Chapter 3

Serena stroked Ava’s head and smiled. “Oh, her? Just a servant in our house. It’s only natural—our Ava is so beautiful, of course people would stare at you.”

Silas glanced at me, a flicker of guilt crossing his face, but he quickly walked over and tried to explain.

“Vera, Serena and I aren’t related by blood. We’re married.”

I wasn’t surprised—I had known that long ago. Instead, I cut straight to the point.

“It takes about a year from pregnancy to childbirth. Judging from this, she must’ve already been pregnant before I left, right?”

He stammered, “We… we were drunk back then, so… after you were gone, I found out she was pregnant, so I married her…”

None of that justified why he hadn’t come to save me.

And besides—did he really think I didn’t know the truth?

Before he could finish, I slapped him hard across the face. He didn’t fight back.

Seeing this, Serena immediately stormed over, raising her hand to slap me—but a figure stepped in front of me.

Not Silas.

It was Liam.

He stood before me and caught Serena’s wrist.

“Donna Serena, it’s not very appropriate to hit someone in front of a child, is it?”

The moment Liam blocked her, I turned, intending to leave.

But Silas grabbed me.

Just like before—Mafia Don, always putting利益 above everything.

“Vera, accept your fate. You have nowhere to go now… unless you want to go back to that place where you were imprisoned.”

I glanced at Serena. The snake she once claimed had been “stolen” by the Gravoni family was now coiled quietly around her wrist.

A cold, mocking laugh escaped me.

“So what is it this time? Which of Serena’s pets got ‘stolen,’ and which family do you need me to trade with?”

“Vera, don’t be like this. We just need you to give Ava blood transfusions. She’s seriously ill and needs a long-term donor. I don’t trust anyone else—I only trust you,” Silas said, his tone firm.

My pupils shrank instantly as I looked at the little girl staring over at us in confusion.

Of course.

There was a reason he came to “save” me.

“And what do I get in return?” I sneered.

“Considering our past, I can marry you as my second wife. I’ll fulfill the promise I once made to you. I still have feelings for you, Vera.” Silas gripped my wrist tightly, but his eyes were fixed on Ava.

It felt absurd.

He didn’t want to marry me because he loved me—

he wanted to keep me by his side so I could continuously supply blood for his daughter.

The moment he said it, Serena visibly tensed, though she didn’t act—perhaps she knew this was the best solution.

Liam spoke immediately, “Don Silas might want to consider Donna Serena and Ava’s feelings.”

Silas turned to Liam, a murderous look flashing in his eyes. He pulled a gun from his pocket and pointed it at Liam’s forehead.

“You’re overstepping.”

Liam was the Underboss of the Rusciano family—he worked for Silas.

Silas might have a violent temper, but he wouldn’t actually kill someone useful to him. This was just intimidation.

But then I thought—someone like Liam, with his position, had already done more for me than I could ever expect. I shouldn’t just stand by.

After a brief calculation, I stepped forward, pushing Liam behind me, and looked straight at Silas.

“Your words,” I said, my breathing growing uneven, “you’d better keep them.”

Liam instinctively grabbed my arm—only to realize I was trembling.