“If you hadn’t come back, Daddy wouldn’t be like this!”
“It’s all your fault! You bad woman!”
Dante’s expression instantly darkened. He slowly turned his head to look at Angelo, who immediately shut his mouth.
Vivian looked at me, cradled in Dante’s arms, and at the perfect Matteo.
Jealousy and resentment shattered what was left of her sanity.
She had thought Joey would make me her nanny, but she never imagined he wanted me to take her place.
And on top of it all, I was the Donna.
“Why? Why is it you?”
She shrieked hysterically, her eyes wild and dangerous.
“It should have been me! I’m the one who deserves to be at the top!”
“I’m younger than you, prettier than you, and I have a better background!”
Chapter 8
“Why do you get everything, while I get nothing?”
Vivian snatched a steak knife from the table and lunged madly at Matteo. “I’ll kill your bastard child!”
It all happened too fast.
Everyone froze, including Dante’s bodyguards.
Without a second of hesitation, I threw myself in front of Matteo, shielding him with my body.
The blade plunged deep into my shoulder. The sharp pain made my face drain of color.
+25 BONUS
“Matteo, are you…” The word “okay” never left my lips before I collapsed to the floor.
ON
Before I lost consciousness, I saw Matteo’s terrified little face, crying out, “Mama, Mama.”
I wanted to tell him not to cry, but I blacked out before I could speak.
When I woke up again, it was three days later.
The smell of hospital antiseptic stung my nostrils as I slowly opened my eyes.
“Elena! Thank God, you’re finally awake!”
My best friend, Carlie, was beside me, gripping my hand, her eyes filled with tears.
“If you hadn’t woken up… God, Elena, I think your two Dantes, the big one and the little one, would have burned this city to the ground.”
I tried to sit up, but a searing pain shot through my shoulder.
“Are they okay? Matteo, is he…”
“Don’t worry, the young master is fine.”
“The doctor said you just fainted from the shock and the pain from the wound.”
My throat was raw, my voice a dry rasp. I couldn’t help but cough.
Carlie quickly gave me some water. “That was a reckless thing to do, you know. They had so many men there. They would never have let anything happen to Matteo.”
After drinking the water, I finally caught my breath. “But that’s my Matteo.”
“I know, I know, your precious son. That little devil is so tough, he wouldn’t have been hurt, don’t worry.”
I ignored my friend’s teasing about my son. “Why aren’t they here?”
21
Carlie’s eyes lit up. “They went to settle the score. I… I stayed with them for a while. For you. I was so worried, and your husband… he’s terrifying when he’s angry.”
From her, I learned what had happened after that night.
Chapter 9
