Chapter 50 I Should Fight Back

"No! Don't shoot, don't shoot!"

"Sisi, hey, wake up, Sisi!"

I suddenly opened my eyes to see Valentina's worried face. "Having a nightmare?"

I quickly sat up, realizing it had all been a dream, before collapsing back, drenched in cold sweat.

Valentina wiped my forehead, still slick with sweat, and gently patted me.

No, what truly terrified me was my father and Antonio; they had already destroyed me.

"Sorry, Valentina, could I have a glass of water, please?"

"Just a moment," she said, getting out of bed to fetch the water.

Only then could I breathe a sigh of relief, leaning back against the bed as turmoil and fear kept my nightmares frequent. I didn't know when all this would end.

Valentina handed me a glass of water, and holding Caesar close, I reminded myself this was reality—my family was here, and there was nothing to fear. I vowed to protect them, no matter what my father or Antonio might do.

I let Valentina go back to sleep while I went to the bathroom to freshen up. Washing my face, I avoided hot water; the cold was more invigorating, though the dream still haunted me, my stomach filling with butterflies.

I planned to head downstairs to make breakfast with my mother. The chef had already baked the bread, and Mom was frying bacon. "Good morning, dear."

I perked up, trying to sound lively. "Good morning, Mom."

"After breakfast, we're going shopping. We'll get you a new phone first, then try on some dresses. My personal designer has crafted something new that you'll absolutely love. Oh, and we need to pick up a few new handbags to match."

Mom excitedly shared her shopping plans, even suggesting buying me a car. "Do you want a Cayenne or a Lamborghini?"

"No, Mom, that's too expensive," I quickly refused. "I can't accept it."

"Why? What are you ashamed of, Sisi? But you deserve these, you are the Davis family princess."

Davis family princess? Oh, please forgive me; I'm not quite ready to embrace such a sweet moniker.

"I already have so much." I thought of the clothes and handbags in my closet, tags still attached, all from expensive luxury brands, no less valuable than the clothes Antonio bought for me.

It was hard to accept such lavish gifts without feeling guilty; I faintly sensed they were chains that bound me.

"It's not enough, Sisi, far from enough. Dear, don't let your poor past trap you; you're back with me now, and I'll teach you how to enjoy life."

Mom's gentle insistence was hard to refuse. She took me to Philadelphia's most exclusive club, which operated on a membership basis, serving only the wealthiest and most powerful families. The Davis family was among their top-tier VIPs.

Mom had booked an appointment with a high-profile stylist there, conveniently close to her personal designer's studio—perfect timing for a fitting.

She was preparing for Valentina's engagement party.

I sat on the couch, waiting, new phone in hand, debating between a new or old number, but my mind was preoccupied with Valentina's engagement party and my father's threats.

Half a million dollars... Why doesn't he just eat shit! He doesn't deserve to be a father!

But I had to face his threats head-on, knowing his vile nature meant he would likely ruin the engagement party, embarrassing Mom and my sister in front of the Davis relatives and their guests.

I knew this demand for money wasn't going to end with $500,000; it would probably escalate to a million, endlessly.

I looked at Mom and saw my own troubled reflection in the mirror.

"What's wrong, dear?" Mom glanced over from her magazine, catching my expression in her peripheral vision.

"Sisi?" she called softly again.

"I need to use the restroom, Mom."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I know the way," I declined her offer, maintaining a steady pace toward the restroom.

Once out of my mother's sight, I stumbled into the restroom, ducking into a stall, lowering the toilet lid to sit on it, and covered my face as I screamed silently in frustration.

My heart felt blocked, thumping heavily.

Breathing was hard as I struggled with what to do next, unable to forget the dream where my father revealed my secrets on stage, a chilling, bone-deep sensation.

Antonio's bullet intended for Mom pushed me further into an abyss.

I dreaded the upcoming engagement party.

I sat on the toilet lid for a long time until my phone rang—it was Mom, worried about me. I sighed, opened the stall door, and walkedto the sink to splash some cold water on my face, instantly lifting my spirits. I heard footsteps behind me.

Instinctively, I looked up, seeing through the large mirror the figure who had entered—it was Mom.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course." I hastily wiped my face dry with a few paper towels, then linked arms with her as we headed to our next destination.

By the time we completed our shopping and returned to the estate, we had missed dinner.

Valentina was in the living room, playing with the dog, asking us what we had for dinner.

"Panzanella," I replied.

"Is Tony doing alright?" Mom asked Valentina.

Valentina had visited her fiancé in the hospital that day.

"Of course, his health is strong, and he should be recovering quickly," she responded.

Mom started discussing the details of the engagement party with Valentina. I listened silently for a while, overwhelmed by the extravagance and complexity of the preparations, realizing I couldn't offer any useful advice. Perhaps I should go upstairs and work on my thesis.

The next week and a half passed calmly, without calls from Antonio or disturbances from my father, as if they had vanished from my world.

Occasionally, I still talked to Bert, who updated me on the progress of the exhibition registration.

Soon, the day of the engagement party arrived.

Although I suspected my father's absence was orchestrated by Mom, she wouldn't stop him from attending Valentina's party. I had to find a way to prevent him from ruining this beautiful event.

On the day of the engagement party, I wore a champagne-colored dress with a cinched waist that Mom had custom-made, a hairstylist arranged my hair elegantly, and I was adorned with expensive gemstone jewelry. Looking in the mirror, I truly felt like a princess.

But I knew I wasn't there to participate in a beauty pageant; I had a mission, for Mom and Valentina.

The engagement party was grand, held at a high-end hotel, with guests filling the large banquet hall and the necessary outdoor lawn for the ceremony.

I began scanning the crowd for my father. He wasn't in the banquet hall or the courtyard.

"Sisi?" Valentina suddenly called out to me.

"Ah!" My mind went blank.

"You seem very nervous?"

"No, I..." Just as I was about to reply,

A familiar figure flashed by the entrance of the banquet hall.

I saw my father, weaving through the crowd!