Chapter Two

Sienna's POV

The men's faces go white.

Everyone in this world knows what it means to cross the Valentino family. The last person who dared play games with the godfather was force-fed molten lead, his body strung up on the dock crane to dry for three days—a warning to everyone else.

"Damn it!" Nico points at me, his finger trembling. "Boss, she's doing this on purpose! She's trying to use the Valentino name to destroy us!"

"This bitch is here for revenge!" Dario's face drains of color as he steps back. "She hates you for dumping her, hates Rosanna for marrying you, so she wants to drag both our families to hell!"

I take a deep breath, feeling like explaining to these idiots is a waste of my life. If Alessandro knew someone was humiliating his wife like this, these men wouldn't live long enough to say their last words.

But I'm done wasting time.

"Think whatever you want." I shake off Giovanni's hand and turn toward the private office.

I barely take a step before my wrist is grabbed again.

"Ha, knew it." Giovanni's voice drips with satisfaction. "Playing hard to get. Say some crazy shit to get my attention, then pretend to walk away, waiting for me to stop you. Sienna, four years later and you're still using the same playbook."

I turn back, looking at him calmly. "Giovanni, I'm married. I have nothing to do with you anymore."

The air seems to freeze for a second.

Then Giovanni bursts out laughing, Nico and Dario joining in.

"Married?" Giovanni wipes away nonexistent tears, sneering. "Sienna, I ruined your reputation years ago. Every man with money and power in this city knows how you threw yourself at me. Anyone willing to marry you is either a blind beggar or some lowlife servant like you."

"Probably a security guard or a driver," Dario smirks. "I bet you're both working for the Valentinos—and your husband is probably some ugly poor bastard who had to settle for the boss's leftovers."

"You don't actually think marrying some loser would make me jealous, do you?" Giovanni's smile is full of contempt. "You two are perfect for each other—a floor mopper and a garbage collector."

I take a deep breath, telling myself not to get angry. No point arguing with dead men.

Giovanni takes my silence as confirmation, growing more smug. "Drop the act. In three days, there's a reception for Don's mother's memorial. I'll take you and show you what real high society looks like. Let you see the difference between your pathetic 'husband' and me."

"I refuse."

Giovanni's expression darkens instantly. "Sienna, don't be ungrateful! Countless women would kill for this opportunity! You think I'm begging you?"

"I don't need it."

"You—" His face flushes red, finger jabbing at me. "Fine. Perfect. When you come crawling back, don't expect me to help you!"

I stand there, watching their figures disappear down the corridor.

Four years ago, at the finest Italian restaurant in Ferro City, Giovanni asked me to dinner. I thought he was finally going to propose. I even wore that pale green dress he loved.

Instead, he broke up with me.

"This isn't about anyone else, Sienna. I just need to focus on family business."

He made it sound so noble, like reading a carefully prepared statement.

I believed him.

Until two weeks later, when I saw his engagement photo with Rosanna in the paper.

What happened after was like falling into an endless abyss. I stood outside his house all night waiting for him to open the door. I cornered him at restaurants begging for an explanation. I even... knelt in front of Rosanna, begging her to let him go.

All I got was mockery from everyone in our circle.

When I failed to marry into the Fontana family, my stepmother didn't even bother pretending anymore. She sold me for a hundred million dollars to Noctara—didn't even know who the buyer was, didn't care. To her, I was just merchandise, past its expiration date, worth whatever she could get.

When they put me on that plane, I thought my life was over.

Until I arrived in Noctara and met him.

Alessandro Valentino. "The Reaper." The godfather who struck terror into the entire European underworld.

I expected a dark cage waiting for me.

But the way he looked at me wasn't like examining merchandise. It was like... gazing at a lost treasure finally recovered.

A year later, I gave birth to Rafael.

Now I'm carrying our second child.

If Elena hadn't passed away, I probably would never have set foot in Ferro City again.

And I certainly wouldn't have given Giovanni Fontana the chance to make a fool of himself in front of me.