Chapter 1

I have been in love with the Don of the Southern mafia family, Luca Fernandez, for ten whole years. During that time, we tried to get married eighty-eight times. Yet, not a single wedding ever happened. Every wedding was canceled at the last minute because of some sudden “emergency”.

The first time he called it off was five years ago. His assistant, Rita Sterling, had messed up a cargo inspection down at the docks. Luca rushed off to handle it, leaving me alone to finish our wedding photos.

The second time, Rita was captured by a rival family. Luca literally turned his back on me and walked out to pay the ransom, leaving me standing all by myself in front of the priest.

The third time, Rita was being tailed, so the entire wedding had to be postponed.

It didn’t matter when we scheduled our wedding. Without fail, Rita would suffer some kind of crisis at exactly that moment.

Finally, I had had enough. I took off my wedding dress, walked out of the chapel, and decided to call it quits for good. However, after I had boarded my plane to leave, Luca went mad searching the entire city for me.

Chapter 1

Before the wedding started, the priest went over the final details with me. We had practiced those exact details eighty-seven times before, so I knew the entire routine by heart. Despite the gastritis I was suffering from, I forced myself to welcome the guests alone early that morning.

I had to take painkillers three separate times just to get through it. Yet, Luca Fernandez was nowhere to be seen in the main chapel. Instead, he was back in the dressing room, kneeling on one knee to help Rita Sterling check on a stray dog’s injuries.

Rita panicked, looking like she was on the verge of tears. “It’s all my fault. I was driving too fast and hit it. Is it going to be okay?”

“Don’t blame yourself. It’s going to be fine,” Luca murmured while gently stroking her hair to comfort her.

My mother witnessed the entire scene. Heartbroken for me, she took my hand and said, “Look at this. Why are you even doing this? When has he ever actually put you first?”

I stood at the doorway, completely silent. Over the last ten years, Luca had canceled the weddings I had looked forward to on countless occasions. Everyone knew just how desperately I wanted a perfect ceremony.

Seeing that the ceremony was about to begin, Luca called the priest over and told him the wedding was off. He then picked up the stray dog and headed for the exit, where he bumped right into me.

He looked down, his tone carrying a hint of guilt. “I need to run to the veterinary hospital with Rita. This little dog isn’t going to make it. Let’s cancel the wedding for now. I’ll make it up to you and have another one in a few days. I promise I will show up next time.”

He brushed past me, walking away without looking back. Rita followed close behind and hopped into the car, sliding right into the passenger seat that was supposed to be mine.

Watching this play out, I wasn’t even shocked anymore. If this had happened in the past, I would’ve thrown a massive fit, clinging to him and demanding he set a date for the next wedding. Yet now, I wouldn’t do that. Having heard too many empty promises, I felt nothing.

“The dog’s injuries are more important. Be careful on the road,” I said, acting completely understanding.

However, my reaction seemed to catch Luca off guard. He paused, reaching his hand out of the car window to hold my wrist tight.

“Yeah. I’ll be back soon. Oh, by the way, that new white sports car in the garage is for you. I’ll have someone deliver the keys to you in a bit.”

I stood there quietly and nodded. Without another word, he started the engine and sped away.

I had been in a terrible car accident before, which left me terrified of driving. Because of that, I never bought cars, and I absolutely hated getting behind the wheel. When Luca and I first got together, he bought me a car. Not wanting to disappoint him, I had forced myself to suppress my fears and drove him for a few miles. Unfortunately, I made a mistake on the road and crashed into the guardrail, but thankfully, it wasn’t a major accident.

While he was comforting me, I finally confessed the trauma of my childhood car crash. He apologized to me on the spot and swore that he would be my personal driver from then on. He promised that the passenger seat would always be reserved exclusively for me, but somewhere along the line… he forgot. It had been a very long time since I last sat in his passenger seat.

By the time I walked back into the chapel, my parents had taken care of wrapping everything up. In front of everyone, I tore off the veil I had worn eighty-eight times.

This time, the relationship was finally over.

Chapter 2

The sports car Luca promised to send me never arrived.

Seeing how quiet I had been since the wedding was called off, my parents stayed behind at my place to comfort me. My father was absolutely furious about how Luca had handled everything.

My mother, on the other hand, was convinced that Rita had done it entirely on purpose. After all, if someone accidentally hit a stray dog on the road, they’d take it to a veterinary hospital, not a wedding. However, since Rita did do that, it was clear she wanted to destroy this marriage.

I sat there quietly, just listening to them talk.

“Come back to the capital with us, Soph,” my mother pleaded.

They had tried to convince me to leave just as many times as my weddings with Luca had been canceled. My parents belonged to an old-money family in the capital. Unlike Luca, who built his empire taking risks, they led a stable, respectable life, abiding by the rules. They had raised me to be a gentle, unassuming person.

When I was twenty, I took a trip down south and met Luca. Against my parents’ objections, I chose to stay behind with him. He was an orphan, abandoned by his parents to roam the streets, so he loathed it when anyone brought up family. To protect his pride, I never once mentioned the true scale of my family’s wealth, so he always assumed I was just an ordinary girl from the capital.

I was right by his side when he built his territory from the ground up. Back when he was still swinging blades to claim turf, I was standing at the alley entrance counting the cash, using my allowance to buy him guns off the black market. We set up every single weapons pipeline together, driving the Southern mafia family’s status higher and higher.

Once he finally secured his position as Don, my parents—after much persuasion from me—gave their blessing. I had originally intended to tell him the truth about my background, but before I even had the chance, all of this happened. Thinking about it now, there was no longer any point in telling him.

I held my mother’s hand, my voice choking up. “I want to go home, too.”

Relief washed over my parents’ faces. They finally heaved a sigh and held me tight.

“Good. We’ll take you away right now. Let’s leave this place behind.”

Before leaving with my parents, the first thing I had to do was go to Luca’s estate to pack up my belongings. I stayed over at his place occasionally, and my legal documents were kept there.

When I arrived, the butler opened the door, looking quite surprised to see me. As I walked in, I suddenly caught sight of Luca and Rita. Luca was leaning his wrist against a car window, looking down and smiling at Rita, who was sitting in the driver’s seat of a white sports car, her face beaming with joy as she ran her hand over the steering wheel.

“The dog came out of nowhere. That’s how I hit it,” Rita said, surprised. “Anyway, it’s buried. It was all the fault of my old car. Now that I’m driving this one, I won’t be hitting any more strays.”

I glanced over, remembering that stray dog covered in blood, and felt nauseous. Rita was truly sickening. However, wasn’t that white sports car the exact one Luca had promised to give me?

I looked down and laughed bitterly. Whatever. He always did this anyway.

Without wasting another thought on it, I took a detour to grab my things. If anything, I was glad Luca had canceled the wedding. From now on, I would never have to suffer this kind of humiliation again.

I walked out of the estate without Luca ever noticing. It wasn’t until late that night that he sent me a text message.

[Sorry, Soph. The puppy’s injuries are pretty bad. It needs surgery tonight.]

I looked at it, shut off my phone, and didn’t bother to reply.

The next day, I went to the office to handle some paperwork. I was the one managing several of Luca’s weapons supply lines, and a few major buyers from the East had only signed their contracts out of respect for me. Now that I was leaving, I had to hand over the remaining operations.

I went through the handover with the consigliere. She had been working with me for many years, so she found my sudden departure incredibly difficult to accept. She asked me for the reason, but I simply kept silent and started walking away.

Just then, Luca walked into the conference room. There was a distinct hickey on his neck, barely hidden by his shirt collar. In the past, whenever things got wild in bed, he never allowed me to leave any marks on his neck, claiming it would look improper if the mafia family saw it. Because of that, I only ever left marks in hidden places. Yet, as it turned out, it wasn’t about looking improper at all. He just didn’t want my marks on him.

Seeing me there, he immediately got straight to business. “Where is that weapon shipment? Has the final payment been processed?”

I didn’t say a word. I just bypassed him and headed toward the door.

The consigliere immediately stepped forward to intercept him. “She’s handed everything over to me before she left. I’ll be following up on it immediately.”

I had never handed these matters over to anyone else before, so Luca instantly sensed that something was wrong. Frowning, he ran after me and grabbed my wrist.

“Where are you going?”

I turned around, my gaze landing directly on his neck. His eyes darted away guiltily before he questioned me, “Are you still angry?”

I countered, “What would I be angry about?”

I was too calm, and my lack of emotion only made Luca more uneasy. He held my wrist, finding something amiss.

Finally, he softened his tone. “Didn’t I tell you? It was a stray dog that got into an accident, and I just couldn’t stand seeing that kind of thing. Are you really going to pick a fight with me over this?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. Didn’t Rita cause that “accident”? How had he managed to twist the morality of it to make it my fault? Besides, what he was saying wasn’t even the truth.

Trying my best not to argue, I kept my voice steady. “I understand. I just want to go home and rest for a few days.”

After that, I pulled my hand back.

Luca looked perplexed. “If you’re tired, just rest for a few days. There’s no need to hand your work over to someone else. Those who don’t know might think you’re throwing a tantrum because the wedding was canceled yesterday. How are they going to see Rita then? You need to consider her feelings.”

My heart went cold. Even at a time like that, Luca was worrying about Rita’s reputation.

“What does she have to do with me?” I demanded, my voice rising as my burning glare locked onto his neck.

Sensing where I was looking, he subconsciously pulled up his collar to cover it. “I caught fleas from that stray dog yesterday. I was bitten.”

Faced with my attitude, Luca didn’t snap. Instead, he explained himself with a rare patience. If this had been the past, he would have picked a fight with me, accusing me of being unreasonable before slamming the door and leaving.

Today was different. He probably thought I was incredibly easy to fool, believing his excuse was seamless. If I hadn’t heard with my own ears that the dog was already buried, I might have believed him.

I didn’t want to argue about it anymore, so I simply nodded and told him to put some ointment on it. My passive demeanor made Luca assume I was just throwing a minor fit.

Letting out a sigh of relief, he pulled me into a gentle hug and said, “Alright, stop being mad. I’ll cook you your favorite dinner tonight.”

I slowly pushed him away without saying a word. However, he took it as a silent agreement, holding my hand with a look of pure satisfaction.

Right then, Rita burst into the room holding a cup of coffee. Luca immediately let go of my hand, forcing a smile onto his face as if nothing had happened.

Chapter 3

Rita glanced at my wrist and smiled.

“My apologies, I didn’t know Miss Benedict was here too,” Rita said, stepping right up to Luca’s side. “I have to meet with a few cartels from the East tonight. I’m worried I can’t handle it on my own, so I–”

“It’s fine. I’ll go with you.”

Luca answered her before turning to follow her out.

When they were at the door, Rita slipped her arm lightly through his. Then, she looked back at me over her shoulder, a provocative smirk playing on the corner of her lips.

I just stood there, exactly as I had outside the chapel yesterday. The familiar sting of disappointment was gone. Luca and I were finally over.

After they left, I walked out of the conference room and immediately ran into the consigliere, who was holding a stack of documents.

Having clearly witnessed the whole scene, she said with some frustration, “Is this because of Rita? You are way too nice. I knew there was something wrong with Rita a long time ago. She is actively trying to seduce the Don.”

I didn’t say a word. I just waited at the entrance for my driver to pull up.

Before the driver could arrive, however, Rita and Luca reappeared. Rita was driving the same white sports car from yesterday, with Luca sitting in the passenger seat. The two of them were laughing and talking. I had no idea what they were saying, but Luca was holding her coffee up to her lips to feed her.

Sensing my gaze, Luca instantly wiped the smile off his face. The car pulled up and came to a smooth halt right in front of me.

Rita noticed me and immediately chimed in to explain, “Soph, I forgot my own car today, so I borrowed yours. The car is still yours, of course. I’d never try to take it for myself. I have several cars like this at home anyway, so I’d never look to gain from such minor perks. You have to believe me.”

The eyes of everyone around us immediately shifted to me. Having been with Luca for ten years, the people in the mafia family assumed I was just an ordinary girl who had never seen the finer things in life. That was why every time Luca gifted me some cheap trinket, I treasured it like a priceless heirloom.

The consigliere tugged anxiously at the corner of my jacket.

Luca’s expression turned sour, and after a moment, he finally said, “Don’t you refuse to drive because of your past trauma anyway? That’s why I let Rita drive it first.”

I forced a smile at Rita. “Since he gave it to you, just keep it. Driving a car like that is safer, after all. Then, you won’t run over any stray dogs.”

I spoke those words in a perfectly gentle tone, but Rita’s face instantly darkened.

“Sophie, are you angry? I really didn’t mean to take advantage of you,” Rita said, looking aggrieved.

I honestly didn’t care. After all, I wouldn’t have even paid attention to a cheap car like this when I was a child. My father’s garage was five times larger than Luca’s entire estate.

“Since you feel like you’re taking advantage of me, then get out of the car.”

I was too exhausted to play her mind games. However, my sudden demand instantly triggered Luca’s anger.

“Sophie, don’t speak so harshly to Rita.”

I scoffed. “If you think it sounds harsh, then stop talking to me altogether. You two are the ones who always insist that I’m angry.”

He shook his head, assuming I was just throwing a tantrum because the car hadn’t been properly gifted to me yet. At that thought, he softened his tone.

“Forget it, just come along with us.”

Without waiting for a response, Luca made a quick phone call and told my driver not to bother coming.

I felt a lump in my throat. He had decided for me without even bothering to ask for my opinion.

“I have other things to do. I’m going home.”

“Didn’t you just say you weren’t angry?”

My initially calm heart suddenly felt heavy. All I wanted to do was leave quietly. I wanted absolutely nothing to do with either of them ever again.

Luca added, “You can’t get back on your own anyway. I’ll drive you home once we’re finished.”

It was obvious he wouldn’t let it go until I complied. So, instead of arguing, I pulled open the back door and climbed into the seat. Only then did Luca let out a satisfied sigh of relief.

I stared out the window at the passing scenery while they chatted away in the front seats about the cartels they were meeting tonight. The convertible top was down, and the wind felt biting cold. Halfway through the drive, Luca grabbed a coat from the front to hand to me. However, before I could reach out to take it…

Chapter 4

From the front seat, Rita glanced back.

“Oh, so that’s where it went! You borrowed my coat when you were drunk last time and never returned it. I’ve been looking for it everywhere.”

She eyed me through the rearview mirror and said provocatively, “Soph, just put it on for now. We’re almost there.”

I watched as Luca adjusted his sleeve again, and it made me feel sick to my stomach. Still, I took the coat from her. If I didn’t, they would assume I was throwing another tantrum. Dealing with these exhausting confrontations was giving me a massive headache.

When we finally arrived at the venue, Luca and Rita walked ahead to greet the client. It was as if they had forgotten I was even there.

The cartel boss shook Luca’s hand before presenting a gift. “The Donna looks even more beautiful than she did last time. We didn’t get a chance to catch up at the funeral, so we must drink more tonight.”

Rita gave a shy, embarrassed smile, instantly looking back to check my reaction. Luca, a little guilty, also stole a glance back at me. It was only when he saw my lack of reaction that he let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Right then, I recalled the time when a highly respected elder who was a great benefactor to the mafia family had passed away. I had set out early to attend the funeral, but the driver’s car broke down in the middle of nowhere. I called Luca to pick me up since he was driving past the area at the time and easily could have turned back for me. Instead, he told me he was running too late and couldn’t make it.

I waited until nightfall, standing in the freezing wind, shivering. By the time he showed up, the funeral was already over, and because of that, rumors spread like wildfire through the mafia family that I was an ungrateful wretch.

Faced with those vicious rumors, Luca offered no explanation whatsoever, and missing that funeral became the biggest regret of my life. Yet now, it all made perfect sense. As it turned out, he had gone with Rita the entire time and simply didn’t want me to know.

Once the cartel boss walked away, Rita immediately tried to soothe me. “Soph, please don’t mind them. They don’t know who you are. Here, you take the gift. Don’t worry, I would never steal what’s yours.”

The gift was an incredibly expensive diamond necklace.

I took a deep breath, a suffocating ache squeezing my chest.

“It’s all your fault for picking up Soph so late last time,” Rita said while playfully swatting Luca’s shoulder.

Luca said, “Stop being angry about it. It’s already in the past. Just take the necklace. I’ll buy Rita another one later.”

My heart skipped a beat, and I stared at him in disbelief.

Why did they make it sound like I was begging for this stupid thing? The way they talked made it sound as though they think this gift mattered to me.

“You keep it,” I sneered.

Rita gasped. “Soph, you aren’t actually mad, are you? I have more than enough jewelry like this, so just take it. Think of it as me making amends on his behalf.”

I clenched my fists. The two of them seemed exactly like a married couple, while I was the unreasonable one.

Luca’s patience finally snapped. “Enough. Let’s not cause a scene here. Let’s go, Rita.”

With that, he grabbed Rita by the wrist and led her inside.

I bit my lip and took a while to compose myself, but I didn’t follow them in. Instead, I called my father to come and get me.

My parents picked me up, and we quickly arrived at the airport terminal. While sitting in the departure lounge, Luca had sent three messages in a row.

[Where are you?]

[Why did you leave without saying anything?]

[Forget it. I know you’re not in a good headspace, so go home and get some rest. Today is very important, and I can’t leave. We’ll reschedule the wedding in a few days. Don’t worry. This time, I will definitely show up.]

I didn’t reply.

Right before boarding, Luca sent another text.

[Rita drank too much, so I have to take her back. It’s not safe for a girl to be out alone. Get some sleep.]

Still, I didn’t reply. Instead, I deleted his contact and blocked his number completely. Then, I stepped onto the plane, and as it took off, I took a deep breath, knowing I would likely never return to this city again.

Back across town, Luca began to grow uneasy after receiving no response for hours. He tried dialing my number, only to get an automated recording stating the number was out of service.

That nagging sense of dread intensified. Holding his breath, he tried calling a few more times, but the result was the same.

[Are you home yet?]

He typed out the words and tapped send. Suddenly, a notification that the message failed to deliver flashed across his screen. His heart skipped a beat, and his hand instantly tightened around his phone.