Chapter 1

I had just survived surgery. I took a bullet for the Family.

Now, a rogue gangster had me tied up in an abandoned warehouse.

My wife had stripped him of his turf. He was carving me up with a combat knife.

Meanwhile, my wife mobilized our elite enforcers.

She was the Boss of the Costa Family. But she did all this to save her pathetic old flame. He threatened to swallow pills and jump off a roof.

This time, I didn’t call her private line for help.

I had lived this exact nightmare before. The first time around, I begged her to save me. She ditched her old flame and rushed to the warehouse. I survived the bloodbath. Her old flame overdosed in his penthouse and died.

My wife gently stroked my face back then. Her eyes held helpless affection. She even whispered that the coward deserved to die. A payback for my wounds. She promised me an unforgettable surprise for our anniversary a week later.

But on our anniversary night, she drugged my wine. She tied me up. She slashed me dozens of times with a poisoned blade!

"Caspian! You're my Consigliere! How could you stage a kidnapping just for my attention? You paid a hitman to put on a show! Your wounds aren't even fatal! You liar!"

"You like bloody games? I'll show you real hell!"

Then, I opened my eyes. The clock had reset. I was back in the warehouse.

This time, I'd gladly let her go to her precious old flame.

Chapter 1

My wife's enemy had me. I was bleeding out. Meanwhile, she rallied her men to save her suicidal ex.

The abandoned warehouse reeked of blood.

Bruno pressed his combat knife against my throat. He had already slashed me five times. My expensive custom white shirt was soaked red.

Bruno snarled. The blade dug into my skin.

"Call her!" His eyes burned with hate. "Tell Valeria, that cold-blooded bitch, to come save you!"

I looked at Valeria's number on the screen. A bitter taste filled my mouth.

Before the reset, I made the call. I begged like a dog. She left Julian and came for me. I lived. Julian "accidentally" died in his condo. Then, on our anniversary, she sliced me to pieces.

"What are you waiting for?" Bruno kept the blade on my neck. "Scared she won't come?"

I slowly shook my head. "No. I'm wondering if she even cares."

I dialed her private line. Three rings.

"What is it?" Her voice was ice.

Julian was sobbing in the background. "Val... I can't take this... The bloody bullets and death threats from the Dons... I'm so scared..."

I took a deep breath. "Valeria. Bruno took me. Southside abandoned warehouse. He slashed me five times."

Silence on the line. Then, a harsh, mocking laugh.

"Caspian, you're the Consigliere of the Costa Family. The smartest man I know. When did your acting get so sloppy?"

Bruno's face twisted. The blade pressed harder. It drew blood.

"You get 'attacked' right when Julian gets death threats? Right when he's breaking down?" Valeria sounded annoyed. "Stop it. I know you're jealous. But do I look like a child to you?"

My chest wounds burned. But her cold words hurt more.

"Val, please... I'm losing my mind..." Julian cried louder.

"Your safe house has top-tier security and firepower. I know that," Valeria sneered. "Bruno is a nobody. How could he hack your codes? Unless you let him in to stage this little pity play!"

Her cold words echoed through the speaker. Bruno's bloodshot eyes flared with pure hate. He pushed the knife deeper.

A red line opened on my neck.

My hands shook in fear. But I held onto my last shred of calm.

"I'm not stopping you from saving Julian. Send two soldiers to check if you don't believe me..."

"Enough!" Valeria cut me off.

"I don't have time for your games. I'm staying with Julian. Marco!"

"Yes, Boss." The Capo's voice came through.

"Stand down on the Southside hit. Tell the guards to ignore the Consigliere's childish stunts."

My heart clenched. "Valeria, you can't—"

"I have real business to handle." Her tone was a death sentence. "Julian needs me. I'm not listening to your fairy tales."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

She hung up.

Bruno's hate boiled over. Suffocating despair gripped my throat.

I never thought Valeria could be this ruthless.

Last time, right here, I called her countless times. I begged like a dog.

She finally ditched Julian and stormed the warehouse.

Julian broke down. He set his penthouse on fire and burned to death.

That night, in my hospital bed, I noticed she was acting weird. I asked if she was mad.

Valeria lost her usual impatience. She leaned over me gently. But her eyes held a chilling obsession. She traced my lips.

"Why would I be mad at you, baby? He died. He deserved it. Don't overthink."

"Our anniversary is in a week, right? Darling, I have a surprise you'll never forget."

She played the loving wife then. I was foolish enough to think she finally saw my worth.

Until our anniversary. She drugged me. Tied me to a steel chair in the torture room. Her eyes were bloodshot. She carved my flesh, piece by piece. She told me to go to hell and apologize to Julian!

"It was just a few cuts! You weren't dying! Why did you force me to save you?"

"I wouldn't have left him if you didn't lie! I actually believed your bullshit! I was so stupid!"

"He died alone! He was scared of the dark. Scared of being alone. He was so desperate!"

"Caspian, do you know what it feels like to lose your true love? Do you?!"

Valeria kept slashing. My blood poured like a fountain. It painted the torture room red.

I broke down and tried to explain. I was in real danger. But she just tortured me harder!

She never believed me!

Half an hour later, I was ruined. My ribs were showing. I was dying.

Valeria pulled out Julian's black-and-white funeral photo. She forced my head down. She made me kneel to it.

Then, she burned down the entire estate. She let me burn to death. Just like Julian.

Remembering that mind-shattering despair, I almost went insane.

Bruno saw Valeria wasn't coming. His eyes went red. He carved into my flesh a dozen more times.

Blood dripped down my shirt. It pooled on the rough concrete.

Just as I lost all hope, the old Godfather stormed in with his guards! He was Valeria's father.

He saw me covered in blood. The old Don stumbled. His face turned pale with shock!

Chapter 2

"Drop the knife! Bruno, he's a made man! You're signing your own death warrant!" The old Don's voice shook.

He knew the score. He tried to calm Bruno down.

"Bruno, listen to me. Taking your turf was the Commission's call." He tried to stay calm. "But Caspian just had surgery for a bullet he took for the Family. He's weak. Don't hurt him anymore."

I leaned against the cold wall. Every breath was agony.

Blood soaked my shirt. A pool formed on the floor.

The Don dialed Valeria's number.

Two rings. She answered.

It was noisy on her end. A man was sobbing hysterically.

"What the hell is going on? Caspian took over a dozen knife gashes! He's dying! Why aren't you here?"

The Don thought she would at least listen to him.

But Valeria just scoffed. She laughed coldly.

"Dad, are you in on his little play too? I just checked our intel. Bruno is still in Mexico."

"Tell him to drop the act. If he's really dying, call a doctor. Oh, and I already booked a cemetery plot. He can drop dead anytime."

Her words dripped with disgust and venom.

Julian's pathetic, whining voice came through the speaker.

"Is Caspian throwing a tantrum again? Don't be mad, Valeria. He's the Consigliere. He's got tricks. It's normal for him to get jealous and pull stunts."

"Maybe you should go to him... It's just, I'm so scared. They said they'd stuff me in an oil drum and drop me in the Hudson..."

I knew that voice. It was Julian.

The Don's face darkened.

"If you don't believe me, I'm sending you pictures right now!"

Valeria went silent for two seconds. She must have seen the photos.

But she didn't care. She just let out a tired sigh.

"Wow, Dad. Caspian really went all out this time."

"Where did he find this Hollywood makeup artist? The body double looks just like Bruno. The fake blood is so realistic."

"Oh, look at that pathetic little face. Perfect! Dad, tell him to go to Hollywood. Don't waste his acting talent!"

The Don was speechless with rage.

My heart turned to ash. How did I never see how purely evil Valeria was?

The Don's men couldn't watch this anymore. One of them yelled into the phone.

"Boss, he is really hurt!"

"Oh? Marco, you're a Capo. You fell for this cheap trick too?" Valeria rubbed her temples. She sounded exhausted and pissed. "Looks like I need to train you all on how to spot the Consigliere's bullshit. Caspian, when you're done throwing your tantrum, crawl back to the hospital. I'll deal with you later."

Click. She hung up.

This time, she went back to comfort Julian.

Something Valeria said must have triggered Bruno. He went completely feral.

"She called me a body double? She said the blood is fake?!"

Bruno kicked me to the ground. He mounted me. He swung the knife wildly.

"I'll show her what's real!"

The blade sank into my body. Again and again. Every thrust was fueled by desperate hate and revenge.

The pain was blinding. I didn't even have the strength to block him.

The Don's guards tried to rush him. But Bruno held them off.

"Stay back! Or I'll end him right now!"

The sharp steel sliced my flesh. The horrific pain ripped through my chest.

I wanted to fight back. But I couldn't even lift a finger.

Right before I blacked out, two enforcers from an allied crew stormed in.

It took them a while to disarm Bruno and slap cuffs on him.

But I was losing too much blood. My eyelids were heavy.

Before I passed out, I heard Valeria's voice from the Don's dropped phone.

"Julian, you know what? Caspian is a vital weapon for the Family. But he's too arrogant. He wants to control everything. But you... you never push me like this. Don't be sad. Think about it. How could I love a man who lies to my face? I only love you. You're obedient. You're real."

Every word was a sharper knife in my heart.

But this time, I wasn't sad. I was consumed by pure, unadulterated hatred!

…

When I opened my eyes, I saw the stark white ceiling of the Family's private hospital.

I was wrapped in bandages. Every breath tore at my chest.

"You're awake." The old Don sat by my bed. His eyes were full of guilt and exhaustion.

I looked at him coldly. My voice was rough. "Leave me alone."

He opened his mouth. He said nothing. He quietly left the room.

I grabbed my phone from the nightstand. I scrolled through the Family's dark web network.

Suddenly, a leaked security video from an underground casino made my blood run cold.

In a lavish VIP suite, Valeria stood over Julian. She wore her black trench coat. She smelled of gunpowder.

She pulled out a black diamond pinky ring. It was the symbol of the Consigliere's absolute authority. Her eyes were so soft.

"Julian, marry me." Her voice was like a spring breeze. "This ring was meant for my heirs. But now, I want you to have it."

Chapter 3

In the video, Valeria publicly humiliated me in front of the Family.

"I can't stand Caspian anymore. He got jealous and hired a makeup artist to fake a kidnapping. What's next? Is he going to actually burn a place down?"

She paused. She looked right into the camera. She declared to everyone:

"He's unstable. He's extreme. When I divorce him and strip him of his rank, don't fall for his lies anymore."

"I want you all to hold me to this. In three months, I will strip his Consigliere title. Then I'll marry my love, Julian! We'll invite you all!"

The crowd went wild.

"You tell 'em, Boss!"

"Damn right! Marrying a useless man only drags our Family down!"

"We support you!"

Surrounded by the cheering mob, Julian nodded happily. He slipped the diamond ring on.

He smirked. He looked smug. He didn't look suicidal at all.

I put my phone down. I was going to find my private doctor.

Just as I reached the door, I heard the Don on his phone.

"I sent you the pictures! Caspian is really dying! He took a bullet for you a week ago. He just got discharged and now he's slashed to pieces. He must be heartbroken!"

"Get your ass to the hospital! I don't care how ruthless he is at the negotiation table. He's got over twenty deep cuts! He needs you!"

The Don was old. He used the speakerphone.

Valeria's voice was dripping with impatience.

"Enough, Dad! Staging a play in the Family's territory? Doesn't he have any shame?"

"He's got balls, paying off the whole hospital to play along. Which back-alley butcher did his bandages? Looks convincing enough. Dad, don't let his pathetic act fool you. He's strong as an ox!"

"Tell him if he wants to die so badly, go ahead and drop dead! I'll just pay off his old crew!"

The Don blew up.

"Valeria! You won't even believe me?"

Valeria clicked her tongue.

"Dad, I'll believe you on anything else. But when it comes to him? Not a single word."

"Oh, since you called. Tell him this. If he and I ever have an heir, Julian will be the Godfather. Consider it his punishment for throwing this little tantrum."

The dial tone hummed. The Don sighed heavily.

I quietly walked back to my bed.

I figured Valeria wouldn't show up at all.

But an hour later, the door was kicked open. She stormed in. She smelled of gunpowder and rage.

She grabbed me from the bed while I was sleeping. Her grip was rough. She slightly eased up when she touched my bandaged shoulder.

She looked me up and down and sneered.

"Wow. You even put on pale battle-damage makeup. Impressive."

Her pull sent fire through my chest wounds.

Knowing she did this to me made me shake with rage. I growled.

"Are you out of your fucking mind? Valeria, I told you a million times. I didn't lie!"

"Are you deaf? Why won't you believe me? You pushed me into this hell!"

If I had the strength, I would have snapped her neck right then and there.

"Fine. Still acting."

Valeria glared at me. She was more disappointed than angry.

"We'll deal with your lies later. Let me ask you this. Did you hire hackers to flood Julian's socials with death threats?"

"What?" I froze.

Valeria shoved her phone in my face. Her expression was ice.

I glanced at it.

It was Julian's social media page.

He posted a picture wearing the Family's pinky ring.

The caption read: "Getting married. Spending the rest of my life with the one I love."

The low-level soldiers and rival gang moles swarmed the comments. They mocked him relentlessly.

"Is this how boy toys climb the ladder now? The disrespect."

"Eye-opening. The real husband is left to bleed out, and the boss is proposing to her leech!"

"Pathetic piece of shit, why wasn't it you who died?"

I looked away. I didn't even bother to blink.

"I didn't hire hackers."

"Enough! You're still lying? Now, go get on your knees and apologize to Julian!"

Valeria grabbed my arm. She tried to drag me off the bed.

I kept my face deadpan. I went dead weight. I refused to move.

Valeria got in my face. Her obsidian eyes blazed with violent fury.

"Fine! Have it the hard way!"

She straddled me on the bed. One hand pinned down my wounded chest. Her other hand wrapped around my throat. She choked the life out of me.

My air was cut off. My face turned a painful, dark red.

I tried to struggle. But her weight on my chest sent blinding pain through me. I couldn't even raise my arms.

Valeria didn't loosen her grip at all.

A minute later, she suddenly let go. Just as I thought she was done...

Valeria pulled her fist back. She slammed it right into my chest. She muttered:

"You wanted to fake an injury for pity? You are my man! The Consigliere of the Costa Family! How could you use such dirty tricks! I'll put you in the ICU myself, you hear me?"

She expected me to dodge or catch her wrist like I always did. But I couldn't move an inch.

The punch landed hard.

The blow sent my body into violent spasms. My face went paper white.

The twenty-something knife gashes on my chest ripped wide open from the impact.

Drip. Drip.

Hot blood seeped through the gauze. It dripped onto the pure white sheets.

Then, a second later, Valeria realized something was wrong. In disbelief, she tore off my thick layers of bandages.

She saw my chest. Covered in knife gashes. Mangled flesh. Skin peeled back to the bone.

Her cold, hard mask shattered instantly. Extreme shock and pure terror flashed across her face.

"Impossible... You... why didn't you dodge... You're actually... hurt?"

Chapter 4

"How is this possible..." Valeria stared at her blood-soaked hands. Her voice shook with panic.

She finally realized this wasn’t special effects. It wasn’t a movie.

It was dozens of real knife gashes. They nearly ended my life.

I looked at her breaking down and smirked.

I didn't get to speak. A heavy dizziness hit me.

The world twisted. Blood loss dragged my body into total darkness.

When I opened my eyes again, the room reeked of bleach.

My freshly stitched chest ached. A new blood bag dripped life back into my veins.

Valeria sat on the leather sofa across the room. Her legs were crossed.

She kept flicking a limited-edition metal lighter. Click. Clack. The sound grated on my nerves.

She avoided my cold stare. But she had to hide the truth. She almost murdered her husband. She quickly sat up straight. She put on her usual arrogant mask.

"I talked to my father," she said. She sounded like she was throwing change to a beggar. "I know Bruno really came after you."

She paused. "Look, we’ll transfer the Northside casino to your name as compensation. That should be enough."

I said nothing. I just stared at her.

She got no reaction. She gave a ridiculous smile.

"Look on the bright side, Caspian. You actually did something useful today. You stalled Bruno. Without that, I wouldn't have made it in time to save Julian. He almost jumped off the roof today."

That killed the last pathetic bit of love I had for her.

I frowned. My eyes cut her like ice.

"You let a thug nearly kill me. You tore my stitches open yourself," I rasped, every word clear. "And you think a single casino pays off the Costa family Consigliere?"

Valeria stopped flicking the lighter. She rolled her eyes like I was crazy.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Caspian?" She stood up and looked down at me. "This is just daily mob business. Who doesn't have a few scars? Why do you always blow things out of proportion?"

I had absolutely nothing left to say to this toxic bitch.

I ignored the tearing pain. I grabbed the burner phone under my pillow.

Valeria watched in confusion. I dialed The Commission’s direct line. They run the five families of the North American underworld.

The call connected. Valeria's arrogance froze instantly.

Half an hour later, the ward doors crashed open.

Two Commission bosses walked in. Four heavy hitters flanked them.

The room turned ice-cold.

"Valeria," one boss said coldly. "You broke the code. You tried to murder a Made Man. You're coming with us."

Her proud face finally cracked. She stepped back in panic. She started yelling.

"Gentlemen, what are you doing? It's just a misunderstanding between husband and wife!" She tried to throw her weight around as the heir. "This is Costa family business!"

I raised my free hand and cut her off.

"Gentlemen," I looked them in the eye. "I have Bruno's audio confession from Mexico. It proves she sold out the family. She did it to line her lover's pockets."

I pointed to my bandaged chest. My voice was calm but deadly.

"I also press charges against Valeria right now."

"Two hours ago, in this very room, she used deadly force on me. As a Made Man, I was almost murdered in my hospital bed by her."

"I demand all security footage from the halls and this room. Summon the head family doctor to testify."

Valeria stared at me in pure disbelief.

She had never seen me this ruthless. To her, I was just a punching bag. I silently cleaned up her messes.

The fear of losing her power broke her sanity.

"You dare cross me!" she screamed. She reached for her gun.

She didn't even touch the holster. The two heavy hitters pinned her to the coffee table. Her face smashed into the hard wood. They stripped her gun.

Watching her struggle felt damn good.

"Save your breath, Valeria," I leaned back on my pillows and gave her the verdict. "I will push for a full Commission trial. They will strip all your power as Underboss first."

"When that's done, we'll talk about divorce and turf."

I stared into her hateful eyes. I added softly.

"Fair warning. Your sweet Julian? He’s going to die screaming."

"Caspian! You bastard!" Valeria's face twisted wildly. She screamed like a maniac. "You think you run everything? Just you wait!"

The men didn't let her finish. They twisted her arms behind her back. They dragged her out.

She cursed me with the filthiest words. Her voice faded down the hall until it was gone.

Dead silence returned to the room.

I closed my eyes. My chest burned. The absurdities of the past five years flashed through my mind.

I laughed at myself.

For five years, I wasted my life on a piece of trash.

I ignored my own mother's family—a syndicate powerful enough to flip the entire North American underworld.