I Gave My Mafia Fiancé to My Evil Stepsister

I don't know how long I was out. I woke up in my own room.

Turning my head, I was shocked to see Edmund sitting in a chair by my bed, holding my hand.

"You're awake," he said softly, a gentleness in his voice I'd never heard before.

I snatched my hand back. "Shouldn't you be with Laura? She was so terrified, after all."

Edmund frowned. "You are my fiancée."

"Oh?" I scoffed. "Then who was it that asked another woman to dance in front of everyone? Who burned my mother's paintings for another woman?"

He was silent for a moment. "I'll replace them with more valuable art. I can buy you a Monet, a Picasso, a Van Gogh, whatever you want."

"And you think that can replace my mother's work?" I stared at him, my heart filled with hate.

"Alessia, if I hadn't done that, your father would have punished you far more severely. I was protecting you."

"Besides, you're going to be my wife. You need to have the dignity of a Schroder—"

"Enough!" I couldn't stand to hear one more word about his damn family rules.

Seeing my cold defiance, Edmund's face darkened. "My patience has a limit, Alessia."

He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

I rested for a while longer, then dragged my exhausted body downstairs for some water. As I reached the landing, I heard voices from the living room.

"I've already prepared the deed transfer for this estate," my father was saying. "It will be Laura's dowry when she marries into the Schroder family."

"Wonderful," my stepmother said excitedly. "That will show the Schroders how much we value Laura."

I couldn't take it anymore.

This estate was designed by my mother. Every inch of it was filled with memories of her. The trees in the garden, the corners of every room—they were my entire childhood.

I stormed into the living room. "What gives you the right? My mother designed this estate!"

My father and stepmother looked at me without a hint of guilt.

"The legal owner of this property is me," my father said coldly. "I can do whatever I want with it."

My stepmother smirked. "Alessia, since you gave up the engagement, you have to face the consequences. Besides, you almost killed Laura last night. Consider this compensation."

"She deserved it! She insulted my mother first!"

As we argued, Laura came slowly down the stairs, looking frail.

"Father, please don't blame my sister," she said softly. "She was probably just upset."

She walked over and took my arm, pretending to make peace. "Sister, let's not fight anymore, okay?" But as she leaned in, she whispered viciously in my ear, "Don't worry. Once I take over, I'll get rid of everything of your mother's. Even her grave..."

Rage consumed me. I tried to rip my arm away.

But in that instant, Laura cried out "Ah!" and threw herself backward, falling to the floor.

"Laura!" my stepmother screamed, rushing to her side.

Tears streamed down Laura's face as she looked at my father. "Father, I just lost my balance. Please don't blame sister..."

My father's face was purple with rage. "Look at your sister, then look at you! When will you stop hurting her?"

He didn't give me a chance to explain. He walked to the wall, took down the horsewhip hanging there, and brought it down hard across my back.

CRACK!

The pain was searing, white-hot. It nearly buckled my knees, but I bit my tongue and refused to make a sound. My eyes were locked on Laura, still "sobbing" on the floor.

She looked at me and a slow, triumphant smile spread across her face.