Kneel, Mafia Boss, Your Wife Is Gone

For five years, I played the spoiled wife of Ricci Santiago. The mafia boss of BlackSword Organization.

No one knew I was actually the most feared mafia heiress in Naples. I hid my identity because Ricci liked obedient women. He wanted a wife who stayed at home, smiled when he came back, and never asked too many questions.

So I hid everything.

And for five years, I truly loved him.

Then he fell for Valerie, one of BlackSword’s best assassins.

The first time I caught them together, I found Valerie in Ricci’s private bedroom, wrapped in his shirt, while Ricci stood beside the bed fastening his belt.

Ricci barely looked guilty.

“She has a fever,” he said calmly. “I'm just warming her up. Don't misunderstand.”

I believed him.

The second time happened during a mission.

I opened the safehouse door and found them naked beneath the same blanket, curled against each other.

“We were drugged,” Ricci said. “Neither of us knew what we were doing.”

I still believed him.

The third time was at my parents’ funeral.

That was when something inside me finally broke.

My parents had died unexpectedly, and I went to Naples alone to bring their ashes home. My twelve uncles held a private funeral for them, and every person there knew exactly who I was.

The eldest of my uncles placed my parents’ service pistols into my hands and said quietly, “From today onward, you’re not the little princess anymore. You’re the commander of this territory.”

I stared at the guns in my hands.

My parents were dead.

And my husband wasn’t there.

Not even once.

After the funeral, I called Ricci hundred ninety-nine times. He finally answered, sounding annoyed.

“Thalia, Valerie’s injured! She needed to go to the hospital. You called me hundred times because of a funeral? How many times do I have to tell you to grow up?”

I almost laughed.

Instead, I clenched my fingers around my phone.

“You’re my husband, Ricci. My parents died, and you couldn’t even show up. But you had time to take Valerie to the hospital?”

His voice hardened. “Don’t start this again.”

“Then what am I supposed to think? Every time I see you two, there’s another excuse. You’re always together, and then you tell me it’s nothing.”

“Because it is nothing!” he snapped. “We’re comrades. She’s one of BlackSword’s best assassins, and we’ve been through life-or-death situations together. You wouldn’t understand.”

I closed my eyes.

“You think I wouldn’t understand?”

“You’re a housewife, Thalia. You don’t know anything about this life. Just stop being so suspicious.”

I said nothing after that.

A few days later, I brought coffee to his company.

Before I could enter his office, I heard laughter from inside.

“Boss, your wife really is too pampered. She’s nothing like Valerie. Valerie can take care of herself.”

Someone laughed. “You should be careful, though. If Thalia finds out how clingy Valerie is, she might get angry.”

I stopped outside the door.

Then Ricci’s voice came through.

“Valerie’s a top assassin with her own career. She’s strong, capable, and independent. How could Thalia compare to her?” He laughed softly, “Thalia’s just a fucking parasitic vine. She can’t live without a man.”

A parasitic vine?

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Was this really the man I’d loved for five years?

I had hidden everything for him. I thought love meant putting down my weapons and letting myself be someone’s ordinary wife. But maybe I hadn’t put down my armor.

I’d thrown away my dignity.

I wiped my tears before they could fall, then took out my encrypted phone and called a number I’d buried for five years.

It was answered almost immediately.

“Huntress? Is that really you? You’ve finally decided to come home?”

My throat tightened. “Uncle…”

I looked down at my parents’ pistols.

“I’ll be home in three days.”

“That’s wonderful! I knew you wouldn’t waste your whole life playing house with that pretty boy. Your twelve uncles have been waiting for you. We’ll send a private jet.”

“Okay.”

After I hung up, I looked back at Ricci’s office.

My heart still hurt.

But the hesitation was gone.

He wanted an obedient wife. He’d soon find out what he really married.

…

After packing all my luggage, I went straight to one of my family's nightclubs.

It was one of the businesses under my family's name, although Ricci had no idea. To him, I was just his spoiled little wife who spent his money.

Tonight, I wanted to spend mine.

I picked out a dozen sharp-looking young men from the club and took them shopping with me. They followed quietly behind me, carrying whatever I pointed at.

For years, my wardrobe had barely changed. Aprons. Gray. Black. Pale white. Long skirts and loose dresses that made me look soft, harmless, and easy to control. That was the woman Ricci liked. Obedient. Weak. Dependent.

So I became her.

I loved him enough to pretend.

But now the game was over.

My parents were dead, my marriage was nothing but a joke, and I'd finally decided to stop hiding.

The sleeping heiress was awake.

I walked out of the fitting room wearing a tailored black heiress suit. My hair was tied into a high ponytail. The woman staring back at me in the mirror looked nothing like Ricci's quiet little wife.

She looked like someone people should be afraid of.

“Young Miss, this outfit looks like it was made for you,” one of the young men said with a grin. “Honestly, you look like you're about to take over half of Naples.”

I gave him a small smile. “Not half.”

He blinked. “All of it?”

I smiled a little wider. “Smart.”

The others immediately paid the bill.

This was who I used to be. This was who I'd buried for five years.

And now she was back.

I had barely stepped outside when my phone rang.

Ricci.

“Thalia, where the hell are you?! Why aren't you home cooking? I've been waiting, and I'm fucking hungry.”

I frowned. “You're home early today?”

“Don't change the subject. Get your ass home.”

I almost laughed.

He really hadn't noticed anything.

“Fine. I'll be home soon.”

When I returned, I walked straight into our bedroom, intending to take out the divorce papers I'd prepared earlier. Before I could reach them, the bedroom door clicked open.

Valerie walked out.

Half-dressed.

“Thalia, you...” Her eyes traveled over my clothes, and her expression immediately changed. “Why are you dressed like this? Are you deliberately copying me?!”

I looked at her for a moment, then laughed softly. “I'd copy you? I've been dressing like this long before you showed up, Valerie. If anyone's copying anyone, sweetheart, it's you.”

I didn't wait for her answer. I walked past her and sat on the sofa, then looked at her calmly. “Another question. Why did you walk out of my bedroom without asking me?”

Her face tightened.

Before she could answer, Ricci finally came out.

His expression changed the moment he saw me.

For one second, his eyes lingered on me... there was surprise there. Maybe even admiration.

Then it disappeared.

“What the fuck are you trying to pull now?” he asked coldly. “Trying to dress up like this just to get my attention?”

I crossed my legs. “Would it matter if I was?”

He scoffed. “Don't start your stupid games, Thalia. Valerie's right. This doesn't suit you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You're trying too hard.”

I looked at him quietly.

How could the man who once kissed my forehead every night look at me like I was a stranger?

Ricci glanced at Valerie, and his voice immediately softened. “The heating system in her unit broke, so she's staying here for a few days. Don't make a fucking scene about it.”

Then he grabbed a coat and gently placed it around Valerie's shoulders. “You're injured, so don't push yourself. I already approved your rest, remember. I'm your boss.”

Valerie smiled. “I know, but I'm joining the Underworld's annual Blood Crown Trials. I heard Naples's new successor is participating too. She's called Huntress, and apparently she's terrifying.”

Ricci smiled. “You're the youngest model assassin in the country, especially under my care. A Huntress doesn't scare you. You've got nothing to prove to anyone.”

Then he glanced at me. “Unlike Thalia, you actually have the skills to survive in our world. She can carry a heavy box, but that's about fucking all she's good for.”

Something inside me went completely still.

So that's what he thought of me.

I reached into my bag and pulled out the divorce papers, tossing them onto his chest.

Ricci caught them, frowning. “What the hell is this?”

I stood up. “My divorce papers.”

Ricci stared at the divorce papers, completely stunned for a few seconds. Then his sneer slowly returned.

“What the hell are you talking about? Divorce? Are you seriously joking right now?” He looked me up and down. “Or did changing your clothes suddenly make you think you’re somebody important? You think you can walk away from me and live just fine without me?”

Valerie gave a soft laugh beside him.

“Thalia, you can copy my clothes if you want, but you can’t copy what makes me who I am,” she said, “I’ve worked for everything I have. I went to a prestigious university, trained with BlackSword, and learned to survive with my own hands. That’s not something a sheltered housewife can learn overnight.”

My eyes dropped to her other hand resting around Ricci’s neck.

How ridiculous.

Ricci pulled her a little closer. “If you’re doing this because you suspect me and Valerie, then stop it. She’s one of my own, one of BlackSword’s best assassins, and someone I trust with my life. Don’t drag some filthy idea into something you don’t understand!”

I didn’t answer.

There wasn’t anything left to say.

A few minutes later, perhaps because I’d gone completely quiet, Ricci finally went into the kitchen and served the soup he made himself. He filled a large bowl for Valerie first, then carefully blew on it before handing it to her.

“Careful. It’s hot. Don’t burn yourself.”

Valerie smiled sweetly. “Thanks, Ricci. You’re always taking care of me. I love it.”

“I’m supposed to. You’re injured, remember?”

Then, surprisingly, he brought another bowl and placed it in front of me. “Eat.”

I stared at the soup.

Five years ago, this would’ve made me happy. I would’ve thought, He still cares about me.

Now I only felt tired.

I looked at the man sitting across from me. This was the same man who used to remember exactly how I liked my food, who would pull a blanket over me when I fell asleep on the couch, who once held my hand and promised we’d grow old together.

When did that man disappear?

Or maybe he’d never existed at all.

I pushed the bowl away.

“Ricci, you’re such a good pretender.”

His expression changed. “What did you just say?”

I picked up the divorce papers and placed them in front of him again. “I said we’re getting divorced.”

He opened his mouth, but before he could answer, a sharp gunshot suddenly cracked through the building.

Bang!

Another shot followed, then another, and the windows shattered as BlackSword’s guards rushed toward the doors.

“Security breach!” someone screamed from the hallway.

Everything happened at once. More gunshots echoed through the building as guards drew their weapons and moved into position.

Valerie’s expression changed immediately. The softness vanished from her face.

“I’ll handle the eastern corridor.”

Ricci caught her around the waist and pulled her back against his chest. “No. Stay here. Let me handle it.”

Valerie frowned and tried to pull herself free. “Ricci, I’m your best assassin. You know I can handle this.”

“I know exactly what you can handle,” he replied, tightening his hold on her. “That’s why I’m telling you to stay.”

“Then why are you treating me like I’m helpless? I’m not your wife who does nothing at all and sits around waiting for someone to protect her.”

The words struck me harder than they should have.

Ricci didn’t even glance in my direction.

Instead, he looked down at Valerie with an expression I hadn’t seen directed at me in a very long time.

“You’re the most important person to me. So when I tell you to stay, you stay.”

I stood only a few steps away, watching them.

five years ago, at this exact table, we’d toasted our marriage. We’d bowed to heaven and earth, promised to stand beside each other through everything.

Now there were bullets flying around us, and he’d chosen someone else without even thinking.

It hurt.

God, it hurt.

But my heart was already too tired to break properly.

I calmly walked to the storage cabinet and pulled out the emergency canvas bag I’d prepared weeks ago. Ricci finally noticed as I opened it and checked the contents: medical supplies, weapons, communication devices, and backup ammunition.

Everything was exactly where I’d left it.

“Thalia, what the hell are you doing?” he asked.

The gunshots didn’t stop. Then came another explosion.

BOOM!

The floor shook under our feet as part of the building’s outer wall blew apart. Smoke poured through the broken windows, alarms screamed, and BlackSword guards rushed through the corridors with their guns drawn.

Someone was attacking us.

My emergency bag was already in my hand. I checked the weapons inside, then slipped the strap over my shoulder.

Ricci was already changing into his BlackSword combat uniform, his face hard and all business now. “I’ve got an emergency deployment order,” he said to Valerie. “My team is heading to the blast zone. I’m going back to command the rescue and security teams, and you’re staying close to me. Don’t wander off.”

Valerie smiled and picked up her gun. “Of course, Ricci. You know I’d never make you worry about me.”

I almost rolled my eyes.

Crazy woman.

“I’ll go too,” I said.

Ricci stopped.

He turned around slowly, like he’d just heard the stupidest thing in his life. “You?”

“Yes, me.”

“What the fuck are you going to do there?” he snapped. “Stay at the evacuation point, Thalia. This is BlackSword business, and it’s dangerous. I don’t need you running around the blast zone and becoming another person my men have to rescue.”

I adjusted my bag. “During a bombing, sitting around waiting to die doesn’t sound very smart.”

His jaw tightened. “You really want to argue with me right now?”

Valerie stepped closer, smiling like she was being reasonable. “Let her come, Ricci. She can stay at the rescue center and help with supplies. Besides, if you leave her behind, she’ll probably just worry about you the whole time.”

Ricci looked at me for a long moment before clicking his tongue. “Fine. But you stay where my men can see you. Don’t be stupid.”

I didn’t answer.

If only he knew how many battlefields I’d walked through before I ever became his wife.

At the blast zone, everything was chaos.

Buildings were burning, cars were overturned, and people were trapped under concrete, screaming for help while BlackSword soldiers and emergency crews tried to reach them.

Then I saw Valerie.

A wounded man crawled toward her, blood covering his shirt. “Please... help me...”

Valerie stared at him before calmly raising her gun.

Bang!

The man stopped moving.

I froze.

Valerie lowered the weapon and looked at Ricci. “Let’s not make him suffer, Ricci. Look at him. He’s not going to live much longer anyway.”

Ricci glanced at the body, his expression unchanged. “You’re right. Keep moving.”

Valerie smiled.

Then another survivor cried for help.

She shot him too.

Another followed, and she wiped the blood that splashed across her cheek with two fingers, smiling like she was enjoying herself.

My stomach turned.

So this was the woman Ricci called an outstanding young assassin.

And this was the woman he chose over me.

I said nothing. I simply turned away and started pulling survivors from the rubble, one after another, until my hands were covered in blood and dust.

I carried children out, lifted broken concrete with the rescue team, searched through collapsed buildings, and pulled bodies from places nobody else wanted to enter.

I’d done this before.

Not in a rescue center.

In Naples’s underworld.

I’d searched through ruined compounds after shootouts and buried people I’d known since childhood. I’d learned how to keep moving even when grief made it hard to breathe.

For five years, I’d hidden those skills for Ricci.

Now there was no reason to hide anymore.

When we finally returned to the rescue center, Valerie walked toward me with a large basin of hot water. She looked at my blood-covered clothes and smiled. “Thalia, you’re really going all out, aren’t you? You don’t have to imitate me just because Ricci trusts me.”

I kept working.

She stepped closer. “I already told you, Ricci and I are comrades in BlackSword. You’re covered in dirt, blood, and God knows what else. If I were you, I’d go home instead of standing here and getting in everyone’s way.”

I ignored her.

There were still people waiting for help. Why would I waste even one second on her?

Valerie’s smile slowly disappeared. She hated being ignored. Then, without warning, she tipped the entire basin toward me.

Scalding water hit my face.

A sharp hiss escaped my lips. Pain flashed across my skin, but I didn’t scream.

Valerie immediately dropped the empty basin and stumbled backward. “Ah!”

She dropped the basin and grabbed her hand as a tiny splash landed on her finger. “Thalia! I saw you covered in blood, so I brought you hot water to clean yourself up. Why would you suddenly attack me? I was only trying to help you!”

The second Valerie finished talking, Ricci came rushing over. Of course he did. He was still her good boss always ready to protect her, always ready to believe her. He didn’t even look at my burned face or my bloodied hands before shoving me hard enough that I hit the ground.

“Thalia, have you fucking lost it?” he barked. “You’ve been acting crazy all day, and now you’re attacking one of my people? Do you have any idea how much BlackSword has invested in training Valerie?!”

I pushed myself up slowly. “She poured boiling water on me.”

“Enough,” Ricci snapped. “Valerie is one of BlackSword’s best assassins. She’s been through hell to earn that position, and you’re not going to blame her because you’re jealous. Apologize to her. Now!”

“Apologize?”

Something in me finally snapped.

I lunged at Valerie and knocked her to the ground before striking her across the face again and again. “You’re framing me, aren’t you?” I hissed. “People are dying all around us, and you’re still playing these disgusting little games. Do you even deserve that BlackSword uniform?”

Valerie screamed, but I stopped when I heard Ricci shout my name. I looked at her for one second, then got up.

There were still people trapped inside.

I had no time for her.

I turned and ran back into the disaster zone. Then a massive explosion suddenly ripped through the street.

BOOM!

The ground shook from the blast, and a damaged building finally gave way. Concrete crashed down between Valerie and me, sealing off most of the passage.

“Get out!” one of the BlackSword soldiers yelled. “The structure’s coming down!”

I looked around. Only one narrow opening was left, and Valerie was closer to it.

Then Ricci’s voice came through the chaos.

“Valerie! Get her fuck out of there, now!”

A young BlackSword member hesitated. “But, Boss, your wife is still inside…”

“That’s an order!” Ricci’s voice was cold. “Valerie is one of BlackSword’s elite. Thalia isn’t! If we have to choose, we choose Valerie. Anyone can replace that fucking Thalia.”

I went completely still.

Anyone can replace me?

After five years of marriage, that’s all I was worth?

Valerie glanced back at me and smiled.

Then she let the soldiers pull her out first.

Outside, Ricci immediately grabbed her. “Are you hurt? Let me see your hands.”

“I’m fine, Ricci... Don’t worry about me.”

He checked her anyway, touching her carefully while dust covered the street around them.

They looked like a perfect couple.

I stared at them through the dust.

My chest hurt so badly I almost couldn’t breathe.

I smiled bitterly.

“Thalia!”

Another explosion tore through the building.

I didn’t wait.

My twelve uncles had trained me for situations like this since I was a child. When danger came, you didn’t freeze. You moved.

I spotted a narrow construction gap and ran toward it just as the ceiling above me started collapsing.

BOOM!

Concrete crashed down and pain exploded through my body. My vision blurred. The last thing I saw was Ricci outside, still protecting Valerie.

Then a BlackSword soldier ran toward him, shouting over the sirens.

“Boss! We just got an urgent call from Naples Blood headquarters!”

Ricci turned sharply. “What is it?”

The soldier’s face was pale. “They’re demanding an immediate rescue of the Naples successor. They said Huntress has been trapped inside the war zone!”

And for the first time, Ricci’s face changed.

…

When I woke up, I was lying inside a makeshift first aid station in an abandoned warehouse.

The whole place smelled like blood, smoke, and burned concrete. BlackSword men were moving around everywhere, treating the wounded and carrying supplies through the broken building.

A nurse noticed my eyes opening and hurried over. “Miss Redmond, you’re awake? Damn, you’re tough. You were buried under that rubble for hours, and you somehow came out with only burns, cuts, and dehydration.”

I slowly sat up. “My phone.”

“Easy. You need to rest first. Once you’re stable, we’ll need you to fill out some information.”

I barely heard her.

My mind was still stuck on the last thing I’d heard before the building collapsed.

Ricci choosing Valerie.

Ricci saying anyone could replace me.

My twelve uncles had been trying to reach me too, and I knew they were waiting for news.

I swallowed, but my throat felt raw. “Where’s Ricci?”

The nurse hesitated. “Mr. Santiago? I heard he left with Valerie. Apparently, BlackSword received an urgent mission to protect someone important.”

“Someone important?”

I looked down at my scraped and burned arms.

A bitter smile touched my lips.

I reached for my phone.

I was about to call my family and finally reveal everything to Ricci. I wanted him here so we could sign the divorce papers and end this properly.

Then a message appeared.

Valerie.

[Our teamwork is still perfect, just like always. Unlike some people who only know how to get in the way. ♡]

There was a photo attached.

Valerie and Ricci were sitting together after the failed search mission, their hands tightly clasped.

I stared at the picture.

My fingers went cold.

That little smile of hers wasn’t innocent.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

And Ricci?

He probably didn’t even realize she was rubbing salt into my wounds.

Why should he?

He’d already made his choice.

A fresh drop of blood slid from my forehead. I wiped it away and took the form from the nurse.

My hands were still trembling, but I filled everything out quickly.

Name: Thalia Amelisse Redmond.

Age: 29

Marital status: Single.

The nurse glanced over my form and frowned. “Miss Redmond, are you sure? This says you’re single but Mr. Santiago is your husband, isn’t he? Maybe you filled it in by mistake.”

I gave a small, cold smile. “He isn’t my husband anymore.” The nurse looked confused. “We’re getting divorced.”

Before she could say anything else, a deep male voice came from behind us.

“Thalia, what the fuck did you just say?”

I looked up.

The door had been shoved open and Ricci stood there.

His black shirt was covered in dust, his sleeves were rolled up, and his face was grim. He looked like the mafia boss everyone feared, not the man who had spent the last five years calling me his wife.

The nurse immediately stood up. “Mr. Santiago, you two should talk. Whatever happened, you can work it out. I’ll give you some privacy.”

She grabbed the form and quickly left.

The door closed and silence filled the room.

Ricci walked straight toward my bed.

It was only then that he noticed my face.

His expression shifted.

For one brief second, panic crossed his eyes.

“Thalia… Are you hurt badly? Does your face still hurt?”

I laughed softly.

He finally noticed.

After everything, he finally noticed.

Ricci frowned. “Don’t laugh. I’m asking you a serious question.”

I looked away.

He sighed and dragged a hand through his hair. “Look, about what happened earlier, the situation was fucking chaotic. I had to make a decision, and if I’d chosen you over Valerie, I would’ve lost control of the entire rescue team.” He stepped closer. “I wasn’t abandoning you. I swear to God, I went back looking for you the moment I could, but you’d already been rescued. So stop thinking I left you there on purpose, okay?”

Okay?

That word almost made me laugh again.

After being burned, buried, forgotten, and replaced, he still wanted me to understand him.

Did he ever try to understand me?

I slowly raised my hand.

Ricci didn’t even see it coming.

Smack!

My palm landed hard against his face.

His head snapped to the side.

Ricci looked completely stunned after I slapped him. His jaw tightened, and I could see the anger rising in his eyes. For a second, I thought he’d finally lose his temper, but then his eyes fell on the burns and cuts covering my body, and he held it back.

“Forget it,” he muttered. “I won’t hit you back just because you’re angry. You’re already hurt enough.”

His hand came up and gently touched the corner of my eye.

If this were the old me, I would’ve slapped his hand away. Five years ago, I would’ve glared at him and said, “You’re damn right I’m angry.”

But that woman was dead.

Just like the Ricci I used to love.

“I’m not angry.”

He looked relieved. “Really? That’s good. I knew you’d understand eventually.”

I smiled. “Of course I do.”

After all, why would I waste my anger on a stranger?

Over the next few days, Ricci kept coming to see me after handling BlackSword’s operations. He brought food, changed my dressings, poured me water, and even made sure I took my medicine on time.

He suddenly became the perfect husband.

The doctors couldn’t stop praising him. “Miss Thalia, you’re really lucky. Your husband takes such good care of you.”

Ricci actually looked proud. “I learned it from my wife.”

Of course he did.

For three years, I’d cooked his meals, prepared his clothes, served his coffee, and waited for him at home like some obedient wife.

“Did you?” I asked, looking at him.

He smiled. “Yeah. My wife taught me how to take care of people. She’s always been good at this.”

I didn’t correct him.

There was no point.

That evening, I sat quietly on the hospital bed, staring out the window. Ricci came over and started massaging my temples. Apparently, one of the doctors had taught him how to do it.

His fingers were warm and gentle.

For a few seconds, I closed my eyes.

It almost felt like the old days.

Almost.

But then I remembered him standing outside the collapsed building, protecting Valerie while I was trapped inside.

So I opened my eyes again.

No.

I couldn’t let myself forget.

Later that night, Ricci pulled a blanket over me and quietly left.

Not long after, hurried footsteps came from the hallway, and the door flew open.

“Mr. Santiago!”

A nurse rushed in, looking terrified. “Miss Valerie was injured during the rescue operation. She’s lost a lot of blood and needs an immediate transfusion!”

Ricci stood up instantly. “What happened?”

“She was caught in another bombing. The blast threw debris into her path, and she’s in critical condition.”

“Fuck.”

He rushed toward the door, passing right beside me, but somehow, he stopped himself and looked back.

“Thalia, get some rest. Valerie’s badly injured, and I need to check on her. I’ll come back when she’s stable, okay?”

“Go.”

He left.

That night, my burns became infected, and my fever climbed to forty degrees. I barely knew where I was anymore.

Then, sometime before dawn, the door opened, and Ricci came back. He grabbed my shoulder and shook me awake.

“Thalia, wake up.”

I slowly opened my eyes.

His expression was serious. “Valerie needs blood. The hospital’s blood supply is almost gone because of the attacks, and you’re the only compatible match they have right now.”

I stared at him.

He continued, “I know you’re weak, but Valerie’s condition is critical! She’s one of BlackSword’s best assassins, and we can’t afford to lose her.”

My fingers tightened around the bedsheet. “Ricci…”

His voice softened. “Thalia, please. Just give her some blood. Half of what you have should be enough. I’ll make sure you get proper treatment afterward.”

I stared at him for a long time, then laughed.

“Half my blood?”

He frowned. “Yes.”

“You know I’m already injured!”

“I know but Valerie needs it.”

“Not happening.”

“But I’m asking you to do this for BlackSword.”

“No.”

“Thalia.”

“No.”

His patience finally snapped. “Fine. Have it your way.”

He stood up, his expression turning cold. “But you’re giving the blood whether you fucking like it or not.”

I stared at him as BlackSword men entered the room. They took me to the blood collection room.

I was too weak to fight properly.

The needle went into my arm, and blood started flowing into the bag.

One bag.

Then another.

My vision slowly blurred, and my body became colder with every minute. I couldn’t even lift my hand anymore. When they finally finished, I could barely keep my eyes open.

Ricci didn’t even look back. He grabbed the blood bag and rushed straight toward Valerie’s ward.

I watched him disappear through the door.

I stared at Ricci’s back as he disappeared down the hallway with Valerie’s blood bag. I knew exactly what half my blood meant after everything I’d already been through. It could put me into shock.

My legs were shaking, and my head felt like it was floating, but I forced myself to move. I needed a doctor. I needed help before I passed out.

Then, as I walked past one of the private wards, I heard Valerie’s voice. “Ricci, aren’t you going to stay with Thalia for a while? I was only pretending to be injured, but she actually had half her blood taken. She looks like she could collapse at any moment.”

I stopped.

Then Ricci answered.

His voice was calm.

Almost gentle.

“Don’t worry about her. That’s her punishment. She chose to act like that herself. She’s a housewife, but she doesn’t know her place and she delayed the rescue operation, so I’m not going to keep rewarding that behavior.”

I stood outside the door, barely able to breathe.

Valerie gave a soft sigh. “Ricci, I’m honestly worried. I don’t understand why your wife suddenly became like this. She used to be so quiet and sweet.”

There was something strange in her voice.

She was enjoying this.

Then Ricci chuckled softly. “Don’t think about it. Just rest, Valerie. I’ll handle her.”

Well.

So Valerie had never been injured.

Not even once.

I felt something hot rush up my throat, and blood filled my mouth. I stumbled backward and covered it with my hand before a doctor spotted me.

“Miss Redmond!”

Everything suddenly became chaos.

“She’s lost too much blood! Get a stretcher and call the blood bank immediately!”

“Someone contact her family!”

I wanted to answer them.

I wanted to tell them who I really was but my vision was already fading.

Ricci wasn’t there.

Of course he wasn’t.

Then everything went black.

...

When I woke up again, my pillow was wet.

I didn’t understand why I was crying. I’d already decided to leave him, and I’d already stopped loving him, so why did my chest still hurt like someone was ripping my heart apart?

Then I remembered something from my childhood.

I was seven when I was kidnapped and locked inside a warehouse for seven days. I was terrified until the door finally opened and a young man walked toward me.

It was Ricci.

He’d been crying before he found me, but the moment he saw me, he quickly wiped his face and tried to smile. “Don’t be afraid. Don’t cry, Thalia. I’m here now, and I’ll take you home.”

I remembered looking at him and smiling.

But you made me cry anyway.

“Don’t cry, Thalia,” I whispered to myself. “That man who saved you is gone. The Ricci you loved is gone too.”

So I stopped waiting for him.

I worked through rehabilitation, regained my strength, packed my things, and contacted my twelve uncles. I didn’t ask them to talk to Ricci. I asked them to use every connection our family had to make sure my divorce went through quickly.

Three weeks later, I walked out of the hospital holding my divorce certificate.

I was finally free.

Then I saw Ricci.

He stood outside the hospital entrance with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. The moment our eyes met, he froze, and the flowers slipped from his fingers and hit the ground, scattering petals across the pavement.

He didn’t say anything.

Neither did I.

Then Valerie appeared behind him with another bouquet. She walked up beside me and leaned closer.

“Thalia, Ricci picked these flowers for you himself. He said he’d divorce you once you recovered.”

I looked at her without emotion.

She smiled. “Do you know why he’s dragged this out for five years? It’s because he still loves the food you make, and he can’t stand the thought of you leaving him.”

Her smile became wider. “I honestly can’t bear watching you leave him either. You should thank me, you know. I’m the reason he still has a reason to keep you around.”

I barely listened.

Something about the flowers felt wrong.

I reached toward them.

Suddenly, Valerie gasped. “Ah!”

She stabbed herself with the knife she’d hidden in her sleeve, then threw the knife toward me and collapsed.

“Ricci!” Her face went pale as she clutched her wound. “I know I’m a BlackSword assassin, but I’ve never hurt your wife, and I’ve never betrayed you. Why would she suddenly stab me?”

My blood ran cold.

Ricci turned sharply. “Valerie!” He rushed toward her.