Claimed by the Don, The Price of Loyalty

But before I could even explain my condition to the doctor, Scarlett burst in, raking her long nails viciously across my face.

"Evangeline, if you have a problem with me, come at me! Why take it out on my brother?!"

I clutched my bleeding cheek, frozen in shock.

Dante followed her in. The moment he saw Scarlett's tear-streaked face, he flew into a rage and dragged me from the bed.

"Evangeline, Scarlett's brother is just some street punk."

"Who besides you would go to such lengths to kidnap him?!"

“I punished you for Scarlett yesterday, and today her brother vanishes. If it wasn't you, who was it?!”

Dante took Scarlett's side without a moment's hesitation.

Clutching my bleeding cheek, my heart aching, I opened my mouth to speak.

But then Scarlett suddenly dropped to her knees before me and began slapping herself, again and again, more than a dozen times.

"Donna Evangeline, I was wrong. I shouldn't have seduced the Don."

"Just give me my brother back, and I'll be your slave for the rest of my life! I'll do anything to repay you!"

Seeing her like this, Dante’s heart ached. He helped her up, then kicked me aside as if I were a piece of trash.

“Evangeline, are you satisfied now that you’ve driven her to this?”

“I’m telling you, if anything happens to Scarlett's brother, I will never let you go!”

He had kicked me in my lower abdomen, and the pain made me curl up like a shrimp. I instinctively reached for his pant leg.

“Dante, the baby… our baby…”

Dante’s departing steps faltered. For a moment, a flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes, and he almost turned back.

But Scarlett cupped his face and cried out, “It hurts,” instantly recapturing his attention.

“Evangeline, your pity ploy is useless.”

“If you have any shame left, and you don’t want this to get ugly, you’d better release her brother now!”

After Dante and Scarlett left, I clutched my aching stomach, enduring the pain for more than ten hours before I regained a little strength.

Scarlett's brother—I hadn't touched him. But Dante had directed all his fury at me, so I had no choice but to order my men to find him.

All day, my head was splitting, my breathing faint. I drifted in and out of consciousness, but there was still no news of Scarlett's brother.

That evening, Scarlett strolled casually into my hospital room and tossed an envelope onto my lap.

“Evangeline, today is your and Dante's wedding anniversary. He asked me to bring you this gift.”

“Go on, take a look.”

Scarlett's expression was gleeful, like the cat that had gotten the cream.

It had started half a year ago. Dante had become suspicious and paranoid, all because of my old flame's return. I hadn't received a gift from him in a long time. Seeing the envelope, I thought his tests were finally over.

Completely unprepared, I tore it open.

A frigid wind howled around them. Realizing Dante’s intention, I let out a bloodcurdling scream.

“Papa! Mamma!”

The envelope contained a photograph of my parents’ severed fingers, bloody and still adorned with their wedding rings.

Breaking down completely, I scrambled out of bed.

“What did you do to them?!”

“What did you do to my parents?!”

Scarlett toyed with the diamond ring on her finger, nonchalantly admiring my frantic breakdown.

“I didn't do a thing. It was Dante. He couldn't stand to see me suffer.”

"He was just teaching you a lesson for me."

My heart felt like it was being torn to shreds. Consumed by grief and rage, I charged for the door.

But Scarlett snatched my hand and clawed viciously at her own face.