Chapter 1

When I was eighteen, my brothers, the bosses of our mafia family, brought home an adopted sister.

And so, naive as I was, I became the biggest nuisance in the family.

When Vivian's dress was torn, they blamed me.

When Vivian was frightened by the gang violence, they still blamed me.

Later, our turf was attacked, and Vivian was kidnapped by our rivals.

My brothers, who used to adore me, looked at me with desperate, tearful eyes and broke down.

"Piper, we are begging you. Please take Vivian's place, okay?"

I quietly looked up at them and softly said, "Okay."

So, on that stormy night, I walked alone into the enemy camp and took the place of their beloved princess.

As for me, I was thrown off a cliff into the raging sea.

I thought I would die just like that, but I didn't. I met Hunter.

At that time, he was just a street soldier chased into a dead alley by his enemies. I pressed my last piece of food into his hands.

Later, he became the Don. He treated me like a queen and spoiled me for six whole years.

I thought he was different from my brothers.

But on a rainy night in our seventh year together, Hunter walked through the pouring rain and brought back a woman covered in blood.

I heard she was his first love, Sadie. She was the woman who set him up, sending him to prison to be tortured before skipping town.

Chapter 1

When I was eighteen, my brothers, who once adored me, begged me with desperate eyes to take a bullet for their newly adopted sister. Naive as I was, I agreed without question and eventually fell off a cliff into the raging sea.

After surviving the fall, I saved Hunter, a desperate soldier with nowhere to run.

Later, he fought his way up to become the Don, treating me like a queen and spoiling me for six whole years.

I thought he was different from my brothers, that he was my saving grace. That changed on a rainy night in our seventh year together, when he risked his life to bring back the first love who had betrayed him.

The front doors of the estate were kicked open violently. Clutching my sketchbook, I stood at the top of the stairs, staring blankly as Hunter rushed in with a woman in his arms.

I didn't understand what this meant. I also couldn't understand the pity in the guards' eyes.

I didn't know her, either.

But I knew it was pouring rain outside. She must be very cold and in a lot of pain.

So I panicked, grabbed a towel and the medical kit, and ran over to them.

"Hunter, she is bleeding. Let's put some medicine on it and blow on the wound. Then it won't hurt anymore."

The next second, the man swatted my hand away. The gauze and medicine bottles smashed onto the floor.

Hunter, who had never lost his temper with me in seven years, had a terrifyingly dark look in his eyes.

When he spoke, his voice was as cold as a knife. "All of you, step back! Don't touch her!"

I didn't know if he was talking to me, but I shrank back from his yelling. I rubbed the back of my red, stinging hand and looked up at him blankly.

His eyes were entirely focused on the woman in his arms. He didn't even look at me.

Panic set in. It felt like I was going to be abandoned by my family again.

The next second, the mob doctors who had been waiting in the estate swarmed in with their medical kits.

They gathered around me, just like they usually did.

Just as one of them bent down to check my hand, Hunter yelled furiously.

"Are you all fucking blind? I brought you here to save Sadie! Why are you crowding around Piper, that freak! She is fine!"

The doctors froze in place. The bodyguards and maids peeking from the corners were also stunned.

After all, for the past seven years, the word 'freak' was the biggest taboo in this estate.

Hunter could never stand hearing others call me that. If anyone dared to say a word, he would pull out his gun on the spot.

There was once a soldier who acted nice to my face but cursed me behind my back.

The man called me an idiot, a parasite who only knew how to spread her legs and climb into bed.

He said I clung to Hunter on purpose, taking up space as his wife and making him a laughingstock at the Commission meetings.

During that time, I actually got hurt a lot. I hid all the bruises under my clothes, too afraid to tell Hunter.

I was afraid he would take his gun and risk his life like before. Once a gun is fired, there will be blood and pain.

I didn't want him to hurt. I also didn't want the other bosses to look down on him because of me, saying he married a fool to be his wife.

So even if it hurt so much that I couldn't eat or sleep, I just endured it.

But new wounds kept piling up on top of the old ones, and I couldn't hide them anymore.

He flew into a massive rage and executed that soldier right then and there following the mafia code.

But at night, he held me, his voice trembling and choked with emotion. "Piper, please don't hide things from me next time, okay?"

"Don't shut me out of your world."

"Try to rely on your husband a bit more, okay?"

Hunter's fragile look felt somewhat familiar. In a daze, I reached out to touch his handsome face and tried to comfort him.

"Don't cry, don't cry, brother. It's my fault. I will change."

Hunter froze, then tightened his arms around me, his voice turning hoarse.

"Piper, I am Hunter, not your brother. You're confused again."

I came back to my senses, lowered my head guiltily, and started apologizing with practiced ease. "I'm sorry."

That night, Hunter was so mad that I called him the wrong name and hid my injuries from him. He held me and sulked for the entire night.

But the next day, he brought hot milk to my bed right on time, gently woke me up, and helped me get washed and dressed.

He even put an entire medical team on the payroll to stay at the estate full-time, just to look after my health.

All the bodyguards and maids in the estate were replaced. He personally looked into the background of every single new hire.

So, these doctors and bodyguards were the ones who had witnessed with their own eyes how Hunter protected me with his life.

Because of this, they never expected that seven years later, the first person to publicly break the taboo and call me a freak would be the very same Don who had worshipped me.

But everyone's shock only lasted for a moment.

After all, in this estate, Hunter was the only one whose words mattered.

His mind was entirely focused on the woman in his arms, so the doctors immediately left me behind and turned to stop the woman's bleeding.

I blew on my hand and looked at the scene before me. It felt familiar, yet surreal.

I felt like crying, and my eyes grew hot.

It really was so similar.

It was just like the time my brothers crowded around our newly adopted sister, Vivian.

They couldn't see my burns, let alone my tears.

They would only glare at me impatiently, asking if I could just be a little more sensible and stop causing trouble for the family.

Chapter 2

I suddenly felt a little scared. My brothers ended up treating me that way. Would Hunter do the same?

Was he going to start losing his patience with me too?

Was he going to start thinking I was clumsy and dumb? Would he curse me and ask why I didn't just go die, exactly like my brothers had?

My vision blurred with tears. I blinked helplessly, and a teardrop rolled down, hitting the carpet with a soft tap.

I lowered my head and stared at that little wet spot for a very, very long time.

When I finally looked up again, the massive hall was empty.

Hunter had carried that woman into the master bedroom.

I was afraid that following them would make Hunter angry again, afraid of hearing him tell me to step back one more time.

So I didn't dare go upstairs. I curled up on the sofa downstairs.

It was so weird. I felt freezing cold, but my body felt burning hot at the same time, like it was on fire.

As my consciousness groggily faded into darkness, I thought I heard footsteps coming from the stairs.

I thought Hunter had finally remembered me. I looked up, full of joy.

But what met my eyes was a woman with slightly messy hair, wearing my favorite pajamas.

Her neck was exposed, covered in red marks. A few of them even had bleeding bite marks.

Sadie casually pulled her collar together. Her tone was deliberately breathy.

"I'm sorry, Hunter has been pent up for too long. He was a bit rough just now. I hope you don't mind."

She paused, pulling back her evaluating gaze. "So you're the Donna."

I looked at the red marks on her body. I thought Hunter had hurt someone in a fit of rage, just like he used to do.

Afraid that Sadie would hold a grudge against Hunter because of this, I forced my weak, feverish body up and dug through the medicine cabinet in the living room.

Under her curious gaze, I found a few band-aids and carefully handed them to her.

"You're bleeding. Put these on, and it won't hurt anymore."

"Please don't be mad at Hunter, and don't shout at him, okay?"

Sadie looked surprised for a moment. A second later, she suddenly burst out laughing. Her eyes were full of malice.

"The street rumors make you out to be some kind of genius, saying how amazing you are at taming our ruthless Don. I thought you were some kind of mastermind!"

"Turns out you're just an idiot."

I froze and pursed my lips. My chest felt incredibly heavy.

I never really cared about these things in the past.

Before, when people in the syndicate called me an idiot or a freak, I just pretended not to hear them and still looked up at them with a silly smile.

But Hunter cared about those words immensely.

He stood up for me time and time again, teaching me what it meant to be angry.

I raised my head and looked at her seriously.

"Apologize. Hunter said no one is allowed to call me an idiot."

A hint of mockery flashed across her face as she slowly walked toward me.

The next second, she raised the steaming hot coffee in her hand. Her eyes turned vicious, and she threw the hot liquid right at me.

My leg, which had been burned by a cigarette, still ached terribly on rainy days.

I was terrified of pain, so I instinctively reached out and gave her a hard shove.

Suddenly, her cry of pain rang out.

"Ah! My hand. It burns! Hunter, save me, it hurts so much!"

Chapter 3

Before I could even process what had happened, a sharp pain struck my cheek.

A loud smack echoed through the empty hall. I was knocked to the floor, completely stunned.

I looked at Hunter's hand, still hanging in the air, and the shock surfacing in his eyes.

My ears were ringing, and a wave of dizziness hit me instantly.

I felt so awful. Even breathing was painful.

Hunter's body stiffened as he bent down. After placing the crying, burned Sadie onto the sofa, he immediately turned around.

When he saw me sitting miserably on the floor, he took a step forward. His voice softened with helpless compromise.

"Piper, stop making a scene, okay?"

"Be good and listen to me. Come apologize to Sadie, and I'll pretend this never happened."

Many years ago, in my brothers' house, I was always making mistakes in front of Vivian.

I was clumsy and accidentally broke her favorite vase, so I had to apologize.

When I embarrassed her at the family dinner, I had to apologize.

When I mistakenly wore the dress she wanted at a birthday party and made her cry, I had to apologize.

So back then, in the dark alley, when I saved a heavily injured Hunter with just half a loaf of stale bread, I habitually ducked my head and apologized.

When he winced in pain, I had to apologize.

When he had a fever and there was no medicine, I had to apologize.

Even when he got upset because I cried out for my brothers in my dreams, I had to apologize.

Back then, it was Hunter who held me time and time again, correcting me.

"My Piper is the best girl in the world. You don't need to apologize to anyone."

Over the seven years, he helped me break that habit. He corrected countless times.

But today, it was also Hunter who said to me, Piper, listen to me, apologize to Sadie.

I sat on the floor, tilted my head back, and stared at Hunter for a long time.

I stared for so long that he became a little uncomfortable. He even subconsciously wanted to walk over and hug me. Only then did I push myself off the floor and slowly shuffle over to Sadie.

I lowered my head and said softly, "I'm sorry. I made a mistake."

I'm sorry. I made a mistake again.

Perhaps I stood up too fast. I felt the world spinning around me.

I thought I heard Hunter exclaim in shock. The next second, I collapsed to the floor and lost consciousness.

"Our little princess! You are the pride of the family, the priceless treasure your brothers protect with their lives."

"Piper, don't be afraid, the gunfire has stopped. It's not your fault. I'll take you to pick out a new dress to calm your nerves."

"Piper, come here quickly, let your brothers give you a hug."

Warm, doting scenes replayed one after another in my unconscious dreams.

Not far away, Wyatt and Cole opened their arms, wearing the smiles I knew so well, as if waiting for me to run into them.

So, like a child, I moved my legs and ran toward them.

My dear brothers, I seem to have had a terrible, terrible nightmare. Hunter doesn't want me anymore.

But before I could even touch the hem of their suits, the illusion shattered instantly.

The next second, a pitiful-looking girl appeared between Wyatt and Cole. They put their arms around her and introduced her to me with a smile.

"Piper, this is Vivian, the family's newly adopted daughter. Share half of your toys with her from now on, okay?"

"Piper, Vivian is timid. You are not allowed to bully her."

"Piper, you made Vivian cry, quickly apologize to her!"

"Why? Why wasn't it you who got kidnapped by our rivals?"

"Why wasn't it you who got taken hostage, instead of innocent Vivian?"

"Piper, please. We're begging you. Will you take her place? Please! Stop being a burden to the family!"

In the dream, it was my two brothers' eyes, filled with deep hatred.

But the scene shifted, and I was back in my childhood. Wyatt and Cole lifted me high up to the church tower.

They smiled and pointed at the beacon light in the tower, their voices gentle yet firm.

"As long as this beacon is shining, your brothers will forever be the fortress that protects you."

But brothers, do indestructible fortresses collapse too?

Crying out for my brothers, I woke up with a start from the overwhelming despair.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I met Hunter's bloodshot, gloomy eyes.

"Piper, you were calling out for your brothers in your sleep again."

Chapter 4

He raised his hand, wanting to touch my face.

I didn't know what he was going to do. I was so scared that I quickly closed my eyes, shrank into the corner of the bed, and curled up defensively.

Hunter's hand froze in mid-air. I shivered, too afraid to move.

After a very long time, I finally heard this usually arrogant Don ask a hoarse, extremely strained question.

"Piper, are you... afraid of me?"

Looking at his expression, I instinctively apologized. "I'm sorry."

As soon as the words left my mouth, Hunter's expression looked even worse. He spoke in a raspy voice.

"Piper, don't say you are sorry to me."

"I told you I don't allow you to just apologize so casually."

I bit my pale lips, staying silent and not daring to make a sound.

Hunter stared at me intently. He closed his eyes for a moment before continuing, "Piper, I'm sorry. I lost control of my emotions last night and hurt you."

"I have already... taken my punishment according to syndicate laws."

"So please, don't be afraid of me, okay?"

As he spoke, he took off his shirt, revealing his well-built back.

There, crisscrossing his back, were hideous knife wounds left by the mafia discipline. They were still bleeding.

I widened my eyes in horror and sat up straight from the corner of the bed, tears falling uncontrollably.

"You're bleeding, it will hurt. Don't punish yourself, don't hurt yourself."

But Hunter smiled lightly. He reached out to hold my hand, his eyes glowing.

"I knew it. You hate seeing me in pain the most."

"Then forgive me, okay?"

My mind was full of those wounds on his back. Hearing his words, I quickly nodded and wanted to pull him to put medicine on them.

But before I could speak, Hunter's hand suddenly tightened.

When he spoke again, it was about something else.

"Piper, Sadie and I grew up together in the slums."

"We roamed the streets since we were kids, fought for the same piece of bread, and hid from the same gang shootouts."

"We were together for many years. She used to be my only family in that gutter."

"Later, I crossed a Capo. I thought Sadie sold me out, causing me to nearly die in prison while she skipped town."

"I hated her to the core, but when she escaped back here covered in blood and tortured by others, I finally learned the truth."

"She was forced by her family back then. Her years in hiding were just as brutal as mine."

Hunter was so engrossed in his story that he didn't give me a chance to interrupt. So I stayed silent, listening to him talk about a past I had never known.

When talking about his bond with Sadie while fleeing on the streets, an unconcealed warmth would show in his eyes.

When mentioning the years Sadie was forced to endure humiliation, his brows would furrow tightly.

In the end, his seven years of hatred dissolved into deep guilt and pity.

Thus, Hunter concluded at the end.

"Piper, I can't let Sadie down anymore. Her life was ruined because of me."

I looked at him quietly. I didn't throw a fit, but merely nodded and asked him.

"So, what do you need me to do?"

Hunter froze. He didn't seem to expect me to answer like that.

Chapter 5

I tilted my head up proudly.

"See, I'm actually not that dumb."

My brain is slow, but I can always remember things very well after experiencing them once.

I remember back then, Wyatt and Cole also held my hands with teary eyes, telling me how much Vivian suffered out there and how pitiful she was.

I was so naive then that I thought my brothers were just sharing secrets with me, so I nodded happily.

But the day after that talk, I was the only one left in the massive estate.

Under the sympathetic gazes of the butlers, I finally realized that my brothers had taken Vivian on vacation, leaving me behind.

Did I cry that day? I forgot.

I only remember that similar things happened more and more often after that.

I gradually got used to staying in the estate alone, waiting for the three of them to return noisily.

I also got used to accepting the arrangements of fate, just like an insignificant object.

So, Hunter, you don't need to worry.

I may be clumsy, but my biggest strength is being very good at forming habits.

Thus, in the days that followed.

I got used to the other woman in the estate.

I got used to sleeping alone in the guest room.

I got used to Sadie demanding affection from Hunter right in front of me, affection that used to be just for me.

And I was even more used to apologizing to Sadie several times a day.

One day, Hunter took me to an unfamiliar office building and had me sign a document. It was full of legal terms I couldn't quite understand. I only remember him saying it was to protect me.

Afterward, his men took me away from the estate overnight to an isolated safe house.

Soon, I got used to living alone again.

I mentioned wanting to leave, but Hunter disagreed every time.

He bought me a lot of expensive things and wired a lot of money to my card.

He would send a large number of armed bodyguards to monitor me, and pile boxes of cash and precious jewelry in the room.

He said it was unsafe outside, saying the mafia families were at war, and that I needed his protection.

He told many scary stories, saying the streets were full of danger, and I was so frightened that I never dared to go out again.

I don't know if I hadn't fully recovered from my last illness, but lately, my nose kept bleeding, and I even started coughing up blood.

My brothers and Hunter used to tell me to see a doctor if I felt unwell.

But there were no mob doctors arranged by Hunter in this new safe house, so I had to go out and find a clinic myself.

But I was too clumsy and couldn't find the way.

I stumbled along until the sky turned completely dark.

Following the direction in my memory, I instinctively came to the old Catholic church downtown.

Back then, my brothers held me and said, "As long as you see the beacon light in the church tower, your brothers are protecting you. That is the safest place."

Therefore, every time I found myself in a desperate situation, I would look up to search for that light.

The throbbing pain in my lungs made it almost impossible to breathe. My face was deathly pale. Unable to hold on any longer, I fell to my knees on the stone steps in front of the church.

I raised my hand, wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, and tried desperately to find that safe light.

But I searched and searched, only to find that the towering structure had long gone pitch black.

The light that shone for me had gone out. I couldn't find it anymore.

Amid violent coughing fits, I threw up dark red blood, staining my clothes.

Just as I collapsed, a bulletproof black SUV slammed to a halt by the road with a screech of brakes.

The door was kicked open, and I heard a trembling voice I hadn't heard in years. "Piper..."

Through half-closed eyes, I struggled to look over, and two familiar faces entered my vision.

It was my brothers.

Right at this moment, an anxious shout accompanied by heavy footsteps suddenly rang out from the dark night behind me.

"Piper! Piper, where are you?"

It was Hunter, who had finally found me.