The white ceiling greeted me like a ghost . I blinked slowly , my body heavy , breath shallow . Pain rippled across my ribs as I pushed myself up from the bed , every movement stiff and sore . I gritted my teeth and held my side . Whatever they hit me with ... it numbed everything but the ache . " You shouldn't be moving . " The voice came from my left . A man in a clean white coat was jotting something down on a digital pad , calm as if I hadn't just walked through hell . " The anesthetic dose was high , " he added . " We had to subdue you fast . You should still be unconscious for another six hours . " I narrowed my eyes . " Ivanna , Aria , Jisoo ... " he murmured , listing the aliases I used while in hiding . " So , which one are you now ? " I turned to him fully , voice sharp . " You're from the Mafia Council , aren't you ? " He didn't deny it . " What do you want from us ? " I asked . " Why did you capture us ?" He finally stopped typing and met my gaze . " Don't you know already ? Your broke a rule , Ms. Rossi . " My jaw clenched . " Don't call me that . " He tilted his head , deliberating . " You are a Rossi , " he said flatly . " Whether you like it or not . And you don't have the right to order anyone here . You're a prisoner- " " Not yet ." The doctor blinked . " ... I beg your pardon ? " I eased off the bed , ignoring the burning in my limbs . " Is it the reason you capture us because we use the mafia hunters and pirates to cause trouble . for Rossi's family ? " Darling . I Remember 1/6 34.4 % 7:10 Mon , Sep 15 " Precisely . " I let out a dry laugh . " Then I didn't break any rules . " 70 I raised my brow and added firmly , " Under Council Law , during the Ranking Month , mafia families are allowed to use any means necessary to challenge higher - ranking families . Outsiders included . It's written ." He narrowed his eyes . " Leaking route maps to hunters isn't just ' any means . ' You gave them access to paths the Council itself uses . Also using the hunters means you're aligned with them , it same as betraying the entire . mafia society . " I wagged a finger at him . " Says who ? Got proof I'm the one who leaked it ? " He opened his mouth , confused , but I was already yanking the monitor cords off my arm . " Where are you going ? " he asked . " To the court . Aren't they on trial ? " He hesitated , then nodded to the guards at the door . They let me through . MAFIA COUNCIL COURT This wasn't the courtroom I expected . The place was grand - built from old stone , with gold trim and marble pillars- but the air was heavier than elegance . It was politics . Old , bloody , and lethal . And there he was . Lothario . Sitting like a king in front of the Council . Calm . Proud . Unbothered by the sharp glares from rival families . His eyes lit up when he saw me . He stood immediately and crossed the room . " You're awake , " he said under his breath , worry in his eyes . " You okay ? " I nodded stiffly . " I should be asking you that . " He chuckled softly , brushing a lock of hair behind my ear . " You scared me , you know . " Chanter 17 2/6 34.8 % 7:10 Mon , Sep 15 I looked away , clearing my throat . " Who says I care ? " " Mm . " He smiled . Behind us , Sam cleared his throat as he was escorted into the court . He gave us both a look , half - exasperated , half - amused . " You two gonna flirt in the Council hall ? " I rolled my eyes . More families arrived - one after another . Even the Fiore family , now stripped and splintered , took their seats . The Rossi branches filed in stiffly , faces pale . But one name was missing . I scanned the room . " Chris ... ? " " He's still unconscious , " Lothario leans in and whispered . I swallowed hard , then shoved his face away when he smirked at my worry . The room fell silent as the doors opened . The President of the Mafia Council entered - Mr . Noir . A tall man with a cane and a terrifying calmness . He sat , and the trial began . A mafia - appointed lawyer began listing everything : Don Matteo's crimes , the cover - ups , the false accusations against me , Marian's role in my framing , and how Lothario had helped me enact revenge . My aliases . My tactics . The chaos that took down Rossi and Fiore . When it all ended , Mr. Noir finally spoke . " We do not interfere in internal family affairs . But under Council Law 11 , any family that loses a war must merge under the winning party . " He looked directly at Lothario . " Do you , Don Lothario , wish to merge the Rossi and Fiore territories into your own ? " Gasps rippled through the chamber . Tension snapped tight . Lothario stood . And shook his head . The Rossi branches exhaled in visible relief . Falling in rank was better than losing their legacy to a rival . Chapter 17 3/6 35.15 %% 7:10 Mon , Sep 15 But then- " Rather than mine , " Lothario said , " I nominate the territories to be merged . under Aria Desmonte . " Silence . Eyes flew toward me . Mr. Noir raised his eyebrows . " Aria ? You mean Ms. Ivanna's other identity ? That won't work . She has no established family ties , and even if she wants to lead the Rossi family , it's impossible - she doesn't carry the Rossi bloodline . " The Rossi family members nod their heads in agreement . I rose to my feet . " Allow me to reintroduce myself . I am Aria Desmonte , heiress of the Black Organization . The moment Ivanna was shamed and left for dead , I cast that name aside long ago . " Everyone looked confused and murmurs exploded like thunder . Aren't Desmonte family the first mafia family ? How come Ivanna became the heiress of that ancient family ? " Explain ," Mr. Noir said , eyes narrowing . Ivanna - no , Aria - smiled , owning the name as her final truth . " My mother was the long - lost heiress of the Desmonte family . And now that she's gone , I , her daughter , inherit that legacy . " She glanced at the others ' stunned faces . " As for the merger Lothario mentioned , yes - I intend to absorb their territories . But I have no intention of feeding my enemies ." Mr. Noir nod . " Then , Fiore and Rossi territories should be obtained by Aria Desmonte at once . " Mr. Noir nodded slowly . " Then from this moment , the Rossi and Fiore lands fall under Desmonte authority ." " NO ! " Don Richard - Rupert's father - rose to his feet . " This is outrageous ! Those territories belong to us ! " Murmurs erupted as others joined in , voicing their protests . The room buzzed with unrest - until Mr. Noir slammed the table with a gavel - like force . " Silence ," he said , calm but commanding . The noise died instantly . Chapter 17 4/6 35.5 % 7:10 Mon , Sep 15 " As per Council law - which I trust you're all familiar with - when a family falls in battle , its territory is to be merged with or claimed by the victors . Now , unless you're all prepared to defy the Council , I suggest you hold your tongues . " Some swallowed hard and fell silent . But one voice remained defiant - the former head of the Fiore family , Rupert's father . " Mr. Noir , " he said sharply , " is it even legal for a criminal to claim territories ? We submitted a report - Ms . Aria , or Ivanna , leaked one of our key stations to the Mafia Hunters . Isn't that a direct violation of the rules ? " Aria watched them in silence as the crowd's eyes turned to her - accusatory , blazing - before the shouting began again . " Who says I did that ? " she asked coolly . Don Richard stepped forward . " There's no use denying it anymore - we have the proof ." He motioned to someone , and I wasn't surprised when the doctor from earlier stepped forward . He raised his phone . And played the recording : The doctor blinked . " ... I beg your pardon ? " I eased off the bed , ignoring the burning in my limbs . " Is it the reason you capture us because we use the mafia hunters and pirates to cause trouble for Rossi's family ? " " Precisely . " I let out a dry laugh . " Then I didn't break any rules . " I raised my brow and added firmly , " Under Council Law , during the Ranking Month , mafia families are allowed to use any means necessary to challenge . higher - ranking families . Outsiders included . It's written . " He narrowed his eyes . " Leaking route maps to hunters isn't just ' any means . ' You gave them access to paths the Council itself uses . Also using the hunters means you're aligned with them , it same as betraying the entire mafia society . " The room buzzed with tension . Chapter 17 5/6 35.8 % 7:10 Mon , Sep 15 Sam leaned toward me . " Really ? You just said that out loud ? " Don Richard pressed harder . " There it is ! She admitted it . She even tried to justify it with Council law . This is treason . " I didn't speak . I didn't need to . Because just then- The court doors slammed open . Boots echoed against marble . Everyone turned . And someone entered . 7:11 Mon , Sep 15 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!