Adopted to Biological? Keep Your Golden Child Scapegoat Out novel Chapter 74

Chapter 4

Came to with my head splitting open.

Strapped to a metal chair. Heavy-duty restraints. Took a second to place it-one of the family’s black rooms. The kind they save for rats and traitors.

Door opened. Dante walked in.

His face dead cold. All enforcer, no feeling.

My voice cam

oarse. “The hell is this? Cut me loose!”

He didn’t move. “Sienna’s got severe PTSD now. Doctors say it’s chronic. Memory’s shot to hell. And her hand? Tendons are wrecked. Permanently. She’ll be lucky if she can hold a coffee cup.”

I stared him down. “So what’s that got to do with me?”

He stepped up close. Blocked out the light. “You put hands on family. That breaks the rules. I’m Underboss. Can’t let it slide.”

Then he nodded at the door. Two guys came in wearing masks. Enforcers. The kind that don’t ask questions.

“Do it.” Dante scrawled his name on the execution order. Didn’t even pause.

My voice shook. “Dante. You son of a bitch-

11

He turned his back. Walked out. Door slammed like a coffin lid.

One of the masked guys got in my face. Started placing thin metal needles against my neck. My temples. Knew exactly where to put them.

Leaned in real close. Could hear the smile in his voice. “Got special instructions for you, Vesper. Don’t worry-won’t leave a scratch. Promise.”

Flipped the switch.

Pain ripped through me like lightning.

Can’t even put it into words.

Felt like someone drove a thousand burning raight into my brain. Twisting them. Grinding them deeper.

Every muscle in my body seized up. Started shakip

violently. Eyes felt like they’d explode.

Bit clean through my bottom lip. Blood filled my mouth. Didn’t scream. Wouldn’t give them that.

Lost track of time after that.

When they finally unstrapped me, I collapsed. Hit the concrete hard.

Vision swimming. Ears ringing like church bells. Whole world felt miles away.

They dragged me down the corridor. Threw me into a cell like I was yesterday’s garbage.

I spent the night on that cold floor. Body wrecked. Mind barely hanging on.

Next morning, the door opened. Dante stood there blocking the light.

I braced mysel.nst the wall and pushed past him.

My body screamed with every step.

“The whole crew was watching last night. I had to show them what happens when you break the rules.”

He tracked my movements. Something in his expression shifted.

“Look, I get it. You’re pissed. But the code is the code. Nobody touches family. Not even you.

“Take a few days off. I’ll handle your jobs.”

He kept following me down the hall. Kept running his mouth. Every word dug deeper into the wound.

Then Sienna’s scream cut through the corridor. Raw. Terrified.

“DANTE! WHERE ARE YOU?! PLEASE!”

,

Dante froze mid-step. He glanced at me, jaw working like he wanted to say something.

Finally He just said:

“Go back to your room. Don’t make this worse.”

Then he spun around and ran toward her voice without looking back.

My phone lit up in my pocket. Bank notification. The last transfer had cleared. Every cent was accounted for.

I clenched my teeth and forced my legs to move. I got outside and waved down a cab.

“Rebirth Project lab. Step on it.”

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