23. Break His Legs!

Caterina finally fell asleep after Dante treated her wound. There was a bigger wound depicted on Caterina's face. It was not a physical wound, but a mental wound that would never heal.

Dante looked longingly at his daughter's face. His eyes were red, his chest tight. What kind of father was he to bring his daughter into such great danger?

“I'm sorry, Kate.” Dante said in a hoarse, trembling voice. He rubbed his daughter's bruised face. It was still puffy, as Caterina had been crying the entire time until she fell asleep from exhaustion.

Dante wrapped his arms around Caterina's body, then lovingly kissed his daughter's forehead. He felt sick when he remembered the last time he had kissed his daughter's forehead. Their time together was too short because he was too busy with work. When he realized, his daughter had grown up without affection.

“I promised you that I would be a good father to you. I won't break my promise this time.” Dante said with emphasis, as if he were talking to himself.

The middle-aged man rose to his feet, turned off the light in Caterina's room, and walked out of the room. The face now turned fierce, his hands clenched, his jaw hardened with chattering teeth. His goal was now only one: to find Leonardo to vent his anger.

Dante's steps were sure. His gaze was so sharp, the veins in his neck were imprinted so hard. He kicked Leonardo's bedroom door with all his might; he shouted, calling Leonardo to come out.

“Get out, you bastard!” Dante said harshly.

There was no response from inside.

Dante kept kicking and banging on the door, hoping Leonardo would come out and meet him. He wanted a one-on-one duel. His pride as a man and a father had been trampled by Leonardo when the man raped his daughter. Dante was behind the door when it happened, but he didn't expect Leonardo to do such a heinous thing. He thought his daughter was just being tortured for the wrong Caterina had done.

Leonardo didn't come out of his room.

Dante continued to make noise; he would not be silent before he managed to vent his anger. He wanted to hear an explanation from Leonardo for what had happened. Caterina was accustomed to being tortured; her physique had been forged very well. She would never be traumatized by battles and fights. However, she was instantly crushed and traumatized when Leonardo raped her.

The punishment that Leonardo gave this time was beyond the limits of patience.

The commotion that Dante created raised many people's questions. Several people came over to the source of the sound to make sure.

“Dante, what are you doing in front of Mr. Bianchi's room?” One of Dante's friends approached with a panicked face.

“I'm going to teach that bastard a lesson.” Dante said harshly. He wasn't afraid of anything for his daughter.

“Are you out of your mind? Mr. Bianchi could kill you if you offend him.” The man tried to remind him.

“Have you seen what he's done to my daughter? I don't accept it!”

“I understand and get it. But this attitude of yours could put your life and your daughter's life in even more danger.”

“I don't care.”

“Dante, calm yourself. You're lucky that Mr. Bianchi isn't here. I can't imagine what would happen to you if you openly challenged him.”

“Where did that bastard go?” Dante's emotions were running high.

“I don't know where he went. That's not important; the important thing now is to calm yourself down. You could make things worse by getting angry like this.” The man tried to persuade. However, Dante didn't want to listen.

Dante's temper was already at its highest peak.

“What's all the fuss about in front of my room?”

The baritone voice immediately caught everyone's attention. Dante turned his head toward the source of the voice. Leonardo appeared in full regalia with his stern face. He had just returned from somewhere. However, his stern face seemed even more stern than before. He looked much more cruel than usual. It seemed that the man was also angry now.

“You bastard!” Dante was about to walk over and throw a punch. However, he was immediately restrained by one of the men.

“Calm yourself.” The man tried to calm him down, but Dante had lost his temper.

“Let go of me!” Dante rebelled until the man's grip was released.

Leonardo just stared in wonder. The man looked very different tonight. It wasn't just the look in his eyes that seemed frightening, but also the lines on his face.

“Die, damn it!” Dante threw a punch. However, Leonardo did not dodge at all. He didn't even retaliate. He simply let go when Dante threw consecutive punches at his face.

Everyone looked surprised. So far, no one had managed to touch Leonardo's face, no matter how strong the enemy he was facing. However, Dante easily hit his face. Not because of Dante's prowess, but because Leonardo looked different tonight.

Dante's breathing sounded ragged after he was satisfied with his punches. Sweat was pouring down his face. He gave Leonardo a hateful look.

“I'm out of La Vendetta. You'd better find a replacement for me to mix drugs and treat any wounds you get from fighting. I don't want to work for the man who ruined my daughter's life.” Dante said with harshness and emphasis.

Leonardo stared intently. The corners of his lips looked cracked; his nose was also bleeding.

“I allow you to hit me because I understand your feelings. But I will not allow you to leave La Vendetta; only I can determine who can join and who can leave.” Leonardo said firmly. He wiped the corner of his lips as well as the blood coming out of his nose. After all this time, he finally felt the pain of being hit.

“I don't need your permission.” Dante said firmly, irrefutably. He turned around and was about to leave.

Leonardo looked very upset. He couldn't lose Dante, because the man was an asset to him. Apart from him being the main compounder for making drugs, he is also a doctor who has saved many lives. He even held many secrets about La Vendetta; he really couldn't lose that man. Moreover, Dante is the father of the woman he loves. If Dante left, that man would definitely take Caterina with him.

“Break his legs; don't let him leave this base.” Leonardo gave the order.

His men seemed hesitant to do so. Because they have a close and good relationship with Dante. Moreover, they had repeatedly owed him their lives.

“But, sir—”

“Don't make me repeat my orders.” Leonardo said sharply, his tone sounding so deadly.