Drawn by his daughter’s desperate cries, Mafia boss Alessandro Rizzano strode in from the adjoining corridor

"Yes, Mr. Rizzano," Rosalie responded instantly, rising from the floor. She approached carefully, her hands extended.

"No, Daddy, please!" Livia cried, clinging tightly to Alessandro’s neck, terrified of being put down.

"Go with Rosalie. Just for a moment. Little bird," Alessandro murmured, his raspy voice softening to a gentle, reassuring hum. "Daddy has to speak. To the bride."

Livia sniffled, finally releasing her grip and allowing the maid to take her into her arms. Rosalie immediately stepped backward, carrying the child safely toward the open doors of the corridor, out of the immediate line of fire.

Once Livia was safely out of reach, the atmosphere in the bright, cinematic room plummeted to absolute freezing.

Bianca watched the exchange, her chest heaving beneath the heavy silk of her wedding gown. Furious that Alessandro was prioritizing the child and the maid over her, she lost all sense of self-preservation. Driven by pure, narcissistic rage, she raised the buzzing electric clippers again and took an aggressive step forward.

"You are going to let a maid walk out of here with that child after she disrespected me?" Bianca screamed, her fair skin flushing violently. "I am going to be your wife, Alessandro! I demand respect in this house!"

She stepped toward the door, raising the clippers as if to threaten Rosalie.

Alessandro moved with blinding, explosive speed.

He stepped directly into Bianca’s path, his towering, masculine frame completely blocking her advance. His heavily tattooed hand shot out, moving faster than the eye could track. He clamped his fingers around her wrist with the crushing force of a steel vice, stopping her momentum instantly.

"Let go of me!" Bianca shrieked, struggling frantically against his grip.

With his other hand, Alessandro effortlessly pried the buzzing electric clippers from her grasp. He twisted her wrist sharply, forcing her to step backward, entirely away from his daughter and the maid. He pulled Livia and Rosalie safely behind the impenetrable wall of his body.

"You are hurting me!" Bianca yelled, rubbing her wrist as he released her. Her eyes burned with a toxic mixture of fear and fury. "How dare you put your hands on me like that!"

"You laid your hands. On my blood," Alessandro whispered. The controlled pauses in his speech felt like heavy drops of freezing water. "You are lucky. You still have hands."

"You listen to me, Alessandro," Bianca hissed, stepping forward again, raising her chin in ultimate defiance. She pointed a diamond-adorned finger at his chest. "My family controls the southern ports. You need this alliance. So don't you dare look at me like that."