- 2 days ago
You Want My Ring. Get on Your Knees - Watch HD
Like Follow and Share for More
Like Follow and Share for More
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00daughter of the most powerful don in corvina my father worries i'll marry the wrong man on a whim
00:05so he arranges for me to be engaged to luca the rising heir of the merino family it's an arranged
00:11marriage but that doesn't mean i've lost all my say the very least i can do is choose a ring
00:15i
00:16genuinely like so i go to the mafia auction when the diamond ring appears as the final jewel of
00:22the night i lift my paddle just before the gavel falls an arrogant voice comes from behind me
00:28a country bumplin like you thinks you can compete with me do yourself a favor and leave the auction
00:35hall goes quiet for a few seconds the only sound comes from the camera shutters clicking around the
00:41hall i turn and see a woman in a gold couture gown her mouth curves in a casual smile as
00:46if she owns
00:47the place before i can say a word the auctioneer rushes to close the bid sold congratulations to
00:53miss sofia lopez for winning the final lot the eternal star my brows pull tight and a hot spike
01:00of anger rises in my chest you ended the bidding early do you even follow the rules here sofia turns
01:07around and gives me a once-over her gaze sharp as a blade rules she lets out a cold laugh
01:13come on
01:13i'm luca marino's favorite god sister around here i make the rules i can't help but laugh what a
01:21coincidence so she's my fiance's god sister i pull out my phone and call him luca your god sister just
01:29snatched the engagement ring i picked out how are you gonna handle this
01:36it seemed like sofia lopez wasn't just a god sister to luca marino
01:40if luca couldn't give me a good explanation this engagement was off the table i called the number
01:46i'd saved but never once dialed once the call connected i went straight to the point your god
01:52sister is trying to snatch the engagement ring i chose what do you have to say about that silence
01:57hung for a moment then a cold unfamiliar voice came through the line who is this whatever's going on
02:04between sofia and me isn't something an outsider gets to question before i could say my name he had
02:10already hung up i stared at the dark screen for a second and let out an incredulous laugh
02:15obviously he hadn't even saved my number sofia's laughter cut through the crowd sharp with smug delight
02:22pathetic you somehow got luca's number and actually think that means he knows you
02:28god you're cracking me up she tilted her chin and twisted a lock of hair around her fingers
02:34while looking me over again seriously look at what you're wearing even the nannies in the
02:39marino family dress better than you the lackeys around her couldn't hold back and burst into mocking
02:44laughter i had always believed comfort mattered more than designer labels but in a hall drowning in
02:52diamonds and custom gowns no one here cared about that belief i pressed my lips together heat rising up
02:58my chest so you're still judging people by logos you're unbelievably shallow lucas sure had special
03:06taste when picking his god sister thanks to her stunt i wasn't in the mood for the auction anymore
03:11i turned to the auctioneer and pointed straight at the eternal star ring in the display case
03:16i want to activate the automatic bidding system whatever she offers i'll pay double miss our automatic
03:24bidding service is reserved for clients with vip cards sofia gave a sharp little snort she reached
03:30into her clutch pulled out a gold vip card and slapped it onto the podium i spend seven figures a
03:36year
03:36here and you how exactly do you compare to me i drew in a slow breath took out a plain
03:44black card with no
03:45logo and placed it beside hers unlimited credit black card is that sufficient open the vip account and
03:53restart the bid a wave of startled whispers rolled through the hall sofia's smile faded and her tone
04:01turned colder this is marino territory if anyone sides with her i'll make sure they never work in this
04:08city again the auctioneer's face went chalk white his voice shook as he said miss i'm just a staff member
04:15i really can't afford to offend the marino family several guests who'd seen the whole thing started
04:21trying to persuade me just let it go i've run into miss lopez before mr martino indulges her in
04:28everything someone crossed her last month and his entire business was gone the very next day miss
04:34even if you've got money don't fight the marino family their reach isn't something people like us
04:40can survive just apologize and ask miss lopez to forgive you before this gets worse under all those
04:47cautious glances and hushed warnings sofia only grew more pleased with herself she crossed her arms
04:53and came closer wearing a smug smile the amusement in her eyes practically sparkled you heard them
04:59get on your knees and shout i'm broke and i know i was wrong do that and maybe i'll let
05:07you walk out of
05:11here in all 26 years of my life no one had ever dared to talk to me like that say
05:16that again
05:18what exactly do you want me to shout are you deaf i said i'm broke and i know i was
05:25wrong
05:25got it now loud and clear since you admit you're broke hurry up and get out of here before you
05:32drag
05:32down the marino name sofia's face flushed as she finally realized what i'd done you you twisted my
05:38words how dare you make fun of me she screeched and hurled herself at me arms flailing like a furious
05:44chicken it would have been funny if she weren't so noisy i had trained with my family's bodyguards
05:50in corvina for 10 years i wasn't about to be intimidated by a woman whose punches were nothing
05:55but a performance i drove a clean sidekick into her ribs sofia went down hard holding onto the carpet
06:02with a pained groan regret next time you open your mouth remember whose territory you're standing
06:08on gasps rickled through the hall oh my god she actually hit mrs lopez when mr marino hears about
06:17this he'll have her chopped up and thrown into the bay she's done not even god can save her now
06:25i
06:25tuned their chatter out the marino family only stood where they did today because my father had pulled
06:31them up when they were nothing in this city there wasn't a single person i needed to be afraid of
06:36i slapped my black card on the podium again like i said whatever she bids i'll pay double
06:43wrap the ring and hand it over the auctioneer's knees visibly buckled hands shaking he hit the
06:49authorization button and personally presented the velvet box to me i put it into a bag and turned to leave
06:55only for sofia to drag herself upright and stumble back into my path don't you dare leave i tapped the
07:02toe of my heel against the floor and glanced down what is it you want another practical demonstration
07:09she instinctively took a step back i let out a soft dismissive laugh and pivoted toward the exit
07:16but i didn't get far a wall of men in black suits suddenly filled the doorway blocking every way out
07:22before the guests could even process what was happening the line of bodyguards split cleanly
07:27down the middle a man walked through the gap they made i looked up and for a second my heart
07:32actually
07:32skipped the overhead lights fell across him outlining every inch of his frame he had the kind of build
07:38tailors dreamed about broad shoulders narrow waist long legs his face was all sharp planes and clean
07:45edges so perfect it looked like someone had carved it out of stone sofia immediately switched on the
07:50waterworks and ran to him tears glistening luca she stole my ring and hit me so this was my fiance
07:59no
08:00wonder my father had sworn up and down that i'd like him he knew me too well i was hopelessly
08:05shallow
08:05when it came to looks and luca fit my taste a little too perfectly seeing that face alone i almost
08:11felt
08:11like forgiving his earlier attitude on the phone i straightened gave him my most confident smile
08:17and introduced myself hi i'm isa borgia your fiancee a ripple of shock moved through the crowd
08:27what did she say she's mr marino's fiancee well obviously the fiancee matters more than a god sister
08:34not really it depends on who mr marino actually favors luca's cold gaze settled on me don't flatter
08:42yourself that engagement was my father's decision i never agreed to it sofia leaned into luca with her
08:48head on his shoulder her eyes sparkling with a challenge she wasn't bothering to hide look at you
08:53in those cheap clothes you really think you deserve to marry him you're not even qualified to shine my
08:59shoes someone in the crowd eagerly piled on exactly if mr marino ever gets married it'll be to a real
09:07heiress why would he choose a nobody from the countryside she looks dirty i feel like the air
09:13smells worse already she's nowhere near miss lopez's level i'd worn something simple there was nothing
09:19dirty about it but in their mouths i'd somehow turned into a walking trash heap people always did love
09:25kicking whoever they thought was at the bottom i lifted my eyes slowly and let my gaze sweep the
09:33entire auction hall before bringing it back to luca's face in that case go home and tell your father
09:39to call off the wedding and the reason i don't want you my father told me that luca's father antonio
09:46marino had pulled every string he could to make this engagement happen if he ever learned it all blew up
09:52because of luca i'd pay to see the look on his face that thought eased my irritation i couldn't be
09:58bothered arguing with this pack of idiots anymore so i turned to leave but sophia wasn't done she came
10:03stomping toward me in her stilettos like a hyena that had caught the scent of blood with two bodyguards
10:08following closely behind her the black pistols peeking from their holsters were enough to freeze the room
10:14you you think you can just walk away you snatched my ring and laid hands on me we're not done
10:21i gave
10:22her a cold look so what exactly do you want to do she mistook my patience for fear her hand
10:28snapped
10:28up toward my face i'll hit you until i feel better before her palm could land i caught her wrist
10:38twisted
10:38and slapped her across the face with my other hand sophia clutched her cheek staring at me in disbelief
10:43you lowlife how dare you why wouldn't i i cut her off slapping her other cheek just as hard
10:51is this enough for you the two slaps knocked the arrogance right off her face tears sprang to her
10:56eyes as she stumbled back and threw herself behind luca using him like a shield luca she hit me you
11:04have to
11:04stand up for me luca pulled her behind him and looked at me with a gaze so dark it could
11:09have dripped ink
11:09how dare you slap her you must really have a death wish he gave his bodyguards a subtle hand signal
11:16several of the bodyguards lunged at me at the same time i took down the first one who charged at
11:21me
11:21but the rest came too fast hits rained on me from all directions pain tore through my ribs and back
11:27until my legs gave out two bodyguards grabbed me under the arms and hauled me over to luca and sophia
11:35luca stroked sophia's swollen cheek and said softly do whatever you want with her if anything
11:41happens i'll take care of it his words sent a spark through sophia she spat at me her face contorting
11:47with cruel satisfaction bitch weren't you so bold just now come on keep acting tough you want to fight
11:55me over a ring fine i'll break your fingers let's see what you'll wear on them after that at her
12:03nod the
12:03two bodyguards pinned my shoulders before forcing my arm out in front of me stretching my fingers
12:08over the polished floor i lifted my head and stared straight at luca and sophia if you go through with
12:14this i swear i'll make you both pay for it sophia let out a sharp laugh the merino family is
12:20one of
12:20the five ruling houses in norham city and you you're a nameless little stray from nowhere you think you get
12:26to threaten us today i'll make sure you never forget what happens when you cross me
12:33her stiletto drove down on my fingers and pain ripped through my hand i bit down so hard i tasted
12:38blood i was pretty sure i heard something crap everyone around us looked away from the violence but
12:44no one had the courage to step in she shouldn't have picked a fight with a merino her hands are
12:49done
12:49for she'll be lucky if she can even feed herself after this we're just civilians people like us
12:54swallow our pride or end up dead i had loved the piano since i was a child i would be
12:59performing on
13:00stages all around the world i couldn't lose my hands the thought of losing them sent a cold
13:05strangling fear through me when sophia lifted her heel again my resolve collapsed i was wrong you can have
13:12the ring take it just don't hurt my hands revenge could wait but fingers didn't grow back however
13:19sophia didn't pause her heel pressed down again harder this time a metallic smell rose from my bleeding
13:25hand sophia finished grinding her heel into my fingers then squatted down pinched my chin tightly and
13:34brought her face right up to mine her mascara was a little smudged and fine lines were visible at the
13:40corners of her eyes i noticed these details only because my face was pressed so close to hers
13:45do you actually think you're special she whispered softly as if sharing a secret let me tell you luca has
13:52already gone through three fiances i drove every single one of them away you're the fourth and by far
13:59the stupidest one blood seeped from the corner of my mouth but i didn't talk back it wasn't because
14:04i didn't dare it was because i had no strength left my right hand had already gone completely
14:09numb i didn't dare look at it that's right sophia laughed her voice full of malice the first one was
14:15dumped by him the second left on her own and the third i personally made her disappear her eyes changed
14:23turning dark and sinister how long do you think you can hold on she stood up and coldly ordered the
14:29bodyguard pin her other hand down too today i'm going to crush both of her hands let's see how she
14:35seduces
14:36after this you bitch oh now you're scared too late for that you're not leaving this place until i say
14:48so
14:49a scream tore out of my throat i turned my head to luca luca aren't you afraid of who i
14:55am
14:56if you let her do this you'll regret it who are you you're nothing just a woman who tricked my
15:05father
15:05sophia saw his reaction and her smile grew even more vicious you're still trying to seduce luca while
15:13i'm right here if i don't break your hands you'll never learn no just then my phone rang from inside
15:22my
15:22bag i struggled against the men holding me trying to reach for it but sophia moved faster she grabbed
15:28the phone glanced at the screen and answered it with a cold laugh my father's voice came through
15:34at once tight with worry isa why aren't you home yet is the auction still going i dragged in a
15:42breath
15:42and shouted as loudly as i could papa help me they're going to destroy my hands
15:53my father's voice went cold in an instant what who is this sophia shouted into the phone i'm sophia
15:59lopez your daughter's been acting like a slut with men so i'm teaching her a lesson i don't care who
16:07you
16:07are let my daughter go touch her again and you'll wish you've never been born if you've got the guts
16:12come over here her heel slammed into my hand once more and i couldn't hold back a try i'm right
16:18here
16:19waiting i'll break her hands first and let you hear it and when you get here i'll break yours too
16:25she hung up and slammed my phone to the floor it shattered into pieces then she ordered the men
16:31around us to beat me five minutes passed it wasn't long on a clock but it felt like half a
16:36lifetime
16:36at last a familiar armored black sedan rolled to a stock outside the auction hall the air itself
16:42seemed to tighten my father stepped out of the car his black coat still carrying the faint scent of
16:48gunpowder and blood his eyes were cold with fury as he pushed the main doors open his voice cut through
16:56the hall like a blade who dares to threaten to break my hands and my daughters when my father
17:04stepped into the doorway the air in the auction halls seemed to freeze his sharp gaze swept the room once
17:09then stopped on me i was still being held down sophia still had no idea danger had just walked in
17:15she even let out a dismissive laugh and stepped forward in her stilettos so you're the sluts father
17:21perfect your daughter snatched my ring and slapped me you two had better apologize right now or the
17:27marino family won't let either of you walk out of here the crowd rippled with whispers a few guests
17:33edged toward my father their voices low and nervous sir you should back down miss lopez is mr marino's
17:40favorite god sister in norham city no one dares cross the marino family for you rs safety and your
17:47daughters just admit fault there's no shaming my father didn't spare any of them a glance he simply
17:56lifted his hand the two men behind him moved at once striding over to me they kicked aside the
18:02bodyguards holding my shoulders and pulled me gently to my feet i staggered into my father's arms
18:07he caught me pulling me close as he soothed me with a gentle hand on my back does it hurt
18:12my little
18:13princess his voice sounded calm but anyone who knew him could hear the storm gathering beneath it
18:18i nodded and tears slipped down my cheeks they wanted to rip out my nails too papa his eyes grew
18:24even colder he turned to sophia and luca his voice edged with undeniable authority in my whole life
18:30almost nothing has ever made me apologize sophia flinched under his stare then quickly latched onto
18:36luca's arm and tried to look composed luca look at them they really don't know their place luca finally
18:43spoke his tone icy sir you'd better do as sophia says in norham city going against my family is unwise
18:53my father let out a mocking laugh your family which one would that be the madrine family
19:00the marneff family he waved a hand dismissively i don't bother remembering small families even if
19:08your father antonio were standing in front of me he wouldn't dare to speak to me like that luca's
19:15expression shifted in an instant he said in a low voice anger seeping through sir even if you know my
19:22father isn't that a bit too arrogant my father didn't even look at luca he took out his phone dialed
19:29a
19:29number and raised it to his ear the call connected almost immediately antonio your son just asked me
19:37if i was being too arrogant there was a few seconds of silence on the other end then antonio's voice
19:43came through trembling noticeably don borgia luca he doesn't know what you're talking about
19:51he doesn't know father repeated a cold smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth there are
19:56so many things he doesn't know for example who dragged the marino family out of the ruins of
20:02corvola 20 years ago or how his father knelt in front of me back then with snot and tears all
20:09over
20:09his face begging me to take him in luca's face turned deathly pale in an instant father hadn't put
20:15the call on speaker but the hall was deathly quiet so antonio's voice still came through intermittently
20:20don borgia i beg you luca is still a child he doesn't understand a child father cut him off when
20:27your son ordered his men to gang up and beat my daughter he wasn't acting like a child another
20:33heavy silence then antonio's voice became even lower almost a whisper i i will come and apologize in
20:40person tomorrow whatever conditions you want i'll agree to all of them father didn't answer he hung up the
20:47phone directly he put the phone back in his pocket then finally looked at luca again did you hear that
20:53your father didn't even dare to ask what happened he only knows one thing he has offended someone he
20:59shouldn't have luca's lips were trembling but he still gritted his teeth and said you you're bluffing
21:05me you fake that call before he could finish luca's phone rang he looked down at the screen and his
21:12pupils shrank violently caller id father luca's finger hovered over the answer button refusing to
21:18press it for a long time my father glanced at him and said indifferently answer it listen to what your
21:24father has to say gritting his teeth luca finally pressed the answer button antonio's voice exploded
21:30from the receiver loud enough for everyone within three meters to hear you animal do you even know what
21:35you've done if miss morgia loses even a single hair i'll pretend i never gave birth to a son like
21:41you
21:41luca's face went from white to ashen gray he opened his mouth but not a single word came out
21:50my father set the tip of his cane against the marble floor the tap rang clear in the hush of
21:56the
21:56hall as he stepped forward his eyes fixed on luca like a hawk sighting prey arrogant he scoffed coldly
22:03one of my daughter's fingers is worth more than the head on your shoulders and you dared to touch
22:10her he paused then spoke each word as if he were nailing it into the floor my daughter has never
22:16accepted a rose that still had its thorns anyone who dares hurt her i'll make them pay for that a
22:22hundred times over almost on the last word the main doors of the auction hall slammed open
22:30a line of men in black suits filed in their movements clean and coordinated in just a few
22:35minutes every bodyguard luca had brought was disarmed and pinned to the floor their arms locked
22:40behind their backs everything turned around in an instant two men stepped up behind luca and sophia
22:45grabbed their shoulders and forced them down to their knees in front of my father sophia tried to twist
22:50away panic wiping the arrogance from her face her makeup had streaked down her cheeks and she turned to
22:56luca in desperation luca help me luca tried to wrench free veins throbbing at his temples let me go
23:04i swear you don't know the price you're about to pay my father looked down at luca and sophia like
23:11they
23:11were nothing more than insects crawling on the floor pay the price his voice stayed eerily calm
23:17making the hall feel even colder when you ordered my daughter beaten did you ever stop to think about
23:23the price you'd pay then he turned to me and that killing frost in his eyes softened isa how do
23:31you
23:31want to deal with i walked towards sophia the ache in my fingers turned every step heavy but the anger
23:37burning in my chest kept me moving i fisted a hand in her perfectly styled hair and yanked her head
23:42up so
23:43that she had to look at me whatever you did to me i will return to you i kept slapping
23:49her until her
23:50cheeks puffed up and flushed an angry red sophia glared up at me eyes burning with hate and lips
23:55smeared with blood even then she kept spitting curses you bitch just wait luca will make you wish
24:03you were dead luca lunged trying to get up stop i turned and drove my heel into his chest sending
24:10him right back down i had put everything into that kick and the impact shot a fierce pain up my
24:15injured
24:16fingers clutching his ribs luca sucked in a breath but he still tried to threaten us
24:23the iron door slammed shut behind them with a deafening bang luca and sophia were shoved into
24:28a pitch black basement sophia's footsteps came to an abrupt halt her voice shot up sharp enough to
24:34shatter glass what's that sound what the hell is that three wolf dogs not very large but their ribs
24:42were clearly visible they hadn't been fed for three days the sound of iron chains dragging across the
24:48floor was like the grim reafer's scythe luca whispered urgently don't move sophia let out a piercing
24:54scream and staggered backward don't move don't run don't her high heel stepped on something wet and
25:02slippery and she fell hard to the ground all three wolf dogs lunged forward at once her voice became
25:09tiny almost like she was talking to herself are we going to die here luca didn't answer his hand
25:15fumbled in his pocket for his phone the screen lit up for a second no signal it won't happen he
25:21said but
25:22his voice lacked any conviction my father will come save us another hour passed footsteps sounded
25:29outside the iron door sophia jerked her head up hope flashing in her eyes a small window on the iron
25:35door opened and a bowl of water along with a few pieces of dry bread were pushed inside sophia
25:41scrambled over her voice hoarse let us out do you know who i am i'm the eldest daughter of the
25:49lopez
25:49family if you dare the small window slammed shut the footsteps faded away sophia stood frozen in
25:57place clutching the bowl of water tears fell pathetically into it drop after drop
26:04luca had barely slept all night he kept staring at those three pairs of green eyes until his own eyes
26:10were dry and burning sophia curled up beside him burying her face in his chest her expensive custom
26:17dress was torn in several places and her nails were caked with dirt she suddenly spoke her voice raspy
26:23luca is your phone still working no signal i don't want to make a call sophia lifted her head there
26:29was
26:30a strange gleam in her eyes that he had never seen before let's take a selfie when we get out
26:35i'm gonna
26:36post it everywhere and let everyone know what that borgia did to us luca was stunned for a second then
26:42laughed it wasn't a happy laugh it was a laugh of utter absurdity you're thinking about taking photos
26:47at a time like this i'm not willing to accept this sophia's voice suddenly rose i've never suffered
26:53like this in my entire life who does she think she is just some wild bastard who appeared out of
26:58nowhere
26:59a low growl suddenly came from the wolf dogs sophia's voice cut off abruptly three pairs of green eyes
27:05locked onto her at the same time she slowly shrank back into luca's arms and stopped talking
27:12the bread was gone the water was gone the wolf dogs began pacing restlessly their chains scraping
27:19loudly against the floor sophia leaned against the wall her lips cracked her hair a complete mess
27:24her eyes were unfocused like a phone that had run out of battery her voice was as light as a
27:30wisp of smoke luca do you think your father will really come to save us luca remained silent for a
27:37long time he will he's my father he didn't say it out loud but he was starting to feel afraid
27:45not of the wolf dogs but of a deeper fear what if his father had already given up on him
27:50finally
27:51footsteps sounded outside the iron door again this time there was more than one person the iron door was
27:57opened blinding light flooded in both sophia and luca instinctively raised their hands to shield their
28:03eyes the wolf dogs were led away several men in black suits walked in expressionlessly and dragged them
28:09up sophia's legs had gone completely limp she was supported by two men as they dragged her out luca
28:15staggered barely able to stand his legs also trembling the moment they stepped out of the basement fresh air
28:21rushed toward them sophia gasped greedily like a drowning person finally pulled ashore i won't let
28:28this go she whispered hoarsely borgia just you wait luca didn't speak he stared straight ahead his face
28:36ashen what he was thinking was something else in these three days his father hadn't made even a single
28:41phone call i woke to the sting of antiseptic the first thing i saw was my father's face above me
28:49drawn tight with worry my right hand was wrapped in thick bandages a dull pain throbbed through each
28:55finger your fingers are saved my father said brushing the hair away from my forehead but they'll need
29:00time to heal just then the door eased open antonio stood at the threshold the man who usually dominated
29:06headlines as an untouchable mafia he said hoarsely don borgia my son was reckless he offended mrs borgia
29:14my father looked at him coldly and said nothing antonio turned to me instead and bowed deeply
29:20mrs borgia luca was ignorant he had no idea who you were everything our family has today came from
29:25don borgia's support years ago this engagement was us reaching far of our station we won't mention it
29:30again i only beg you to spare his life i looked at antonio who seemed to have aged overnight and
29:35felt
29:36nothing at all fine i said my voice weak but clear i'll give you a choice you can keep your
29:42son
29:43or you can keep your entire family
29:47his body visibly swayed his lips trembled and pain flickered across his eyes as he fought with himself
29:54after a long silence he lowered his head i'll accept whatever you decide this was how our world worked
30:00in the mafia world family interests always sat higher than a single individual i'm not asking
30:06for his life i said turning my gaze toward the window but i have one condition at the five families
30:12gathering he has to apologize to me in front of everyone antonio let out a long sigh of relief of
30:19course i'll make sure luca apologizes sincerely mrs borgia he left with shaky steps his back slumped in
30:26defeat the day of the five families gathering finally arrived it was held at the same auction house
30:32the moment my father and i walked into the hall every gaze in the room swung toward us
30:40i wore a deep red gown that brushed the floor with every step a matching velvet glove covered my injured
30:46right hand an elegant mask for the damage that still hadn't fully healed antonio hurried over to greet us
30:53his face pale and strained with nerves don borgia miss borgia thank you for gracing us with your
31:00presence tonight i gave him a small polite nod and slowly scanned the crowded hall all eyes were
31:06already on us father's voice was low and commanding bring them up several bodyguards wheeled a heavy iron
31:13cage into the center of the room right under the bright spotlight the moment the cage came into view
31:18a wave of shocked murmurs swept through the crowd inside luca and sophia were huddled together like
31:24trapped animals their clothes were torn and filthy sophia's once glorious gold gown hung in ragged strips
31:32while luca's expensive suit was covered in dirt and dried blood bruises and cuts marred their faces and
31:39arms whatever they had endured these past few days it had clearly been hell the bodyguards unlocked the cage
31:46and dragged them out roughly showing no mercy sophia's legs gave out instantly she collapsed to her knees
31:52staring at me with wide terrified eyes isa please
31:59we were wrong i was wrong just let us go luca lifted his head yes poor god i beg you
32:09have mercy my family
32:11will compensate you however you want just don't do this in public i looked down at them coldly my
32:18injured hand resting lightly on my father's arm public you humiliated me in public first did you show
32:25me any mercy then i took one slow step forward my voice clear enough for the entire hall to hear
32:31you wanted to break me now the whole of noram gets to watch as i break you
32:40luca staggered swaying on his feet his eyes darted wildly over the crowd until they locked on antonio
32:46dad he shouted hoarsely his voice cracking with despair you have to help me they don't respect the
32:55marino family at all he jabbed a shaking finger at my father and me his eyes burning with hatred
33:01antonio's face went white he strode forward and in front of everyone slapped luca so hard that the
33:07sound cracked across the hall you ungrateful brat get on your knees and apologize to mrs gorgia
33:16now sophia jerked her head up her voice sharp with outrage don marino you must be joking you want
33:24luca to apologize to those two noblies shut your mouth antonio snapped turning on her with a glare
33:31sharp enough to scorch this all started because of you if not for you luca would never have offended
33:38don borgia and miss borgia luca stared at antonio as if he didn't recognize him
33:47antonio you still haven't told them the truth don of the corfioni family mr rossif borgia is the most
33:54powerful don in corvina years ago when the five families rebuild our power here in norham city
33:59it was only possible because he backed us and shielded us veto said slowly his voice carrying
34:04clearly through the silent hall if he so much as lifts a finger he can erase an entire family from
34:10norham city overnight luca snapped his head toward antonio his eyes filled with frantic desperation for
34:16an answer antonio pressed his lips into a tight line and gave a stiff reluctant nod that can't be true
34:24luca said stumbling back a step if it is why have i never heard about it before veto let out
34:30a
34:30humorless laugh that secret is known only to the heads of the families you haven't even officially
34:36taken over yet what makes you think you had the right to hear it before this incident
34:42as soon as veto finished speaking the entire hall fell into silence i was about to speak when my phone
34:48vibrated inside my bag it was an encrypted message the sender field showed an internal code from the
34:54corleone family miss borgia tomorrow night at the norham chamber of commerce annual gala the lopez
35:00family's collateral branch and elena lopez will both be attending if you wish you may collect some
35:06interest there first i turned the phone screen toward my father he glanced at it and the corner of
35:11his mouth lifted slightly elena lopez father murmured the name sofia's mother she's been pulling strings
35:19behind the scenes quite a bit i know i said putting the phone away the golden custom gown sofia wore
35:25at
35:25the auction was ordered by elena from milan a month in advance mother and daughter one plays the good cop
35:32one plays the bad they've been running rampants in norham for years father looked at me without saying a
35:37word but his eyes were clear it's your decision i'll go but only after we settle matters here first
35:46the evening after the five great families meeting ended at the imperial banquet hall the crystal
35:52chandeliers lit up the entire hall as brightly as daylight not only were the collateral representatives
35:57of the five great families present but also dozens of heads of mid-tier families they usually couldn't
36:04even get close to the core meetings of the five families but tonight everyone wanted to fish for
36:09benefits amid the toasts and deals i wore a dark wine red velvet gown the long sleeves concealed the
36:15bandages on my right hand on my left ear i wore a single pigeon blood ruby earring gifted by my
36:21father
36:21only one this was an old borgia family tradition when a daughter has been provoked but has not yet fully
36:28avenged herself she wears only a single earring the moment i stepped into the hall i felt countless
36:34gazes stabbing into me like needles is that the borgia family's eldest daughter i heard the marino
36:40family heir was expelled because of her shh lower your voice the lopez family people are here tonight too
36:50i walked straight ahead without looking sideways and headed directly for the main table seven people
36:56were already seated at the main table the center seat was empty beside it sat a middle-aged woman in
37:01a deep purple gown elena lopez she looked 70 percent like sofia but more cunning and gloomier she was
37:08twirling a glass of red wine in her hand when she saw me approaching she didn't even bother to stand
37:13up
37:13she drawled looking me up and down so you're the little who got my daughter kicked out of northam
37:22the entire table fell silent i didn't sit down instead i looked down at her from above your
37:28daughter brought it upon herself i simply didn't stop her elena's face instantly flushed red she shot
37:35to her feet and slammed her wine glass onto the table splashing wine everywhere don't get cocky
37:41borgia i don't care who you are in norak the lopez family has the marino family behind us
37:49well not anymore but mark my words whatever my daughter lost i will take back tenfold for her
37:56she deliberately raised her voice so that the surrounding tables could hear several merchants
38:00who did business with the lopez family immediately chimed in exactly some outsider family what right do
38:08they have to sit at the main table even if the marinos aren't pursuing this it doesn't mean mrs lopez
38:13is easy to bully little girl apologize while things haven't blown up yet i smiled slowly apologize
38:21i repeated then glanced at the two bodyguards standing behind elena when your daughter crushed
38:26my fingers under her heel did she ever apologize elena's lips twitched but she quickly regained her
38:34vicious expression deserved it seducting someone else's fiance crushing your fingers was going easy on you
38:41i didn't argue with her i simply took out my phone from my handbag played a recording and turned
38:46the volume to maximum antonio's voice rang out clearly in the quiet hall my son was too reckless
38:54this marriage was us reaching above our station i only beg you to spare his life the recording ended
39:02the hall was deathly silent elena's hands began to tremble merchants beside her quietly shifted their
39:09chairs half a step back it's fake you forged it i put away my phone and looked down at her
39:15my voice
39:16calm but loud enough for the first three rows to hear clearly mrs lopez your daughter once said
39:22something at the auction in here i make the rules i raised my bandaged right hand and gently tapped above
39:28the wrappings now i'd like to return the favor with a message of my own your daughter and the marino
39:34family
39:34in front of me they don't even qualify as rules elena's face went from red to white then to a
39:40sickly
39:41green she suddenly grabbed the wine glass in front of her and hurled its contents at me red wine flew
39:46straight toward my face i didn't dodge the wine splashed across my face hair and wine red gown almost
39:51blending in only a few drops slid down my chin and fell onto the marble floor the entire hall gasped
39:58elena
39:59stood holding the empty glass chest heaving violently her eyes filled with mad triumph
40:07that's what you get for being arrogant i slowly raised my hand and wiped the wine from my face
40:14then i smiled mrs lopez do you know what you just did i took one step forward my voice wasn't
40:21loud but
40:22it pierced every ear like a nail you just attacked the sole heir of the borga family in front of
40:27more
40:27than 30 family representatives everything that happened tonight i will report it to my father in
40:34full detail elena's wine glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor
40:41i didn't answer her i turned around to face the entire banquet hall my voice clear and calm from
40:47tonight onward any family that does business with the lopez family will automatically be considered
40:53unfriendly to the borga family gasps rippled across the hall elena's face turned completely white
41:01you wouldn't dare she screamed but her voice had already lost all confidence
41:08i gave her one last look then turned and walked toward the exit behind me came elena's hysterical shriek
41:14stop that but no one moved the allies she thought she had all lowered their heads like frostbitten
41:21eggplants as i walked out the main door vito corleone was already standing by the entrance he held a
41:27glass of whiskey and gave me a slight nod miss borgia you're even more ruthless than your father was
41:34at your age vito paused his lips curving into a soft genuine smile as he looked at her and i'm
41:39liking you
41:40more and more my lovely lady i glanced sideways at him don coreano did you already know this would
41:48happen tonight he smiled without answering simply raising his glass welcome to the real norton i didn't
41:54clink glasses with him i walked straight to the elevator the moment the elevator doors closed i let
42:01out a soft breath my right hand hurt badly but my heart felt incredibly satisfied i walked forward slowly
42:08the fingers beneath my velvet glove still throbbing with a dull ache i've changed my mind after what i just
42:15heard from luca i'm very disappointed he doesn't look guilty at all antonio is this the apology the
42:22marino family is giving me every pair of eyes turned to antonio the man who usually ruled the room now
42:28looked pale he drew in a deep breath and at that moment he seemed to age a decade from this
42:34moment on
42:35luca is no longer my son he is no longer heir to the marino family he is officially stripped of
42:41his name
42:42and cut off from all family assets dad you can't do this to me i'm your son luca shouted his
42:50eyes full
42:50of despair and disbelief no that's impossible how could she have that kind of power why didn't anyone
42:57tell us earlier this has to be fake you're all being fooled sofia's shriek cut through the hall like
43:05broken glass one of veto's men stepped out of the crowd and slapped her across the face several times
43:10until she finally shut up that's enough lucca suddenly snarled he wrenched himself free from
43:16the men restraining him and threw himself in front of sofia this has nothing to do with sofia
43:22i was a blind fool i'm the one who offended miss borjan this is my fault if you want revenge
43:30take it
43:31out on me and let sofia go sofia leaned against his chest her eyes glistening with tears
43:38lucca i knew you were the only one who really cared about me the scene was almost touching in a
43:44tragic ridiculous way i couldn't help but lift my hands and give them a soft slow clap how touching
43:51since you're so devoted to each other i'll let you go under everyone's stunned gaze i went on you can
43:57leave with her now in the name of the borgia family i give you my word no one will stop
44:03you
44:05lucca stared at me in disbelief while a spark of hope lit sofia's eyes from this moment on you
44:11have no connection to the merino family you walk away with nothing lucca clenched his jaw then bent
44:17to help sofia steady herself we're leaving everyone watched them limp out of the hall while leaning on
44:22each other my father asked in a low voice are you really gonna let them walk away like that i
44:28smiled
44:29you'll see soon enough three months later a headline shook the entire upper circle of norham city
44:34former merino heir lucca merino killed his girlfriend sofia lopez in a run-down motel
44:39then tried to take his own life he was now in police custody word had it that after losing his
44:45status
44:45lucca was penniless and took sofia to live with him in a shabby motel on the edge of the slums
44:52having grown up pampered and overindulged neither of them could tolerate the hardships of an ordinary
44:58life sofia complained every day she called lucca useless and blamed him for dragging her from the
45:04clouds into the mud she could no longer afford designer clothes or fancy goods even a proper
45:09dinner had become a luxury three days before the murder someone had spotted sofia in an upscale
45:15restaurant linking arms with a middle-aged businessman after that she stopped going back
45:20to the motel at night when she did show up her attitude toward lucca was cold on the night of
45:26the
45:26incident neighbors heard them shouting through the thin walls you think you're still the heir of the
45:31merino family you can't even buy me a new lipstick i gave up everything for you lucca roared back
45:37if i'd known you were so useless i never would have left with you then came the sound of things
45:43being
45:43smashed after that was an eerie heavy silence the next morning the cleaning staff opened the door and
45:50almost fainted sofia was lying in a pool of blood having been stabbed over and over lucca was on the
45:57floor beside her with his wrist slashed barely alive i heard the news while i was at home sitting at
46:02my
46:02piano although my fingers hadn't fully healed i could already play a few simple pieces just then my father
46:10walked in and placed a folded newspaper on the piano you saw this coming didn't you i took my
46:17hands off the piano and glanced at the newspaper's front page it showed lucca being shoved into a police
46:23car sofia never loved lucca what she loved was his status and his money once he lost those her betrayal
46:31was just a matter of time as for lucca i went on letting my fingers drift lightly over the keys
46:38he was born into wealth he was never going to survive losing everything especially after the
46:45woman he loved cheated on him my father studied me for a long moment you gave them the cruelest punishment
46:52i shook my head no they chose their punishment i just handed them the knife sunlight poured through the
47:00windows warm and bright their tragedy had no effect on me in our world the strong prayed on the weak
47:06mercy toward an enemy only ever led to destruction lucca and sophia's ending only proved that truth
47:12once again they were nothing more than stepping stones on my way to the top seat in corvina's mafia world
47:19the sunlight was beautiful but my hand still throbbed with dull pain the doctor said the nerves had been
47:25damaged even after recovery it would never be as flexible as before i might never be able to play
47:31those difficult pieces again i sat in front of the piano placed my right hand on the keys and gently
47:37pressed a single note a clean lonely sound rang out the door was pushed open father walked in he was
47:43wearing a deep gray suit his tie knotted perfectly sophia's funeral is at two o'clock this afternoon
47:50are you going i thought for a long time so long that father thought i wouldn't answer yes father nodded
47:56turned to leave then stopped isa this isn't your fault i didn't speak only after he walked out did i
48:03whisper to the empty room i know but what i knew wasn't just that i knew sophia would die from
48:09the moment
48:10she crushed my fingers under her heel from the moment she answered my father's call she was already dead
48:15i simply didn't stop it i didn't stop it because i didn't want to this thought was like a thorn
48:21lodged
48:22in a corner of my heart it didn't hurt but it was always there the church was small so small
48:29that even
48:30from the last row you could clearly see the white flowers on the coffin not many people came sophia's
48:36parents sat in the front row her mother was crying so hard she couldn't sit straight while her father sat
48:41rigidly like a stone statue luca didn't come he was in the hospital with more than a dozen stitches
48:47on his wrist under police guard they said he wasn't in danger of dying but his mental state was very
48:52poor i stood at the very back leaning against the wall father didn't come inside he waited for me in
48:59the car while the priest was reading the eulogy sophia's mother suddenly stood up and staggered toward me
49:05everyone was watching she stopped in front of me her tears had ruined her makeup leaving streaks down
49:11her face are you satisfied now her voice was hoarse like sandpaper scraping glass i said nothing
49:19my daughter is dead and you still come to her funeral she grabbed the sleeve of my coat nails digging
49:26into the fabric are you here to watch the show her husband rushed over and pulled her away from me
49:32he glanced at me that look contained hatred fear and deep exhaustion i'm sorry she didn't mean it
49:39i nodded then turned and walked out of the church the sunlight was blinding i stood at the entrance for
49:45a
49:45while taking a deep breath father got out of the car and stood beside me let's go i got into
49:51the car
49:51leaned back in the seat and closed my eyes outside the window the church bells rang twice two o'clock
49:57in
49:57one minute sofia lopez 22 years old a short life an ugly death i silently recited these words in my
50:04heart
50:05then opened my eyes there was still a long road ahead three months later lucas case went to trial
50:13i didn't go father sent a lawyer to observe who came back and reported the result luca marina was
50:20sentenced to 12 years in prison for manslaughter the wound on his wrist left a permanent scar
50:25the psychological evaluation stated he had severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder
50:32the lawyer said luca didn't speak a single word throughout the entire trial
50:37when the judge asked if he pleaded guilty he simply nodded
50:41the lawyer also said that antonio marino sat in the gallery his hair completely white
50:48when the sentence was announced he didn't cry he just closed his eyes and didn't open them for a long
50:53time
50:56later at a gathering vito corleone told me antonio is finished he saved his son's life but the marino
51:05family is done for i held my wine glass and said nothing you know in luca's first week in prison
51:12someone asked if he wanted to see a lawyer he said no someone asked if he wanted to see his
51:17father he
51:18stayed silent finally the person asked who do you want to see he said he wanted to see you my
51:26hand
51:26froze he found out you stay at the manor every day and wanted to ask if you could visit him
51:32vito looked
51:33at me you won't go right i put down the wine glass and stood up no some people once missed
51:43are missed
51:46forever half a year later my fingers had recovered most of their function the doctor called it a
51:51miracle saying my recovery speed far exceeded his expectations i knew it wasn't a miracle for the past
51:59six months i had done three hours of rehabilitation training every day even when the pain made me sweat
52:05i didn't stop father would sit beside me saying nothing only handing me a towel can you play the
52:12piano yet i tried i placed my right hand on the keys and ran through a scale it was slow
52:21and clumsy
52:21but every note came out soon father didn't smile but his eyes brightened that night i sat alone in the
52:28piano room and played a very simple piece debussy's claire de lune my left hand carried the main melody
52:34while my right hand only added a few occasional notes i closed my eyes and imagined myself standing
52:41on stage spotlights shining on my face the audience packed below that feeling was still there the desire
52:48to stand at the very top was still there sofia was dead luca was in prison the marino family had
52:56fallen
52:57but they were not my destination they were just stones on the road i stepped over them got a little
53:02mud
53:03on my shoes and wiped it off one year later the power structure in noram had completely changed the
53:12marino family had been squeezed out of the five great families the corleone family had taken the top seat
53:20and i isa borgia was no longer just don gorgeous daughter i began taking over the family's businesses
53:28not all at once but gradually father handed them to me piece by piece first a few small casinos
53:36then a port then control of the entire northern district of corvina every time he transferred power
53:43father stood behind me without speaking but always present once when veto was drunk he put his arm around
53:51my shoulder and said to the whole table this little girl is even more ruthless than her father i smiled
54:00and
54:00removed his hand from my shoulder it wasn't because i was ruthless it was because i had no way back
54:07i was the only daughter of the borgia family this entire empire would eventually be mine
54:14the power structure in noram had finally settled and life seemed to have returned to a certain calm
54:21every week i would spend three afternoons in the piano room sunlight poured in through the floor to
54:26ceiling windows illuminating the black and white keys and my right hand the hand that had nearly
54:31been destroyed footsteps stopped at the doorway i didn't turn around but my fingers paused on the keys
54:37for a moment your piano skills are much better than your acting his voice came from the doorway slightly
54:44hoarse carrying a lazy smile i turned my head veto stood leaning against the door frame instead of his
54:51usual signature dark suit he wore a charcoal gray thin sweater with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms
54:57he was holding a long slender black box in his hands don corione has no one ever taught you to
55:03knock
55:03before entering has no one ever taught you not to be so cold toward a guest who came from afar
55:10he walked in his leather shoes stepped lightly yet heavily on the wooden floor with every step
55:18isis for the past year i've been looking for the right moment he paused the corner of his
55:23mouth lifting in a self-mocking smile but i realized that with you there will never be a right moment
55:29he opened the black box inside was a necklace it was an exact match to my single earring your father
55:36told me about this borga family tradition his voice grew lower when a daughter has been provoked but has
55:42not yet fully taken revenge she wears only one earring once revenge is complete she wears the other i
55:50stared at the gemstone but didn't reach out so veto took a deep breath in this moment one of the
55:57most
55:57powerful men in norham looked like someone standing on the edge of a cliff so i wanted to ask if
56:03one day
56:04you decide to wear the other earring could that spot be left for me silence the only sound in the
56:12piano
56:12room was the occasional chirping of birds outside the window my heartbeat was slow and steady
56:19do you know what you're saying i know very clearly isa i don't need a woman who stands behind me
56:25and
56:26you're not that kind of woman anyway the corcioni family and the borgia family don't need to swallow
56:30each other but i'm willing for a lifetime to stand in the place closest to you the sunlight outside the
56:38window grew brighter falling on his face and illuminating details i had never noticed before there
56:44was a tiny mole at the corner of his eye a faint scar on his left eyebrow the fingers holding
56:50the
56:50necklace were long and strong yet they were trembling slightly right now this man who didn't even blink
56:57during the five great family summit was trembling suddenly i felt the urge to smile it's okay i told you
57:08i can wait i didn't say i wouldn't accept it my fingers still rested on the edge of the box
57:14but i need
57:15to think about it how long maybe a year maybe two maybe after i finish thinking i'll return this box
57:24to
57:24you completely untouched then i'll wait he turned and walked toward the door at the doorway he stopped
57:30without turning back by the way what piece were you playing just now debossy's claire de lune next time
57:37if i hear you stop playing this piece again consider that your answer
Comments