood splattered everywhere and soaked into her clothes. Pia staggered backward and let out a muffled groan as her entire body trembled, the excruciating pain radiating throughout her entire body. She'd gone completely numb now and felt like she'd just fallen into a bottomless well, helpless and powerless to do anything. She'd ultimately played her cards wrong in the end. Santi began laughing like a maniac, his laughter sharp and piercing. "That was a good one, Vito! Go ahead! Fire the next shot!" Vito frowned when he sensed Pia's pain. Just as he slowly raised his gun again for the second shot, he saw his Soldati, who'd been hiding in the waters earlier, trying to board the yacht and ambush Santi while he and his Soldati were distracted. However, Santi was well aware of the incoming danger when he spotted movement under the surface of the water. He immediately shouted, "I knew it! I knew you'd play dirty! Soldati! Attack!" As soon as the order was out of his mouth, the Soldatos underwater suddenly emerged, but they were mowed down by Santi's men instead. Bullets ricocheted across the surface of the sea, splashing water everywhere as gunfire erupted. The two opposing Famiglia opened fire instantly at each other in a chaotic manner. Santi grabbed Pia from the ground and shielded himself behind her as he retreated toward the cabin. "How dare you play dirty with me, Vito Castaldo! Watch me drag her down to hell with me!" Vito's eyes turned red. He wanted to rush out to save Pia, but his own Soldati stopped him. So, he could only watch helplessly as Pia was dragged away by Santi, feeling a sharp pain piercing into his heart as rage and resentment filled him. Pia was violently dragged into the yacht's cabin by Santi's Soldati. His angry voice resonated loudly in her ears. "The Cuomo Famiglia fell into this state all because of you and Vito! I'm going to deal with you first today before settling the score with him another time!" Pia curled up into a fetal position, blood still streaming from her shoulder. She knew that Santi was a madman, and there was only a chance for her survival if she remained calm now. Her powerful will to live transformed her fear into clarity. She frantically scanned her surroundings for an escape route and finally fixed her gaze on the fruit knife lying on the table nearby. Before waiting for Santi to respond, she suddenly kicked upward with her knee right into his crotch area. In the time when he crouched over in pain, she grabbed the knife in her mouth, severed the ropes binding her wrists together, and then grabbed Santi in a headlock, forcing him back step by step until they reached the other edge of the deck. At that moment, the yacht's engine was already started up, and it was slowly moving away from Vito's yacht. Pia watched the receding silhouette of Vito's yacht, feeling more and more despaired. Meanwhile, Vito's heart sank when he saw Pia and Santi in a stalemate on the deck of the other yacht. Just as he was about to rush forward to try and grab hold of the rope of the raft on the side, his Soldati held him back by his arms and exclaimed, "Don Castaldo! You can't go after them! "Our yacht was already too far away from them. We can't forcefully infiltrate their yacht now anymore!" "Let me go! I need to save Pia!" he exclaimed, struggling against his constraints as he watched Pia's figure eventually getting caught up by Santi's men. He wanted nothing more than to rush over to her and protect her behind his back. Santi, now the hostage, had completely gone mad. His eyes were bloodshot as he struggled hard against Pia's hold, roaring aloud that he was going to personally drag her down with him if they went under. Pia was already initially injured in the first place, and she'd lost a lot of strength during the stalemate earlier. Eventually, her strength waned, and she wasn't able to subdue him anymore, allowing him to break free from her grasp. After breaking free from Pia, Santi staggered backward and yelled at his Soldati, "Kill that bitch!" Pia looked at the deep, dark sea behind her and took a deep breath. Then, she leaped into the water as gunshots rang out.