He Killed My Dog, So I Took His Empire

A hand clamped viciously around my neck.

I couldn't breathe.

As the oxygen slowly depleted, I met Lucian’s crimson eyes, listening to his voice, so vicious it bordered on madness.

"Chiara, don't think I won't kill you!"

"You're nothing but a dog of the Falcone family." Lucian slammed me to the ground. Shards of champagne glass pierced my skin, creating countless small cuts. The pain shot through me, and a moment later, Lucian grabbed my hair. "When I want you to kneel, you kneel!"

"When I want you to die, you die!"

Lucian curled his lips into a smile.

"But today, I don't really feel like letting you die."

"After all," Lucian patted my cheek, "a pretty toy like you, how could I let it die so easily?"

I stared at Lucian, so close to me.

I remembered the day Ava sent me the video, her tone boastful.

【I just told Lucian that Brutus scared me, and he skinned him.】

【Tell me, next time if I tell Lucian that you're quite scary too, do you think he'll skin you as well?】

【Isn't that hilarious!】

【You're Mrs. Falcone in name, but in reality, you're less than a servant.】

Now, meeting Lucian's expression, a metallic taste rose in my throat. As Lucian raised his hand to slap my face again, I spat a mouthful of bloody phlegm right in his face.

Seeing the brief shock morph into disgust on his face, I smiled.

"That's right, Lucian."

"How could you die so quickly," I mimicked his tone, laughing as well. "After all, a game this fun, how could we not play it to the very end?"

Since I was able to return.

I never planned on letting the Falcone family off the hook. Those who were responsible for Brutus's death—I would make them pay, one by one.

Brutus had died a brutal death. How could I ever forgive them?

Seeing my stubborn defiance.

Lucian suddenly let go of my hair and wiped the bloody phlegm from his face.

"That's right."

"Some things, if you don't torture them slowly, it's just not satisfying."

"Since you're back," Lucian looked at me, "let's have some fun."

Lucian didn't look at me again, instead giving orders to his men.

"Watch her."

"Don't let her run."

Then, his expression shifted back to one of gentle concern as he faced Ava. "Does it hurt?"

He softly wiped away Ava's tears. "I'll take you to a private room."

Ava collapsed into his arms, sobbing.

"With you here, it doesn't hurt."

"With you here," Ava's voice was choked with sobs, "I'm not afraid of anything."

I watched as Lucian swept Ava up into his arms and walked out. I sat collapsed on the floor, the small cuts all over my body making me wince in pain. The sycophants around me, emboldened by their master, started spouting their venom.

"I don't know where this thing crawled out from, daring to hurt Mr. Falcone. It's a gift from him that he didn't take half your life today. Get lost."

"Exactly! I heard before, you're just some ward Old Man Falcone picked up off the street. He raised you, and you repay his kindness by attacking Miss Ava. You deserved to be thrown out."

"Speaking of which," someone said, smiling as he unlocked his phone, "I still have the video of that dog from back then."

The man opened his photo album and found the torture video.

The others crowded around excitedly. "Let me see."

"I want to see it too."