From Mafia Wife to Empire Queen Chapter 03

From Mafia Wife to Empire Queen Chapter 03

The days that followed passed in quiet tension.

Luca never once showed his face to me.

He probably assumed I was holed up somewhere, panicking over my law firm’s collapse and ready to crawl back to him begging for forgiveness at any moment.

He had no idea what I’d already set in motion.

I’d already sold off all my law firm shares at a premium price and secretly taken over as lead legal counsel for the core business of the Ferraro Group.

One afternoon, I walked out of the Ferraro Group headquarters after finishing a board meeting.

My phone rang abruptly with a call from the animal hospital.

“Ms. Draven, your cat has been critically injured!”

My heart dropped straight into my stomach. I jumped into my car and raced straight to the clinic.

I pushed open the clinic doors to see Biscuit lying motionless on the operating table, covered in fresh blood, barely breathing.

The veterinarian stood beside the table, his hands stained crimson, his expression grave.

“The cat sustained severe blunt force trauma, ruptured internal organs. We’ve done everything we can…”

My mind went completely blank.

Biscuit had been my 18th birthday gift from my late parents.

He’d stayed by my side through every lonely, sleepless night of my marriage.

My hands trembled as I gently stroked his blood-matted fur.

Biscuit struggled to open his eyes, gave me one final weak glance, then drew his last breath.

“Who did this?”

My voice came out rough and hoarse, barely recognizable as my own.

The vet sighed and pulled up the clinic’s security camera footage.

The footage showed Emma wearing large designer sunglasses, gripping a golf club tightly in her hand.

Her bodyguards dragged Biscuit out of his travel carrier without a shred of mercy.

Without hesitation, Emma swung the golf club hard, slamming it repeatedly into Biscuit’s small body.

She didn’t stop hitting him until he stopped moving entirely.

Then she kicked his lifeless body aside in clear disgust.

“This little beast dared to scratch me. Does it think it’s the lady of the house?”

She turned to her bodyguards coldly.

“Dump it on the side of the road. Don’t let it sully Don Moretti’s sight.”

I stared unblinkingly at the screen, my fingernails digging deep into my palms until they drew blood, feeling no pain at all.

I pulled out my phone and dialed the police immediately.

Thirty minutes later, officers accompanied me back to my former penthouse.

The door swung open, revealing Emma curled comfortably in Luca’s embrace.

She let out a shrill scream the second she saw the police, hiding behind Luca in terror.

“Don Moretti, I’m so scared…”

Luca pulled her protectively behind him, his face dark and furious as he glared at me.

“Vera, what insane stunt are you pulling now?”

“Bringing police into my home—do you have no sense of shame left?”

I stared at him coldly.

“Emma is suspected of intentional destruction of personal property and animal cruelty. I’ve filed official police charges.”

Luca froze for a second, then let out a mocking, disdainful laugh.

“All over a worthless stray cat?”

“Vera, have you lost your mind? It’s just a cat. It dies, and I’ll buy you ten more to replace it.”

“Emma’s carrying my child right now. She can’t handle any shock. Tell these officers to leave at once before you embarrass yourself further.”

I stared at the man I’d once loved, feeling like I was looking at a complete stranger.

“That cat was my most precious keepsake from my deceased parents.”

“What harm did he ever do to deserve being beaten to death in cold blood?”

Emma peeked out from behind Luca, feigning hurt and grievance.

“Vera, don’t you dare slander me.”

“That cat went crazy and tried to attack my stomach. I only defended myself to protect the Moretti Family’s unborn heirs.”

“Am I worth less than a mere animal in your eyes?”

Luca’s gaze turned sharp and menacing after hearing her words.

He stormed forward and raised his hand without hesitation.

Slap!

A loud, stinging slap landed hard across my cheek.

Blood welled up at the corner of my mouth, and my ears rang with a deafening buzz.

Luca pointed an angry finger straight at me, roaring loudly.

“How malicious can you be?”

“You can’t have children of your own, so you use a helpless animal to try and harm my unborn babies!”

“I swear, if anything happens to Emma’s pregnancy, you’ll pay with your life.”

The police stepped forward immediately, pulling Luca back.

“Mr. Moretti, calm yourself. Assaulting someone in front of law enforcement is grounds for immediate detention.”

Luca acted as if the police held no authority over him at all, straightening his suit sleeve with a cold sneer.

“Detain me? The precinct captain curries favor with me personally. I’m merely disciplining my wife. You think you can lock me up?”

He turned his icy glare back to me, his voice laced with unspoken threats.

“Vera, I’m giving you one last chance.”

“Drop all charges and kneel to apologize to Emma.”

“Refuse, and I’ll make sure you never work or live in New York ever again.”

I wiped the blood from my mouth with the back of my hand, staring at the pair with frigid indifference.

Rage burned hot inside me, yet after the peak of anger came a strange, hollow calm.

“Luca, that slap you just landed severed the last thread of affection I ever had for you.”

“You two crave children so desperately?”

“Then I wish you both every blessing—may you have countless children and a full household forever.”

I turned to the police officers beside me.

“Officers, I’ve already submitted the security footage as evidence. Please proceed with all legal procedures to the fullest extent.”

With that, I turned and walked out the door without a single backward glance.

Luca’s enraged roar echoed behind me.

“Vera! Stop right there!”

“Step foot outside this door, and you will never set foot in the Moretti family manor again!”