Chapter 6
560words
Instead, there was a sharp ripping sound. A deep gash opened across Giovanna's cheek. Blood burst out immediately and ran down her chin, dripping onto the floor.
"Aaaah! My face…!" Giovanna clutched her wound and rolled across the floor in agony. "Fabrizio, how dare you! My family won't let this go!"
"Your family?" Fabrizio sneered and turned to Enzo. "Drag her four little henchwomen down to the basement and punish them the Medici way. Let them learn what happens when they lay a hand on the Donna!"
Enzo obeyed at once. With two men, he hauled the four women, who were shaking uncontrollably, straight downstairs.
Before long, screams rose from the basement, one after another.
There was the sizzling sound of cigars burning flesh, the dull thud of blades slicing into skin, and the piercing shrieks that came with broken fingers. It was enough to make anyone's scalp crawl.
Fabrizio crouched down and pulled a first-aid kit from his pocket, carefully tending to my wounds. His touch was gentle, avoiding my torn skin, yet the ruthless edge in his eyes never faded.
"Mamma, I'm sorry you had to suffer. Whatever she did to you, I'll return it to her tenfold.
"Rizzo…" I looked at his tense profile.
I wanted to tell him there was no need to be so cruel, but the memory of the burning cigar and the dagger stabbing into my palm flashed through my mind.
In the end, all that came out was a tiny sigh.
After treating my wounds, Fabrizio stood up. He grabbed Giovanna by the hair and dragged her toward the bronze candlestick in the living room.
That Medici family heirloom was still smeared with my blood.
"Didn't you really want this candlestick?" Fabrizio said coldly.
He lifted the burning candle from it, letting scorching wax drip onto Giovanna's arm.
"You used it to smash my mother's head, and you even burned her with a cigar. Today, I'll show you what living hell really feels like."
"Argh! It hurts! Let me go!" Giovanna's whole body convulsed in pain, but Fabrizio held her down so she couldn't move.
He pressed the red-hot candlestick directly against her arm. The stench of burned flesh filled the room instantly, the same as when I had been scorched earlier.
Giovanna's screams were deafening. Tears mixed with blood streamed down her face, yet Fabrizio's eyes stayed ice-cold, without a hint of mercy.
"This one is for my mother's forehead," he said as he released the candlestick. He then picked up the dagger from the floor and sliced into Giovanna's palm. "And this one is for the hand you stabbed through."
Giovanna's vision went dark, and she passed out completely.
Fabrizio frowned slightly and said to his men, "Throw some cold water on her. Don't let her die yet. The real show hasn't even started."
A man immediately brought over a basin of cold water and dumped it hard onto Giovanna's face.
She jolted awake, her eyes unfocused as she stubbornly muttered, "Fabrizio… You'll regret this. My father won't let you get away with it…"
"I'll be waiting," Fabrizio said with a cold laugh. He lifted his hand to signal his men. "Tie her up. Tomorrow morning, take her to the docks."
