He Killed My Dog, So I Took His Empire

The scene descended into utter chaos.

I heard countless screams, someone shouting for security, and others whispering amongst themselves.

"Who is this woman? Does she have a death wish? How dare she stab Lucian Falcone!"

"I heard Miss Ava mention five years ago… didn't Mr. Falcone cast out a ward of the Falcone family, his wife in name only! Holy hell, don't tell me that's her!"

"She doesn't look like it."

"I heard that ward had no family, just a dog that was tortured to death for a whole night because it offended Miss Ava! Who in high society hasn't seen that torture video! The dog’s skin was flayed right off!"

"Look, Lucian Falcone is actually smiling!"

Blood was steadily seeping from Lucian's arm. Ava cried out, "Lucian!"

Then, ignoring the wound on her own forehead, Ava rushed toward Lucian like a madwoman, shielding him behind her as she screamed at me.

"Chiara! What gives you the right to hurt Lucian!"

"The Falcone family raised you for twenty years, only to foster an ungrateful viper! Apologize to Lucian right now!"

Watching Ava act as if she were the lady of the Falcone family, ordering me around, I could only find it amusing. My eyes met Lucian's.

"You've raised her for five years, and now you've got a dog who will stand up for you. Lucian, you must feel quite satisfied."

Ava's face paled.

Lucian immediately pulled Ava behind him, just as he had five years ago.

"Chiara, what was between us ended five years ago."

"I've already told you, Ava is the only one in my heart. I will never fall in love with you, let alone like you." Lucian's gaze turned cold. "I don't care how you've spent the last five years, or how you managed to get an invitation to this gala and sneak in."

"But I will never let you return to the Falcone family, to continue harming Ava."

"Chiara."

Lucian looked down on me.

"I could have ignored you tonight, pretended you didn't exist. But since you've hurt Ava, you will pay the price." Lucian clapped his hands, and a group of his men surrounded me. "Will you do it yourself, or shall I?"

A subordinate handed him a knife.

Lucian took it, waiting for my answer.

But I just laughed out loud. "Lucian, do you really think the world revolves around you?"

I pointed at the knife in his hand.

"If you have the guts, you'd better finish me today," I approached him, step by step. "Otherwise, when it's my turn to finish you…"

"You'd better not," I leaned in close to Lucian, enunciating each word clearly, "get on your knees and beg for mercy."

"Hahaha."

My laughter echoed in the quiet ballroom. Lucian's face was dark. Seeing him tremble with rage reminded me of five years ago, when he used Brutus to threaten me, forcing me to kneel and kowtow in apology.

He had locked Brutus in an iron cage, ordering his men to muzzle him. For every moment I refused to beg, a blade would slice mercilessly across Brutus's body.

All the pride in my bones was shattered. Watching Brutus suffer, I knelt on the floor and begged.

"Lucian!"

I cried and pleaded, "Don't hurt Brutus."

"I admit I was wrong!"

I kowtowed forcefully, slamming my head against the ground. "I was wrong! I know I was wrong!"

Brutus was all I had.

My only wish was to take Brutus and leave the Falcone family.

I begged desperately.

"Let Brutus go, please, let Brutus go!"

I would never forget the pained look in Brutus's eyes, nor the fury etched into my very bones, a rage that still smoldered whenever I thought of it. Facing Lucian now, all that remained was a hate that had yet to completely burn out.

"Lucian, you're just a dog on Ava's leash," I said, enunciating each word. "If Old Man Falcone knew you were running the family into the ground, he'd claw his way out of his coffin to strangle you!"

"After all, the Falcone family is finished!"