My Father, the Bloodthirsty Devil

My mother's expression turned cold when she heard Vincenzo asking her to apologize. "I won't apologize for something I never did."

The moment she finished speaking, one of Vincenzo's men rushed forward and kicked her in the knee. My mother let out a gasp and dropped to her knees on the cold marble floor, sweat instantly beading her forehead.

I was so scared, and I cried as I reached for her. "Mom! Mom, are you okay?"

Vincenzo walked over and kicked me to the ground. My forehead slammed into the sharp corner of the cake table. A blinding pain shot through me, and warm blood trickled down my face.

I wiped at it and saw my hand come away red.

The second my mother saw I was bleeding, she immediately crawled over and shielded me. However, Vincenzo viciously stepped on her fingers and ground them under his foot. My mother's face turned pale with pain, and even her voice was shaking as she said, "Vincenzo, let me go! Lia's still a child!"

Vincenzo let out a sneer, his eyes full of contempt. "She's nothing but a fatherless kid! If you don't apologize to Carla, whatever comes next isn't my fault!"

The guests all stood by and watched. Some looked uneasy, but no one dared to step forward. They were afraid of Vincenzo's influence, and they were even more afraid of getting dragged into trouble. One by one, they lowered their heads.

"Sofia had a daughter before getting married, and nobody even knows who the father is..."

"Vincenzo's right. She brought this upon herself for not following the rules!"

"I heard Don Rossi doesn't have much time left. Once he's gone, the Rossi family will belong to Vincenzo. Don't meddle in their affairs!"

Every word cut into my heart like a knife.

I clenched my fists and shouted through gritted teeth, "I'm not! I'm the principessa of the Rossi family! You're the bad one!"

My mother was still trembling from the pain, but she still reached for me with everything she had. "Lia, don't be afraid. Mom's here... Have you lost your mind?! Lia is your daughter!"

Vincenzo let out a cold sneer as if he had just heard a joke. "My daughter? If you hadn't drugged me back then, why would I have even slept with you? You're just another shameless woman trying to trap me with a daughter!"

Carla stood off to the side, sobbing as she said, "How could you do something like that?! Even if you wanted to keep Vincenzo around, you shouldn't have used a trick like that."

I shuddered with rage. I had never learned the truth until Matteo avenged us in my last life. Carla was the one who had drugged Vincenzo and wanted to force him to take responsibility for it after the fact.

But that day, Vincenzo happened to be at my mother's house.

Afterward, Carla had spread rumors everywhere. She said my mother had a messy private life and had been involved with many other men, so no one could tell whose child I was. That was why Vincenzo hated my mother so much and doubted that I was his daughter.

Giuseppe had treated him like family, yet now, he believed Carla's lies and let her torment my mother and me.

I struggled to get up on my feet and then pointed at Carla as I screamed while still swaying, "You're the one who spread lies and drove us apart! You're the evil one and the liar!"

The moment Vincenzo saw me accuse Carla in front of everyone, his face darkened. He grabbed my arm and lifted me into the air. "Apologize to Carla!"

I cried out in pain, but I still glared at him and Carla. "I won't apologize! You're both bad people! I hate you!"

Vincenzo was so furious, he laughed. "You're just a child without a father! This is already lighter than what you should be getting!"

Then, he suddenly let go after he was done speaking, and I fell headfirst toward the floor.