Chapter 4
I had been hanging in Moretti's basement for a full day and night.
In all that time, I hadn't had a drop of water or a bite of food.
Moretti's men lashed my back again and again with leather whips soaked in saltwater.
They had also put a bullet through my left arm, but I clamped my teeth together and never let out a single scream.
"Tough bastard," old Moretti said, leveling his gun at my forehead. "But the game's over."
Boom!
The heavy steel basement door blew inward.
My Godfather walked in with a team of elite men behind him and, without breaking stride, fired a shot straight through old Moretti's wrist.
"You've got a lot of nerve laying a hand on one of mine, Moretti," the Godfather said coldly.
They cut me down, and I collapsed to the floor, too weak to stay upright. Paul rushed over and clumsily started bandaging my arm.
The Godfather looked at my pale face and let out a long, knowing sigh. "Luke, you're loyal. A good man. But in this world, if you care too much, that becomes the blade that kills you."
I lowered my head and, with blood-slick fingers, slowly slid the ring from my hand.
It was the wedding band we had picked out together.
"Godfather, please return this to Ava for me," I said, placing the ring in his hand. "And about that new territory up north… can you send me there now? I can recover there and work at the same time."
The Godfather paused for a second, then slapped his thigh and burst into a booming laugh. "Good. That's the man I chose as my heir."
He immediately turned to his men and barked, "Get the helicopter ready. We're sending Luke to the North District."
At the same time, the wedding venue was packed with guests.
Standing at the altar, Ethan urged Ava impatiently, "Ava, come on, let's exchange rings and sign the license. I can't wait to tell everyone you're finally my wife."
Ava stared at his smug face, then suddenly slapped his hand away.
"Ava?" Ethan looked at her in disbelief.
When he felt the eyes of hundreds of guests on him, his face darkened instantly. "Did Luke say something to turn you against me before he left? That bastard—"
"Shut up, you idiot." Ava snatched the microphone, her eyes filled with open disgust and mockery. "Did you really think I wanted to marry a coward like you? A man who abandoned me and looked down on me?"
Ethan froze. "What did you just say?"
"I was getting back at you, that's all." Ava let out a cold laugh. "So how does it feel? The fiancée you thought would always worship you, the woman you treated like she was already yours, was just playing you the whole time. How does it feel to be humiliated at your own wedding, used and dumped in front of the whole city?"
As waves of laughter rose from the audience, Ethan's face turned bright red.
Humiliated and furious, he suddenly raised his hand and lunged at her as if to slap her.
But before he could even touch her, one of the bodyguards behind Ava kicked him hard to the ground and beat him in front of everyone.
"I'm warning you," Ava said, lifting the hem of her elaborate wedding gown as she looked down at Ethan writhing and howling onstage. Her voice was steady and firm. "You'd better show Luke some respect from now on. The only man I love is Luke."
Pressing a hand to his bleeding nose, Ethan threw his head back and laughed viciously. "You love him? Then that's too bad! When they forced him to go to Moretti, why didn't you stand up and stop it? Do you really think Luke's still alive?"
"How could I ever let Luke get hurt?" Ava looked at Ethan like he was an idiot, her voice dripping with contempt. "I contacted Luke's Godfather a long time ago. If I've got the timing right, Luke should already be out by now without a scratch."
With that, Ava turned and walked away from the farce of a wedding without a second glance. She went to the most expensive flower shop in the city and bought a huge bouquet of vivid red roses.
Full of anticipation, she imagined the look on Luke's face when he saw her after being rescued.
Today, she was going to propose to the man who had cared for her for three years, the man who had loved her with everything he had.
Half an hour later, Ava arrived at the Godfather's estate with the roses in her arms.
But all that greeted her was an engagement ring stained with dried blood.
"You're too late, Miss Hart," the Godfather said, placing the ring in her hand. "Luke has already left the city."
