Chapter 1

My marriage to Tommaso Volpe, Don of the Volpe family, is part of a five-year contract. We each have someone we love, and we stay out of each other's way.

He loves his adopted sister, Gelsomina Volpe, who needs his protection. My heart belongs only to my deceased fiancé, Marco Damiano.

For five years, I play the perfect Signora Volpe, enduring Gelsomina's provocations and cruelty again and again.

She forces caustic substances down my throat that nearly destroy my esophagus. He tells me to let it go for his sake.

She stages her own kidnapping and forces Tommaso to choose between saving her and me. He doesn't hesitate, choosing to save her while I sink to the bottom of that freezing lake.

On the last day of our contract, I calmly pack my things and leave the signed divorce papers behind. I need to find a young man who looks just like Marco. He's all I have left to hold onto.

But after I leave, Tommaso loses his mind searching for me, saying he's fallen in love with me.

He threatens me with the entire city's underworld just to stay by my side. He watches me grow close to my new "replacement" and goes mad with jealousy.

He thinks he still has a chance, but he has already lost this game from the very beginning.

Chapter 1

"I'm starting now."

Tommaso Volpe's voice pierced through the darkness. His tone was icy, as if this were a formal business meeting. I closed my eyes and let his hands roam freely against my skin.

It had been like this for five years now. Each time was no different from the other, like a mechanical clockwork sans emotion.

Moonlight filtered through the blinds onto the Eralian marble floors of the bedroom. Even the air felt suffocating.

"Is this okay?" He asked for consent like this was official business, and I nodded, just like I had on countless nights before. This was our routine, our obligation—a clause clearly outlined in our contract. Tommaso began, and my mind had already drifted elsewhere.

At tonight's family dinner, he sat at the head of the table as always, and I sat beside him like we were the perfect couple. Everyone envied us, for the marriage between the Don of the Volpe family and the daughter of the Gallo family created the most powerful mafia alliance.

However, they didn't know that this marriage had only been a transaction from the very beginning. We signed the five-year contract with mutual consent. Tommaso needed the Gallo family's influence at the docks to solidify his position, and my family needed the Volpe family's protection to expand our territory.

Tommaso's breathing grew heavier, and I simply endured it in silence.

I thought of Marco Damiano. His gentle kisses, his promise to give me the most beautiful love in the world… If he were still alive, we would have children by now.

But Marco was dead. He died on that bloody, violent night five years ago, killed by a rival family's gun. He'd rushed out to protect me from a bullet meant for my heart.

"I'm sorry..." I finally couldn't take it anymore, so I spoke softly. "I can't do this. Can we stop?"

Tommaso immediately stopped and pulled away from me. He uttered, his voice carrying a hint of apologetic guilt, "Mi dispiace."

He got up and walked to the bathroom. The sound of running water followed soon after.

His heart belonged to someone else, too. That someone was his adopted sister, Gelsomina Volpe. She had needed his protection.

And that was how this deal could work… Because when personal feelings from the participating parties were not at play, the transaction could be easily established.

I put on my silk robe and walked to the safe on the wall, pulling out a document I'd prepared long ago. It was our marriage dissolution agreement.

The five-year contract was about to expire. Tommaso had the person he loved, and my heart would always belong to Marco.

We each had our obsessions. This marriage was nothing more than a transaction—a contractual obligation.

The bathroom door opened, and Tommaso emerged wrapped in a towel. I was about to speak when his phone suddenly rang. The ringtone was piercing and was especially jarring in the quiet of the night.

"Tommaso!" Gelsomina's hysterical crying came through the phone. "Save me! I'm at the club. I overdosed!"

Tommaso's expression changed instantly. "Which club are you at? I'm on my way!"

"Rosa di Mezzanotte! Tommaso, I feel terrible. I'm dying!" Gelsomina's crying grew louder.

Tommaso threw on his clothes, fumbling for his car keys.

"Tommaso." I stopped him. "We need to talk. Just give me five minutes.

"Gelsomina needs me!" Gelsomina's cries came through the phone again, and Tommaso cut me off irritably, his eyes filled only with urgency. "Whatever it is, you can decide. You don't need to ask me."

I held the document out in front of him. "Then please sign this."

Tommaso didn't even look at it. He grabbed the pen from the table and scrawled his signature on it. Then, he rushed out of the room, and I listened to his footsteps until they faded down the hallway.

I looked at the careless signature and picked up my phone to call Aldo Ricci, the family lawyer.

"The agreement has been signed and is now in effect. Please handle the relevant procedures immediately." My voice was perfectly calm as I continued, "Also, book me a private jet to New Faye one month from now."

I hung up and walked to the window. The city glowed in vibrant neon colors as the night scenery stretched out below, its lights flickering ever so often.

I thought about what my friend, Elena Esposito, told me last week. She mentioned that there was a scholarship student at Sarton University who looked like Marco, had the same eyes as him, and even had the same smile.

After the contract ended, I wanted to go look for him, even if it meant I had to resort to extreme means to make him mine. Maybe it was crazy. But if I could see that face every day, even hell would feel like heaven.

Chapter 2

"This is to make up for last night."

Tommaso pushed a velvet jewelry box toward me. A pink diamond, which cost a fortune, lay in it.

The diamond sparkled beautifully in the morning light, but my heart remained unmoved. I glanced at it and gently pushed it back to him.

"Why would I be upset?" I said lightly, elegantly cutting into the steak on my plate. "In a month, she'll be moving in anyway."

Tommaso froze, his fork suspended in midair. "What do you mean?"

I didn't answer. I simply continued eating.

The crystal chandelier in the dining room veiled the space in a warm, convivial light, but the atmosphere was unusually tense. Footsteps echoed from the staircase as Gelsomina walked into the dining room. Her personal belongings had already been moved into the main house.

"Good morning, Ms. Gallo." She deliberately used my maiden name, her eyes filled with obvious intent to provoke me.

That form of address was like a thorn, reminding me of my outsider status in this house. It had five whole years, yet she'd never once addressed me as the Signora of the house. She wouldn't even use my first name.

I set down my knife and fork and looked at Tommaso. "How long does the withdrawal period usually last?"

"About a month." Tommaso seemed uncomfortable, avoiding my gaze. "The doctor said she needs round-the-clock supervision. She can't be far from someone she trusts."

"I understand." I nodded, my voice devoid of emotion as I continued, "Family comes first, after all."

Gelsomina smiled smugly and clung tightly to Tommaso's arm. But he frowned, seemingly surprised by my composure.

I thought back to our engagement party five years ago. It was held at the Volpe family estate. Every important figure in the family attended.

Just as Tommaso and I were exchanging engagement rings, Gelsomina suddenly rushed out and shattered the champagne tower in front of all the guests. Crystal shards scattered across the floor.

"Tommaso is mine!" she cried. "He can't marry anyone else!"

Tommaso had coaxed her gently then, telling me, "She's young. She doesn't understand. Don't take it personally."

And I simply smiled gracefully, as if nothing had happened.

"Tommaso, let's go to the private island for vacation," Gelsomina cooed. "Just the two of us, sì? Like before."

Gelsomina's voice pulled me back from my memories.

"Va bene." Tommaso agreed without hesitation.

"I'll arrange for security." I stood and smoothed my skirt. "Have a wonderful time."

Tommaso looked at me, something complicated flickering in his eyes as I turned and left the dining room. Behind me, Gelsomina's excited laughter rang out. She'd won, just like every other time over the past five years.

That evening, I was in the study handling family business, reviewing cargo manifests from the docks, and signing several important contracts.

Gelsomina's voice drifted from outside the door. She'd lowered her voice, but in the silence of the night, it was still perfectly audible.

"Tommaso, you're not allowed to touch that woman tonight." Her voice carried a threatening edge. "You promised me. While I'm staying here, you won't touch her."

"Sì, sì, I promise." Tommaso placated her helplessly. "Get some rest. We leave tomorrow."

"Swear it." Gelsomina wouldn't let it go.

"I swear."

The footsteps faded, and the door opened. Tommaso walked in. His gaze landed on my now-empty walk-in closet.

The expensive gowns, jewelry, and accessories were all gone; only bare hangers remained.

"Where are your clothes?" he asked, a hint of tension in his voice.

"I sent them for cleaning and maintenance." I didn't look up, continuing to sign documents.

He walked behind me and suddenly wrapped his arms around me. I could feel the warmth of his body, smell the faint cologne on his skin.

"Your sister doesn't want you touching me." I reminded him, my voice perfectly calm.

Tommaso paused, then held me even tighter. His chin rested on my shoulder, his breath warm against my neck.

"I want you. Is that okay?"

Chapter 3

I thought of the obligation clause in our contract. "During the marriage, both parties shall fulfill marital duties."

The divorce proceedings would take time to finalize, and the contract hadn't fully expired yet. With that in mind, I nodded slowly. "Va bene."

That night felt endless. Tommaso was more intense than usual. I simply endured it quietly, my mind occupied with tomorrow's schedule.

The next morning, Tommaso had already left to handle family business. Apparently, there was trouble at the docks. A shipment needed his personal inspection.

I sat alone at the dining table. An elaborate breakfast was laid out before me, but I had no appetite.

I'd just taken a sip of coffee when my stomach suddenly churned violently. A wave of nausea surged up my throat. I hastily set down the coffee cup and rushed to the powder room, leaning over the sink as I dry heaved.

The marble counter was ice cold. I gripped the edge tightly, my knuckles turning white.

"Are you pregnant?" Gelsomina's voice came from the doorway. I turned to see her dark expression.

She was wearing clothes Tommaso had bought her. Her hair hung loose and messy, and her eyes burned with unrestrained fury.

"No." I wiped the corner of my mouth, struggling to stay composed.

"It's just an upset stomach."

"Liar!" Gelsomina suddenly shrieked, completely losing control. "I will never allow you to carry Tommaso's heir! Never!"

Her voice echoed off the marble walls, sharp as nails scraping across glass. I tried to walk past her, but she blocked my path.

"Move, Gelsomina." My voice was calm, but inside, I was already on alert.

"No!" She rushed to the doorway and shouted down the hall. "Someone! Hold her down!"

Two family enforcers hesitantly approached—Elio Benedetti and Salvatore Conti, both veterans who'd served the Volpe family for years.

They looked at me with conflicted expressions, not daring to actually lay hands on me. After all, I was the daughter of the Gallo family. Even in an arranged marriage, I wasn't someone they could casually assault.

"Ms. Volpe, this..." Elio tried to dissuade her.

"Shut up!" Gelsomina stormed toward Tommaso's study like a madwoman. "Useless, all of you!"

A few minutes later, she returned with a small bottle. The bottle contained a clear liquid that looked harmless, but I knew what it was.

"Gelsomina, calm down." I took a step back, my voice still even.

"I'm not pregnant. I can go to the hospital for a test."

"I don't believe you!" She lunged at me with surprising strength.

"You bitch! You want to trap Tommaso with a baby!"

She forced my jaw open, her nails digging deep into my skin. I tried to struggle, but she'd already poured the liquid down my throat.

Searing pain instantly consumed my entire body. It felt like countless knives were scraping my stomach from the inside. My stomach and esophagus burned like fire, and every breath was torture.

I curled up on the floor in agony, cold sweat soaking through my clothes.

"Signora!" A maid rushed over to help me, but it was already too late. My vision began to blur, and my consciousness faded.

Before I lost consciousness, all I heard was Gelsomina's deranged laughter and the wail of ambulance sirens.

When I woke again, I was lying in the family's private hospital. I stared at the white ceiling, breathing in antiseptic while machines beeped steadily around me.

Tommaso sat beside the bed, his face pale as paper. His eyes were filled with guilt and fear. His hand gripped mine tightly, and his palm was slick with sweat.

"Mi dispiace, Alessia." His voice was hoarse. "I didn't know she would... I thought she was just jealous. I never imagined she'd do something like this."

The family doctor, Giuseppe Mancini, approached with a grave expression.

"Don Volpe, was the Signora attacked by an enemy? How could someone use Veritas? That's one of the most caustic substances there is." He shook his head helplessly, his voice tinged with reproach.

"If we'd been any later, the Signora's stomach and esophagus would have been permanently scarred. We managed to save her life, but she'll need at least a month to fully recover."

Chapter 4

"According to the household rules, she should be locked in the cells to reflect on her actions."

My voice rang out in the hospital room. I sounded calm because things like this had happened too many times before. I'd been able to tolerate it in the past, but this time it was a threat to my life.

The IV tube was still inserted in the back of my hand, but my tone was firm, leaving no room for compromise.

Tommaso's expression changed instantly. He strode quickly to the bedside. "Alessia, no."

"No?" I slowly sat up. My stomach still throbbed with dull pain. Each breath reminded me of the torture I'd just endured.

"She poisoned a family member's wife with a drug used for torture. In any family, that's a death sentence."

Dr. Mancini nodded in agreement. "The Signora is right, Don Volpe. According to the family code, this is indeed—"

"Shut up." Tommaso cut him off coldly, then turned to me, his eyes full of pleading. "For my sake, let it go. She was just worried about the family heir, so she acted impulsively."

I looked at him and burst into laughter. The sound was especially jarring in the quiet hospital room. Even the medical equipment on the walls seemed to hum in response.

"You're saying my stomach lining was scarred for nothing?"

Tommaso fell silent for a few seconds, avoiding my gaze. Then, he said with difficulty, "Try to understand. If it were your former fiancé, you'd protect him, too."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. He was right. If Marco had done something like this, I would have protected him, too.

"This is the last time."

Tommaso visibly relaxed, his shoulders dropping. But his gaze suddenly fell on my hand, where I still wore the ring Marco had given me. It was a small emerald ring with an antique platinum band.

"Take it off." His voice carried a note of urgency.

"What?"

"That ring." There was anger in Tommaso's eyes as he continued, "You're the Signora of the Volpe family. You shouldn't be wearing something another man gave you."

I looked down at the ring. Marco had slipped it onto my finger before he died, his blood-stained fingers gently stroking my face as he promised to protect me for life. It was all I had left of him.

"This is my personal belonging. It has nothing to do with you."

"Take it off!" Tommaso's voice rose, tinged with an emotion I couldn't understand.

Just then, his phone rang. Gelsomina's crying came through again, her voice trembling as she wailed, "Tommaso, I'm so scared! The doctor says I might have lasting side effects. My hands won't stop shaking..."

Tommaso's expression changed instantly, pure worry flooding his eyes. He said to me, "We'll talk about this later."

He turned to leave, but I stopped him. "Tommaso."

He looked back at me, anxious to get out.

"There's something I think you should know." My voice was perfectly steady. "Tell your sister she can relax. I will never carry a Volpe heir."

"What do you mean?" Tommaso frowned.

"I had my tubes tied before the arranged marriage." I watched his shocked expression and continued, "To honor my love for Marco, I don't want anyone's child. Including yours."

Tommaso looked like he'd been struck by lightning, his face turning deathly pale. His phone was still ringing, but his attention was completely fixed on what I'd just said.

"Are you insane?" He rushed to the bedside and grabbed my shoulders, gripping hard enough to hurt. "Get it reversed immediately! This is your duty as the wife of a family heir!"

I shook my head, my voice still perfectly calm. "But our marriage contract is already in the dissolution process. I no longer have that duty."

Chapter 5

"What dissolution process?" Tommaso asked with a frown, but he was listening to Gelsomina's increasingly urgent crying on the phone and completely missed what I'd said.

"Tommaso, where are you? I need you! The doctor says the drugs I took before have side effects!"

"I'm on my way," Tommaso said to me anxiously. "We'll talk about this when we get home."

He left in a rush, clearly not having heard what I'd just said. And if he did, he'd chosen to ignore it.

Over the next two weeks, I rested at the private hospital. The burns in my stomach needed time to heal. The doctor said it would take at least a month for me to fully recover.

Since then, I received photos from Gelsomina every day—photos of her and Tommaso on the beach, where she wore a bikini and nestled against him; photos of them on a shopping spree, her arm linked through his as they browsed luxury boutiques.

Every photo proclaimed her victory. After all these years, I was used to it. Tommaso's love for her remained as constant as ever.

Tommaso, on the other hand, also sent me encrypted messages. They were all about the reversal surgery.

"Found the best doctor. A leading expert in this field."

"The surgery carries minimal risk. 95% success rate."

"This is your responsibility. How could you hide this surgery from me, Alessia?"

I didn't reply to any of them. On the day of my discharge, Tommaso came to pick me up personally.

He drove a black luxury car with Gelsomina in the passenger seat, whose skin was kissed golden by the sun. She looked radiant.

"Ms. Gallo, please sit in the back," she said sweetly, her voice carrying an undeniable command. "The front is my seat."

I didn't argue with her and quietly slid into the back seat. Soft jazz played inside the car, but the atmosphere was unusually tense.

Tommaso glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "About the surgery—"

"I apologize." Gelsomina suddenly spoke, her voice reluctant, like a petulant child forced to eat her words. "Tommaso said I have to apologize to you. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you drink that."

"Apology accepted," I said flatly.

Tommaso breathed a sigh of relief and started the car. The engine's roar echoed throughout the underground garage.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"A private auction," Tommaso said. "The Torrino family is auctioning some valuable items of art and antiquity."

The car headed toward Cromer's industrial district, passing abandoned factories and warehouses before finally stopping in front of what looked like a deserted building. This was the mafia's secret auction house. Only those with real power could enter.

Several bodyguards in black suits stood at the entrance. They recognized Tommaso and immediately stepped aside respectfully.

The auction had already begun. Representatives from various families filled the hall. The air was thick with cigar smoke and the scent of money.

Tommaso bid on a Dornwich beachfront villa, and bidding closed at 30 million dollars. He had given it to Gelsomina, who excitedly kissed his cheek, whispering sweet nothings in his ear. "Thank you, Tommaso!"

Then, I saw the cufflinks. They were made out of antique platinum with exquisite craftsmanship, studded with small clusters of diamonds that glittered under the lights.

Marco had once had a similar pair. They were his grandfather's heirlooms.

I raised my paddle and said, "One million."

The auctioneer nodded in confirmation. "One million from Signora Volpe."

Tommaso turned to look at me, confusion flickering in his eyes, followed by something I couldn't quite read. Was it out of surprise, or perhaps… Tenderness? A complicated look flickered across his face, and his expression softened.

Chapter 6

"One point five million." Gelsomina suddenly raised her paddle, malice gleaming in her eyes.

She'd noticed the change in how Tommaso looked at me. That unprecedented tenderness drove her mad with jealousy that her voice became as sharp as nails scraping across a chalkboard.

"Two million." I calmly raised my paddle without looking at her.

"Three million!" Gelsomina shrieked, her face flushing red with rage.

"Five million."

"Eight million!" She was practically roaring now.

Tommaso watched the bidding war between us, confusion deepening in his eyes, yet he didn't stop us. He simply observed quietly, as if trying to understand something.

His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest, a habit he always did when he was thinking.

"Ten million." I raised my paddle one last time, my voice still calm.

The auctioneer's gavel fell. "Sold! Ten million to Signora Volpe!"

Gelsomina's face went pale with fury. Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging deep into her palms. But in front of Tommaso, she didn't dare lose control. She could only suppress her rage.

After the auction ended, I received the cufflinks. They lay quietly in an elegant box, looking just like the ones Marco used to wear.

Tommaso walked over to me, his voice carrying a tenderness I'd never heard before. "Put them on me."

I froze. He thought I'd bought them for him? Just as I was about to explain, Tommaso's phone rang.

"Don Volpe, there's trouble at the docks." The Underboss, Nico Romano, spoke with urgency. "We found an informant on the Torrino family's cargo ship. You need to handle this personally."

Tommaso's expression immediately turned serious. He had always been one to attend to the family business himself.

"I'm on my way." With that, he hurried out of the auction venue, leaving me alone with Gelsomina. The sweet smile vanished from her face instantly, replaced by pure malice. Her gaze was as cold as a viper's.

"Take her." She signaled to several men with a glance.

I hadn't brought any bodyguards because I'd come to the auction in a rush with the Don. At her words, I was taken to the underground garage.

The space was vast and cold. Only a few dim bulbs swayed overhead, casting eerie shadows.

"You think Tommaso actually cares about you?" Gelsomina sneered, her high heels clicking sharply against the concrete. "You think buying him cufflinks will make him feel something for you?"

She snatched the box containing the cufflinks from my hands, her movements as vulgar as a barbarian's.

"What right do you have to compete with me?" She opened the box and stared at the exquisite cufflinks, her eyes almost green from the venom they leaked. "Even if you give them to him, he'll only ever love me."

I sighed and started to explain, "I didn't buy them for him. You're misunderstanding. I'm not giving them to him."

I only wanted to keep them as a memento of Marco.

"You think I'll believe that? You have improper thoughts about Tommaso!" Gelsomina laughed maniacally, her laughter echoing through the empty garage.

"Tommaso actually wavered because of those cufflinks! He looked at you like an idiot!" She dumped the cufflinks onto the ground, and they clattered uselessly against the concrete.

"No!" I lunged forward to stop her, but her men grabbed my arms.

Gelsomina's high heel stomped on the cufflinks. The clear sound of the antique platinum cracking resonated throughout the space, its decorative diamond clusters scattering across the floor like fallen stars.

"This is what you deserve!" she said venomously, continuing to crush the fragments. "Don't ever think you'll get real love from Tommaso! His heart belongs only to me!"

Just then, the garage door was kicked open violently, crashing against the wall with a loud bang. Tommaso emerged from beyond the door. When he saw the shattered pieces on the ground and me being restrained, his expression instantly darkened like storm clouds.

Fury burned in his eyes, but there was something else there, too. Panic?

"Let her go!"

The burly men immediately released me. They knew how terrifying the Don was when he was truly angry.

Tommaso walked over to me and looked at the fragments on the ground. Pain flashed through his eyes. At that moment, I couldn't hold on any longer and fainted.

When I woke, I was back at the estate. Tommaso sat beside my bed. When he spoke, his voice was laced with genuine remorse. "Mi dispiace."

"Will she be punished?" I hoped he would make some gesture, so I asked.

Then, he pleaded with me. "Can we just ground Gelsomina in her room for a week? She'll never do something like this again."

That was practically no punishment at all. It was the outcome I'd expected all along. It didn't matter to me who he loved, but given how many times these sorts of things had happened, I grew tired of this behavior.

I sat up and stared ahead silently.

"Va bene. You love her too much," I said calmly, my voice free of accusation, carrying only the detached tone of stating facts. "Just like I only love Marco."

There was nothing unusual about that statement. We were the same, both of us loving people we couldn't have. But his beloved was still by his side, and mine was long gone.

His lips moved, and finally he forced out a single sentence. "Don't mention his name again."

Chapter 7

Tommaso's voice carried a tremor, his eyes flickering with anger I couldn't understand. I nodded faintly, smoothing the creases on the comforter.

"Va bene. One last week. I won't mention him again."

Tommaso froze, his brows knitting together. "What do you mean, one last week?"

I didn't answer. I simply got up and walked to the vanity, beginning to remove my earrings. For five years, I'd prepared myself in front of this mirror every day, playing the perfect Signora of the Volpe family. But in one more week, all of this would be over.

"Alessia, what did you just say?" he pressed, a note of unease creeping into his voice. Just then, hurried footsteps and crying came from outside the door.

"Tommaso!" Gelsomina burst into the room, her eyes brimming with tears. "You're punishing me because of that woman?"

Her voice was especially jarring in the quiet night.

"I'm your sister! You've never treated me like this before, and certainly not for some outsider!" she shrieked hysterically.

Tommaso wearily rubbed his temples. He looked older than usual. "Gelsomina, you almost killed her."

"So what?" Gelsomina's voice grew even sharper. "She shouldn't even exist! This house only needs the two of us!"

I watched this familiar scene quietly, just as I had countless times over the past five years. Tommaso would always choose to soothe her, then apologize to me. The cycle repeated endlessly.

Sure enough, he walked toward Gelsomina, his voice softening. "Come now, don't cry. I'm not punishing you..."

"I don't want to hear excuses!" Gelsomina cut him off. "You're taking her side!"

Tommaso sighed helplessly and followed her out of the room. "Gelsomina, wait. Let's talk about this."

Their voices faded down the hallway, leaving me alone in the empty room. I continued packing my last few personal belongings: only Marco's ring and a few photographs.

Just then, the sharp screech of brakes came from outside the estate. Then came a volley of gunfire.

I set down the jewelry box and hurried to the window. A rival family had surrounded the estate over a cargo dispute. Muzzle flashes lit up the night, but what happened next caught everyone off guard.

Gelsomina had somehow gotten hold of a red motorcycle and was preparing to burst through the estate gates. She revved the engine and charged straight toward the armed men.

The gunfire intensified. I watched her body jerk violently on the motorcycle before she crashed heavily into a pool of blood.

"Gelsomina!" Tommaso let out a heart-wrenching roar. Completely ignoring the enemies still shooting, he rushed out recklessly.

Bullets whizzed past him, but he paid them no mind. He simply scooped Gelsomina up from the blood.

"Get a doctor! Get a doctor now!" He carried her back toward the estate, his voice filled with a desperation I'd never heard before.

I immediately called Dr. Mancini. "Doctor, get to the estate immediately! Gelsomina's been shot!"

Tommaso laid Gelsomina on the living room couch. Her face was deathly pale, her breathing so faint it was barely audible.

"Tommaso..." she called out to him weakly. "It hurts... it hurts so much..."

"You'll be fine. Dr. Mancini's on his way," Tommaso said, gripping her hand tightly. "You'll be okay. I promise."

After an emergency examination, Dr. Mancini's expression turned grave as he uttered quickly, "She's lost too much blood. At least 1,500 milliliters."

"She has Rh-negative blood. We need to find a matching donor immediately."

"Use mine!" Tommaso didn't hesitate, rolling up his sleeve. "I'm Rh-negative too."

"Don Volpe, your blood type matches, but she's lost so much blood. She needs a massive transfusion." Dr. Mancini looked at him with concern. "This will put a severe strain on your body."

"I don't care!" Tommaso cut him off, his tone absolute. "Save her! Use all my blood if you have to!"

The doctor began preparing the transfusion equipment. Tommaso lay on a makeshift bed beside Gelsomina. An hour passed, and Gelsomina's color improved slightly, but Tommaso had grown so weak he could barely speak.

"Don Volpe, you've already given a lot of blood." Dr. Mancini tried to dissuade him. "If this continues, you'll go into shock."

"Keep going!" Tommaso said weakly but firmly. "She's not completely stable yet."

Another half an hour passed, and Tommaso's body began trembling uncontrollably. His lips had turned white, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

"Tommaso, that's enough." I walked over to him. "You'll die."

He looked at me, equal parts of pain and pleading swirling in his eyes. "I can't lose her," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "She's my only family..."

Dr. Mancini checked Gelsomina's vital signs again and finally breathed a sigh of relief. "She's stable for now, but Don Volpe, you must stop the transfusion immediately."

Tommaso wanted to insist, but his body had reached its limit. His voice was troubled with worry as he murmured, "Gelsomina…"

Finally, his body swayed. He couldn't hold on any longer and lost consciousness.

Chapter 8

Over the next few days, I became the only person in this house who was not bedridden. Tommaso and Gelsomina both lay in the hospital, and I had to take care of them both.

When Gelsomina woke up, she deliberately knocked over the blood bag on her bedside table. Bright red liquid spilled across the floor. She complained, "I don't want this dirty blood!"

"This is Tommaso's blood." I knelt down and began cleaning it up, ignoring her tantrum. "What you just wasted is the life he nearly gave up to save you."

She froze for a moment, but quickly reverted to her usual self. "So what? He's willing to do anything for me!"

Around 2:00 am, she started cooking up new demands. She ordered, "I want to eat the best deep-dish pizza! Right now!"

It was as obvious as day that she was deliberately making things difficult for me. I looked at the storm raging outside, then at the time. "Every restaurant is closed right now."

"I don't care! Tommaso, make her go buy it!" She turned to the weakened Tommaso, pleading.

The latter could only look at me helplessly, his voice hoarse. "Per favore, Alessia."

I put on my coat and drove across the entire city, finally finding pizza at a small 24-hour store. By the time I returned, it was already past 3:00 am. I was soaked through, but Gelsomina only glanced at it before wrinkling her nose.

"This isn't from my favorite place! I want the authentic kind!" She threw the pizza box on the floor and continued ordering me around. "Go buy it again!"

This torment continued for an entire week, with new demands, new difficulties, and new unreasonable tantrums every day.

After Tommaso recovered, he seemed to want to make up for my hardships. He took me to private art galleries and the opera house, doing all the cultured things we'd never done in our five-year marriage. We were like a real married couple enjoying ourselves.

"Alessia, I think we..." He wanted to say something, but his phone rang and interrupted him. News of these "dates" quickly reached Gelsomina's ears.

The next day, I was reading in the garden, enjoying a rare moment of peace.

"Alessia, you're going to pay for this."

Gelsomina appeared behind me, holding a handkerchief soaked in ether. Before I could react, she clamped it over my nose and mouth. The chemical scent flooded my nostrils. My consciousness faded into darkness.

When I woke up again, I found myself bound to the top of a shipping container at an abandoned dock, my mouth completely gagged. The icy wind whipped past my body, which swayed in the air high above the dark water below.

Not far away, Gelsomina was tied to another container. She looked disheveled, tears streaming down her face as she stared down below. It seemed she'd staged this entire scene, just waiting for Tommaso to make his choice.

The supposed kidnappers shouted at Tommaso, "You can only save one! Choose!"

I looked down. Tommaso stood on the dock, his face deathly pale.

"You can only choose one!" the kidnapper continued. "The other will be dropped into the lake!"

Tommaso's hands trembled. He looked between us, his worried gaze flitting back and forth. But he only hesitated for three seconds.

"Save Gelsomina!" he shouted without further hesitation. His voice echoed across the night sky.

The container I was on began descending. The icy lake water drew closer and closer until it swallowed me. Darkness and coldness were my only companions.

Some divers quickly pulled me out. I lay on the dock coughing violently, the lake water pouring from my lungs.

Tommaso knelt beside me, his face ashen. "Mi dispiace, mi dispiace... I thought she would actually die..."

I pushed his hand away and struggled to sit up.

"I'm going back," I spat, my voice hoarse. "Today is the last day."

"Alessia, I can compensate you! Diamonds, properties..."

"Right now, I only want you to do one thing." I looked at him, my gaze cold and void of emotion.

"What?"

"Go be with her."

Back at the estate, I immediately pulled out the IV, ignoring the doctor's protests. Then, I called Aldo, the family lawyer. "Initiate the final procedures immediately."

I placed the marriage dissolution agreement, the family ring, and the safe key on Tommaso's desk. The ring gleamed coldly under the light, as if it were the tombstone for our five-year marriage.

I would leave for another city to search for the young man who looked so much like Marco. As I stood at the estate gates, I turned to take one last look at the house.

"Addio, Tommaso."