He Abandoned His Mafia Wife, Then Begged Her to Return

Valentinas POV

Ive agreed to marry Dante De Luca.

The words tasted like ice on my tongue.

My father, Vittorio Aethon, froze at the edge of the war table, one hand resting beside a spread of territory maps and coded ledgers. The smell of cigar smoke and burning cedar lingered in the private council room of the Aethon estate. He slowly lifted his head, disbelief hardening his features.

You cant be serious, he finally said.

But I was. I had never been more serious in my life.

Dante De Luca was the heir to the De Luca crime family, one of the most powerful Mafia syndicates in the country. His name alone was enough to make lesser families lower their guns. He was feared for his ruthlessness, respected for his intelligence, and once considered untouchable.

Until he was poisoned.

Three months ago, during a meeting with a rival family, someone slipped shadowroot into his whiskey. The poison attacked his nervous system within minutes. Dante collapsed before his men could identify the traitor, and he had remained unconscious ever since.

Doctors had tried everything. Specialists had flown in from overseas, but none could wake him. Machines kept his body alive while his empire waited for its heir to open his eyes.

No woman wanted to marry a man who might spend the rest of his life lying unconscious.

But I volunteered.

And I had my reasons.

The De Alexander have been demanding the marriage ceremony, I reminded my father. Youre the head of this family. You know they wont wait forever.

They wanted Vina, he said stiffly.

Im aware. I kept my voice cold. But Vina cant bear the idea of becoming the wife of a poisoned man. So Im offering myself as a substitute.

He exhaled slowly. Then, like the calculating Mafia boss he was, his shoulders began to relax.

This could work. It settles the alliance, secures our northern territory, and prevents the De Alexander from turning against us. Ill start making arrangements immediately. Well need

I want payment.

He stopped.

What?

Youre offering me as a replacement. That isnt love. Its business. I stepped closer, meeting his eyes without flinching. So if Im going to marry a man who may never wake up just to protect your favorite illegitimate daughter, I want compensation.

His brow furrowed. Valentina, dont be dramatic.

I want half the family fortune.

His expression changed instantly.

Half?

Half of the Aethon treasury, including your personal vault.

That would drain me dry.

Good.

For several seconds, he stared at me as though he had never truly seen me before. Perhaps he was finally noticing the daughter he had spent years keeping in the shadow of his shame.

And one more thing. I turned toward the door. I want you to reassign Alexander.

He blinked. What?

My personal bodyguard. Give him to Vina. He can protect her from now on.

Youre giving up Alexander? he asked, genuinely stunned. You once told me you loved that man.

I did.

I placed my hand on the door.

Not anymore.

He said nothing as I walked away.

I knew he would agree. He always gave Vina everything. Surely, he could give me this one thing.

**

My mother died of heartbreak after discovering that my father had secretly maintained another family behind her back. The betrayal destroyed her long before it killed her, and I had been there when she finally lost the will to live.

Since then, I had hated him.

I hated the other woman.

Most of all, I hated Vina, the illegitimate daughter who had taken everything that should have belonged to me.

Perhaps that was why I had grown to love Alexander.

He was the only person who had ever made me feel safe.

Three years ago, I had chosen him from a lineup of the family's most elite bodyguards. He was quiet, disciplined, and impossibly handsome, with the kind of presence that made armed men instinctively step aside.

I had spent years trying to win him over.

I flirted with him shamelessly, dressed to catch his attention, and invented ridiculous excuses just to keep him near me. I once pretended to stumble near a cliff, only to have him catch me without even changing his expression.

He never touched me.

He never gave in.

I had mistaken his restraint for honor.

It turned out to be disinterest.

I learned the truth the night I returned home after making the deal with my father.

As I passed the guest wing, I noticed light beneath Alexander's door. Voices drifted through the narrow opening, followed by a woman's soft laugh.

I stopped.

It was Vina.

My chest tightened as I heard Alexander speaking to her in a voice I had never heard him use with mewarm, intimate, completely unguarded.

I didn't need to see anything more.

The woman I hated was in his room, and the man I had loved was looking at her the way I had spent three years praying he would look at me.

Then his phone rang.

Alexander answered immediately.

Everything is going according to plan, he said.

I remained frozen outside the door.

I've been pretending to be Valentina's bodyguard for three years. You think I'm going to abandon the plan now?

My blood turned cold.

He continued, his voice calm.

She trusts me completely. That's what makes her useful. As long as she remains convinced I'm protecting her, nobody will suspect that my real purpose here is Vina.

My fingers curled around the edge of the door.

Valentina doesn't know anything about my identity. She thinks I'm just another Aethon bodyguard.

A pause followed.

Then he laughed softly.

She was never the one I wanted.

The words struck harder than any bullet.

I finally understood.

Alexander wasn't an ordinary bodyguard.

He was the hidden heir of the Laurent family, a syndicate so powerful that even the Aethons avoided provoking them. He had infiltrated my father's organization under a false identity, all to get close to Vina.

And I had spent three years believing he was mine.

I should have walked away.

Instead, I pushed the door open.

Alexander turned toward me, and for the first time since I had met him, I watched the color drain from his face.

Our eyes met.

Whatever shock appeared in his expression came too late.

I heard everything, I said quietly.

For the first time, the man who had never looked frightened in front of a gun looked at me as though he had finally realized what he had lost.

But I was already done being the woman who begged to be chosen.

I had agreed to marry a poisoned Mafia heir.

And by tomorrow, I would disappear from Alexander's world forever.

Valentinas POV

I stood there staring at him after forcing my way into the room, my heart pounding as I took in what I had interrupted. In one hand, he still held the photograph of Vina as though it were something precious. His other hand was quickly adjusting his trousers, but what shocked me most was the complete lack of embarrassment on his face.

He simply tucked the photograph into his pocket, straightened his shirt, and looked at me with the same impassive expression he wore whenever he stood guard outside my door.

As if I hadnt just caught him thinking about her.

I should have slapped him. Instead, I smiled.

Need any help?

My voice was sweet enough to hide the venom underneath.

His expression remained unchanged. No need, Miss Aethon. This is a private matter.

Of course it was.

He still called me Miss Aethon, even after three years under the same roof. I had once believed that distance was part of his professionalism. Now I understood that it was because his loyalty had never belonged to me.

Vina had only needed to smile, and the man who had guarded me through countless threats became someone else entirely.

I turned and walked away before he could see how badly it hurt.

I was finished chasing his attention. If Vina wanted to play the innocent daughter while everyone else protected her, then let her.

I would stop trying to be chosen.

**

What are you doing here?

I glanced back at Alexander and smiled. Nothing. I just wanted you to accompany me to the fashion gala tomorrow.

He looked uninterested until I casually added, Vina will be there.

His reaction was barely noticeable, but I caught it. His eyes sharpened, and something in his expression softened.

That was all the answer I needed.

The following evening, he waited at the foot of the stairs in a tailored black suit, a silver tie pin bearing the Aethon family crest fixed neatly against his collar. He looked every bit the disciplined bodyguard he had pretended to be for years.

For the first time, I walked past him without saying a word.

His expression shifted slightly.

I noticed.

I always noticed him.

The drive to the Limited Edition Fashion Gala was silent. Outside the tinted windows, the city glittered beneath a web of neon signs, luxury cars, and private security checkpoints. Inside, I kept my gaze fixed ahead, refusing to acknowledge the man sitting beside me.

Tonight, I wasn't attending as some forgotten daughter of the Aethon family.

I was Valentina Aethon, heiress to one of the city's oldest criminal empires and the future wife of Dante De Luca, heir to the De Luca syndicate.

Dante might still be lying unconscious in a private medical suite, but our marriage had already been negotiated between two powerful families. Once the ceremony took place, I would become the woman standing beside the next head of the De Luca organization.

Whether he woke or not, I would carry that name with pride.

The moment I entered the gala, conversations quieted around me. Cameras flashed, and whispers followed as people recognized the Aethon heir.

Then she arrived.

Vina.

She wore a gown of midnight blue silk that hugged her figure before falling into a silver train, her red lips curved into the same innocent smile she had perfected since childhood.

Sister, she greeted sweetly.

I turned toward her.

Don't call me that.

Her smile faltered for half a second before returning.

Alexander, standing behind me, stiffened. I didn't need to look at him to know where his attention had gone. When Vina glanced his way, his expression softened almost imperceptibly.

Again.

Always her.

I turned toward the designer's display before I could let the bitterness show.

Then I saw it.

A breathtaking midnight-blue gown embroidered with silver thread and scattered crystals, the design elegant enough for a woman entering one of the country's most powerful Mafia families.

I'll take that one, I said.

The designer smiled. It's one of a kind. Several guests have already offered an extraordinary price.

Then I'll offer twice that.

Before she could answer, Vina reached for the sleeve.

Oh, I like this one too.

I already claimed it.

She looked at me with practiced innocence. I'm sure the designer won't mind a little competition.

Before I could respond, a tall man in a charcoal suit approached the display. His expression was composed, but the armed men discreetly positioned around the room made it obvious that he wasn't an ordinary guest.

He glanced at Alexander before addressing the designer.

I'll take the dress.

The designer hesitated. And you are?

Matteo. The Laurent family's underboss.

The room immediately fell silent.

Our boss instructed me that anything Miss Vina wants tonight is to be purchased for her, regardless of the price.

Whispers erupted around us.

The Laurent family?

Why would they spend that much on Vina?

Does their boss know her?

Vina widened her eyes innocently. I've never even met him.

Then she turned toward me.

Valentina, are you still going to fight me over a dress? I wouldn't want you to spend beyond your means.

My fingers tightened around my clutch.

Alexander didn't even glance at me.

His attention remained on Vina.

Of course it did.

One dress became two. Then came the jewelry, the handbags, the watches, and finally a diamond necklace that cost more than most families earned in a lifetime.

Every time Vina admired something, Matteo purchased it without hesitation.

Eventually, I couldn't help myself.

Does your boss intend to buy the entire gala for her?

Matteo looked at me calmly.

Our boss only cares about Miss Vina's happiness. The rest of you are irrelevant.

The words struck deeper than I expected.

I looked toward Alexander.

He was smiling at Vina.

I had spent three years trying to earn that smile.

She received it without asking.

By the end of the evening, Vina was surrounded by designers, socialites, and wealthy heirs, enjoying every second of the attention.

I quietly slipped away.

I needed somewhere dark enough that nobody would recognize the cracks beneath my composure.

Bloodmoon Club, I told the driver when I reached the car. Take me there.

I had barely closed the door when Vina appeared.

Sister, I'm bored. Can I come with you?

Before I could answer, she climbed inside.

Alexander opened the other door and settled beside her.

Drive.

I stared out the window, silently cursing him.

On the way to the club, Vina chattered about the Laurent boss.

Isn't it strange? I've never even met him, but he's already buying me everything I want. They say he's incredibly handsome, too.

Alexander chuckled.

Maybe he likes you.

Vina's cheeks turned pink. Do you think so?

I'd say you're special.

My jaw tightened.

After a moment, Vina glanced at him.

Alexander, do you like me too?

He hesitated.

I didn't give him the chance to answer.

If you two want to flirt, get out of my car.

Vina immediately lowered her eyes.

Sorry, Sister.

I turned toward the window.

In the reflection, I saw Alexander watching her with a softness I had never received.

Then his gaze shifted toward me.

Whatever warmth had been there disappeared.

His eyes became cold, distant, almost contemptuous.

I smiled bitterly at my reflection.

Perhaps this was what men wanted after all.

Sweet smiles. Soft voices. Fragile tears.

Not a woman who knew how to survive in a world ruled by guns, blood, and family names.

Not someone like me.

Valentinas POV

The Bloodmoon Club pulsed with music, cigarette smoke, and the restless energy of people who had too much money and too little fear. Red lights swept across the crowded floor, catching on diamond watches, gold chains, and the concealed weapons beneath expensive jackets. In this city, the club was neutral territory for the children of powerful crime families, which meant everyone smiled while keeping one hand close to a gun.

My heart felt heavier with every beat, and no amount of burning whiskey could silence the bitterness clawing through me.

Then I saw them.

Alexander stood in the VIP booth beside Vina, his tall frame rigid in that black suit he wore whenever he was assigned to protect me. She leaned toward him, whispering something against his ear before lightly touching his jaw.

And I saw it.

The man who had remained expressionless through gunfights and assassination attempts actually blushed.

My fingers tightened around my glass until it cracked.

I finished my drink, ignored the sting of the broken glass against my palm, and walked onto the dance floor. My red dress drew attention almost immediately, and within minutes, several young heirs from wealthy families had gathered around me, emboldened by expensive liquor and the protection of their surnames.

One of them reached for my waist.

Back off.

He laughed and stepped closer.

I shoved his hand away, but another man blocked my path. Don't be so difficult, sweetheart. We're only trying to keep you company.

My patience had already been exhausted.

Alexander!

My voice cut through the music.

He appeared almost instantly.

The men around me recognized him before he even reached us. Whatever amusement had been on their faces disappeared when they noticed the gun holstered beneath his jacket and the cold expression in his eyes.

Leave, Alexander ordered.

Nobody argued.

They scattered across the dance floor, suddenly remembering that provoking an Aethon heir's bodyguard was a poor way to spend an evening.

I glared at him.

Oh, so you do remember you're supposed to protect me.

His jaw tightened. I didn't see what happened.

No, you didn't want to. I stepped closer, the smell of whiskey still burning my throat. You were too busy entertaining your real assignment.

His eyes darkened. You've had too much to drink.

Maybe that's for the best.

Before he could answer, a gunshot shattered the music.

The lights went out.

For one terrible second, the entire club froze.

Then the screaming began.

Men reached beneath their jackets. Women dropped behind tables. Security guards drew their weapons as bullets tore through the ceiling and shattered the champagne displays.

Someone had violated the club's neutrality.

A rival syndicate had come armed.

Alexander immediately reached for his gun, but when another shot rang out, his first instinct wasn't to find me.

He ran toward Vina.

Again.

I barely had time to register the betrayal before someone grabbed me from behind.

I drove my elbow into his ribs and twisted free, but the attacker was faster. He caught my shoulder and slammed me against a table. I struck his face with the butt of a fallen gun, drawing blood, only for him to retaliate by driving a blade into my shoulder.

Pain exploded through me.

I stumbled backward, clutching the wound as blood soaked through my dress. Around me, the club had become a battlefield. Men were firing from behind overturned tables while bodyguards dragged their employers toward the exits.

Through the chaos, I found Alexander.

He was standing in front of Vina, firing at the attackers while shielding her with his body.

He didn't even look for me.

My vision blurred.

I tried to reach the exit, but my legs gave out beneath me.

The last thing I saw before darkness swallowed me was Alexander pulling Vina safely into his arms.

**

When I woke, the first thing I smelled was antiseptic.

The second was blood.

My shoulder throbbed beneath layers of bandages, and a monitor beside my bed beeped steadily in the otherwise quiet recovery room.

I was alive.

According to the doctor, the knife had been coated with a powerful synthetic toxin commonly used by assassins to incapacitate their targets. A slightly higher dose would have stopped my heart before anyone could save me.

I stared at the ceiling, wondering why surviving felt worse than dying.

Then I heard voices beyond the glass wall.

Vina was crying.

Alexander held her in his arms.

I shouldn't have gone to the club, she whispered. It's my fault Valentina was hurt.

No, Alexander said softly. You didn't know. I should have protected you both.

She lifted her tearful face toward him.

Then why did you protect me instead of her?

Alexander fell silent.

My fingers curled into the sheets.

Finally, he whispered, Because I

A vase beside my bed slipped from the table and crashed onto the floor.

Alexander immediately turned toward me.

Vina rushed inside.

Valentina! she cried. You're awake. Thank God, I was so worried

Save it.

She froze.

With you standing here, I'm not sure whether the hospital is helping me or making things worse.

Her expression crumbled. She lowered her head and hurried from the room, sobbing.

Alexander remained.

I didn't have time

You had time to save her.

His face tightened.

You always have time for her.

He said nothing.

That silence told me everything.

**

On the day I was discharged, I summoned Alexander to my father's study.

My shoulder was still heavily bandaged, and every movement reminded me of the night he had chosen her.

He stood before my father's desk, expression unreadable.

Kneel.

His eyes flickered.

Then he obeyed.

The man who had once walked through gunfire without hesitation lowered himself onto one knee before me.

You failed your duty as my assigned protector, I said. You know what our family's security contracts say about abandoning your principal during an attack. Ordinarily, you'd be dismissed, stripped of your position, and handed over to my father's men.

Alexander remained silent.

But I won't kill you.

His gaze lifted.

I'll give you a punishment instead.

He nodded.

I'll take it, he said quietly. If that's what you want.

I stared at him.

He was willing to surrender his pride without argument.

Not for me.

For her.

Before I could respond, the study doors burst open.

Stop!

Vina rushed inside and threw herself between us.

Punish me instead! Alexander didn't do anything wrong!

Move, Vina.

No.

Alexander reached for her arm. Vina, get out of here.

She shook her head.

She hates me because of you. If someone needs to be punished, punish me.

Something inside me snapped.

Move!

She still refused.

My hand moved before I could stop it.

My nails scraped across her forearm, tearing through the delicate sleeve of her dress.

Blood appeared instantly.

Vina screamed.

Alexander caught her before she fell.

He stared at the blood running down her arm, then slowly looked at me.

I had seen Alexander furious before.

I had seen him point a gun at men who threatened my family.

But I had never seen hatred in his eyes.

Until then.

His expression was colder than a loaded gun.

Without saying a word, he lifted Vina into his arms and carried her out of the study.

He didn't look back.

The door slammed behind them.

I stood alone in the silence, staring at the blood on my hand.

The sting in my palm was nothing compared to the wound opening inside my chest.

For years, I had wanted Alexander to choose me.

Now that he finally had a choice to make, I realized I had never stood a chance.

Valentinas POV

Three days had passed since Vina took the punishment meant for Alexanderthe punishment I had delivered myself. Yet somehow, she had turned the entire incident to her advantage, leaving me looking like the villain while Alexander stood at her side.

Something else had been bothering me.

The wound on my shoulder should have taken weeks to heal, especially after being cut with a blade coated in the same poison used by the city's most notorious assassins. Instead, the deep gash had closed within days, leaving barely a scar.

I told no one.

Not my father, not the family's doctors, and certainly not Alexander. Something was wrong with me, and I had no intention of letting anyone in the Aethon family know until I understood what it was.

So I drove to the old Saint Aurelia Monastery, a secluded sanctuary once used by the city's wealthiest families when they needed discreet medical treatment or spiritual counsel. The monastery stood behind towering stone walls, far from the cameras and gunmen that surrounded the city.

As I stepped out of my car, an elderly woman appeared near the gates. She wore a long gray cloak, and there was something unsettling about the way she watched me.

Child, she called.

I stopped.

Beware. You have been noticed by people who do not forgive.

I frowned. Who are you?

She reached for my hand, her fingers surprisingly cold.

You carry something they want. The moment they tasted your blood, they knew.

I instinctively pulled away.

What are you talking about?

Her eyes seemed to look straight through me.

Danger follows your family, Valentina Aethon. When the shadows come for you, remember that not every enemy will carry a gun.

Before I could ask another question, she disappeared through the trees.

Uneasy, I turned toward the monastery.

I never reached the door.

Something struck the back of my head, and the world disappeared.

**

When I woke, my wrists were bound tightly behind a metal chair. A strip of cloth covered my eyes, while the smell of blood, sweat, and gasoline filled the room.

Pain burned through my body.

Someone had been cutting me.

Again and again.

By the time I lost count, I could barely keep my head upright.

You shouldn't have punished her, a man's voice said somewhere behind me. His voice was rough, almost amused. She's valuable. You offended the wrong family.

I swallowed blood.

Who... are you?

He ignored the question and pulled out his phone.

She won't last much longer, he said.

Then I heard the voice on the other end.

Leave her.

My entire body went cold.

Alexander.

I knew that voice anywhere.

He had ordered them to stop.

The man cut the call and left me there, bleeding on the concrete floor.

The same man who had sworn to protect my life had just decided that my life wasn't worth saving.

Hours later, they dumped me beside a deserted road.

I barely managed to crawl far enough to flag down a taxi. The driver nearly sped away when he saw the blood covering my clothes, but I forced the door open.

Hospital, I rasped.

He stared at me in horror.

Now.

**

At the hospital, I lay beneath harsh fluorescent lights while nurses rushed around me. The antiseptic smell made my stomach churn, but what caught my attention were two nurses whispering near the station.

Did you see the man who brought that girl in?

The handsome one?

He stayed beside another woman the entire time. He even held her hand.

And the injured girl?

Poor thing looked like she had been tortured.

I ripped the IV from my arm.

I already knew.

I stumbled into the corridor and saw Alexander.

And Vina.

He was holding her hand, speaking quietly while she cried against his shoulder.

I didn't let either of them see me.

I turned around and walked out of the hospital.

Whatever was left of my heart went with me.

**

The following day, Alexander came to my house.

He stood outside my bedroom for several minutes before finally entering. His expression was difficult to read, but there was something that looked suspiciously like guilt in his eyes.

I said nothing.

I didn't ask why he had abandoned me.

I didn't slap him.

I didn't even demand an explanation.

Before he could speak, my phone rang.

My father's name appeared on the screen.

You're attending the art banquet tonight, Vittorio ordered.

I won't.

Vina's exhibition is being attended by every major family in the city. You will be there.

I closed my eyes.

Art had once been the only thing that belonged to me.

Until Vina stole that too.

We had both studied painting years ago. She had taken one of my pieces, presented it as her own, then accused me of copying her when I confronted her. My father believed her. Everyone did.

I had never picked up a brush again.

You will attend, my father repeated.

Before I could argue, Alexander stepped closer.

It's Vina's exhibition, he said quietly. Just go. For me.

I looked at him.

For her, you mean.

Still, I agreed.

It would be the last time.

**

The Luna Gallery glittered beneath crystal chandeliers and polished marble, filled with politicians, businessmen, heirs, and representatives of the city's most powerful families.

Vina stood in the center of it all, dressed in white and surrounded by admirers.

I stayed near the back in a deep crimson dress.

Then I saw the paintings.

My breath stopped.

Every piece displayed across the gallery was mine.

Not copies.

Mine.

I knew every brushstroke, every deliberate imperfection, every color I had mixed by hand. Those paintings had been stored in the attic of our old family estate.

Vina had stolen them.

She was standing beneath my work, accepting praise for something she had never created.

My hands curled into fists.

Then the gallery doors opened.

A procession of men entered carrying designer gowns, jewelry cases, rare handbags, and boxes of imported art supplies.

Alexander's associate placed everything before Vina.

These are from the Laurent family, he announced. Their boss instructed us to provide Miss Vina with whatever she desires.

Whispers swept through the room.

The Laurent family was one of the most feared criminal organizations in the country. Their boss never appeared in public, but his influence reached into every major port, casino, and weapons route in the city.

And apparently, he wanted Vina.

I walked outside before anyone could see what was happening to my face.

Vina followed.

Still breathing? she asked softly.

I turned.

She smiled.

It's a shame your mother isn't here to see this.

My blood ran cold.

Vina

She suddenly poured wine over herself and screamed.

Valentina! Why would you do that?

The gallery doors flew open.

Alexander appeared.

He looked at me as though I had committed some unforgivable crime.

Enough!

Something inside me finally broke.

I picked up my own glass and threw the wine directly into Vina's face.

This one was actually me, I said coldly. That's for mocking my mother, you lying parasite.

Gasps erupted behind us.

I walked away.

Alexander caught my arm.

Why do you always attack her?

I ripped myself free.

You want to know why? She destroyed my family, framed me, stole my paintings, and now she's taking you from me while you stand there pretending not to notice.

His expression hardened.

You're lying.

I laughed bitterly.

Of course you believe her.

I stepped away.

Take your space, Alexander. I'm finished giving you chances.

**

Later that night, I watched from the back seat of a taxi as Alexander drove away from the gallery with Vina beside him.

Follow them.

The driver hesitated.

Miss

Just follow them.

They eventually stopped outside an abandoned botanical conservatory overlooking the river.

I watched from the darkness as they entered.

Through the glass, Vina stepped close to Alexander.

Then she pressed her lips against his neck.

It wasn't affectionate.

It was possessive.

Alexander didn't push her away. Instead, he tilted his head, allowing her to leave a deliberate mark against his skin.

My chest tightened.

Vina stepped back, smiling.

Alexander touched the wound at his neck and looked at her with an expression filled with devotion.

Im yours, he whispered.

I sat frozen in the taxi, watching the man I had loved give himself willingly to the woman who had stolen everything from me.

And for the first time, I felt nothing.

No jealousy.

No anger.

Only the cold certainty that whatever happened next, Valentina Aethon was no longer going to play by their rules.

Third Persons POV

The mark on Alexanders neck was still faintly red when Vina climbed into the waiting limousine, wearing the satisfied smile of a woman who believed she had just secured something valuable.

From the shadow of a stone pillar near the garden, I watched Alexander remain behind for a moment before a man in a charcoal suit approached him. Cyrus, his most trusted lieutenant, looked furious.

You let her mark you, and you didn't stop her? Cyrus demanded, keeping his voice low. She's not your wife, Alexander. She's not even supposed to know who you really are.

Alexander adjusted his cuff without the slightest sign of regret. It made her happy.

Cyrus stared at him in disbelief. You're the head of the Laurent syndicate. Half the city is terrified of you, yet you're allowing that woman to treat you like some lovesick fool.

I don't care what she calls me.

You'd hand her the keys to your entire empire if she asked.

Alexander said nothing.

I had heard enough.

I walked away before either man noticed me, carrying the ache in my chest with the same stubborn silence I had maintained since the night I learned the truth about him.

By the time I returned to the Aethon estate, I had already made my decision.

**

Several hours later, while the city slept, Alexander was deep in the mountains beyond Laurent territory.

Vina had mentioned wanting a rare red diamond known as the Crimson Lotus during the exhibition, calling it the most beautiful stone she had ever seen. The diamond had once belonged to Laurent's founding family and had been locked inside an underground vault after a bloody succession war decades ago.

Cyrus had objected the moment Alexander announced that he intended to retrieve it.

That diamond belongs to the family, he argued. The vault hasn't been opened in forty years. There are armed security teams stationed around it, and the old tunnels are rigged with traps. You're risking your life for a woman who doesn't even know you're the man she's been asking for.

Alexander fastened his holster.

She wants it.

That isn't a reason.

It is for me.

Cyrus swore under his breath. You're the most feared man in this city, and you're throwing away your judgment because she smiled at you.

Alexander looked toward the mountains.

I'll bring it to her.

And he did.

By dawn, he returned to Laurent territory with blood on his shirt, a deep cut along his ribs, and the Crimson Lotus secured inside a black velvet case.

He had nearly bled to death retrieving a diamond for a woman who didn't even know his real name.

**

That evening, I opened the front door of my house to find Alexander standing outside.

He looked exhausted. His expensive suit was torn at the shoulder, his knuckles were bruised, and dried blood stained the side of his face. Whatever had happened, it hadn't been a simple business trip.

There was an incident, he said when he noticed me staring.

A rival attack?

He nodded.

I'll be away for a few days. Maybe a week. I need time to recover.

I stepped aside.

Take all the time you need.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

You're not going to ask what happened?

A faint smile touched my lips.

No. I won't need protection where I'm going.

Something flickered across his face, but he didn't understand.

Good.

He walked toward his room, probably assuming he would return to find me waiting.

He wouldn't.

**

The next afternoon, I met my closest friends at a private room in one of Bloodmoon Club's upper floors. The room was normally reserved for senior members of the city's major families, and the armed guards outside ensured that nobody could interrupt us.

They thought it was a celebration.

Only I knew it was goodbye.

To Valentina, Lindsay announced, lifting her champagne glass. May her marriage to Dante De Luca be peaceful, and may the sleeping heir actually wake up long enough to discover what a beautiful wife he has.

Everyone laughed.

I smiled with them.

Lindsay leaned closer after the toast.

This isn't fair, Becca. Your father is practically trading you to the De Alexander to secure territory, while Vina gets everything she wants.

It won't matter soon.

Her smile faded.

You're still going to visit us, right?

I lifted my glass.

Of course.

The lie tasted worse than the champagne.

**

That night, I returned to the Aethon estate for the last time.

The house had never felt like home. It was merely a grand building filled with expensive furniture, family portraits, and memories I had spent years trying to forget.

I was almost at my father's study when I heard Vina laughing from the adjoining lounge.

He actually let me mark him, she said, her voice thick with wine. Can you believe it? That man practically belongs to me now.

Someone laughed.

He must be completely obsessed with you.

Please. Alexander is useful, that's all. When I want him, I call him. When I don't, he stays out of my way.

I stopped outside the door.

Then someone asked, But what about your marriage to Dante?

Vina laughed.

Why would I want that unconscious man when I could have the Laurent boss? He's richer, more powerful, and apparently willing to give me anything I ask for.

My fingers tightened around my purse.

He even sent me the Crimson Lotus.

I almost laughed.

She had no idea.

The ruthless Laurent boss she dreamed of was the same man she treated like a disposable bodyguard.

Alexander.

My loyal, foolish Alexander.

He had risked his life to retrieve a diamond for a woman who considered him nothing more than a convenient toy.

For once, I felt no jealousy.

Only pity.

I turned away from the room and left the estate without seeing my father.

There was nothing left to say.

**

I went to the cemetery.

My mother's grave stood beneath an old yew tree, far from the family mausoleum where my father's name had already been carved beside hers.

I placed a white rose against the marble.

I won't become you, Mom.

The words came out quietly.

You spent your entire life waiting for someone who had already chosen another woman. I won't make the same mistake.

I stayed there until dawn.

Then my phone received a message from my father's private banker.

The transfer had been completed.

Half of the Aethon fortune.

The price of my silence and my agreement to marry Dante De Luca.

I accepted it without hesitation.

By sunrise, I had signed the documents severing my financial and legal ties to the Aethon family.

My father.

Vina.

Alexander.

All of them.

**

The following morning, while packing the last of my belongings, I found Alexander waiting outside.

I handed him a small box.

Give this to Vina.

He stared at it suspiciously.

What is it?

My old art supplies.

His brow furrowed.

She always wanted them.

A faint smile crossed my lips.

She wants everything else that belongs to me. She might as well have those too.

He tightened his grip around the box.

What about you?

I'll be fine.

His eyes searched my face.

Where are you going?

Somewhere else.

Give me the address. I'll come after I deliver this to Vina.

I looked at him for a long moment.

I'll tell you later.

He nodded, still confused.

There'll be time.

There wouldn't.

Once he left, I climbed into the waiting car.

I removed my SIM card, snapped it in half, and dropped the pieces onto the road as we drove away from the estate.

The wind scattered them across the pavement.

By the time Alexander returned with the box in his hands, the house was empty.

And for the first time in my life, I didn't care whether he came looking for me.

I was already gone.