Susanna's POV

I remained slumped on the floor, blood slowly trickling down my neck before dripping on the floor.

Lorenzo had seemed so anxious and panicked when he rushed off with Elena earlier, not even looking back at me.

It suddenly reminded me of how he used to panic over me like that in the past too.

Back then, he had kept me tightly pressed against his chest, using his own body to shield me from an enemy's acid attack.

I had been utterly heartbroken to see the vicious wounds on his back, wounds that would leave scars that would never fade.

Yet, he had forced himself to endure the pain and acted as if nothing was wrong, even joking with me. "Susanna, if I turn into an ugly monster and nobody wants me anymore, you'll have to take responsibility for me, alright?"

Now, however, I could only stare at the growing pool of blood beneath me and laugh. The sound grew progressively louder the more it felt like my heart was being shredded.

Eventually, I hailed a cab and headed to the hospital alone to get my wound treated.

After my injury was tended to, I stumbled my way out of the treatment room, my vision swimming dizzily and threatening to drag me under.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist in a tight grip.

"Susanna Conti!" Lorenzo sounded like he was trying to suppress his fury as he dragged me into a dark corner where people wouldn't notice us.

"Elena almost had a miscarriage! Are you seriously still not giving up? Did you follow us so you could continue causing trouble here, in the hospital?"

Pointing at the bandages around my head, I did my best to steady my swaying body. "I was injured too, and it wasn't something I could bandage up by myself."

Lorenzo froze, and it was only then that he smelled the underlying stench of blood on me, which had been covered up by the smell of disinfectant. His eyes then darted to the thick bandages around my head. Blood was already seeping through.

"Lorenzo, you said that you would marry me after she gave birth to the heir." My eyes reddened as I spoke, and my nose started tingling. "But do you even see me now? Do I still have a place in your heart?"

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath as I struggled to force back the tears threatening to fall. "Let's end things between us! I'll step aside so you can be happy with Elena!"

Lorenzo's grip on my wrist tightened, the fury that had been smouldering in his eyes igniting into a blazing inferno.

"Susanna Conti, what the hell are you saying? The woman I love has always been you! Yet you're telling me you want to step aside so I can be happy with another woman?"

I stubbornly raised my head and met his gaze with reddened eyes, though I said nothing.

After a long silence, Lorenzo sucked in a breath and looked away. He tamped down his anger before pulling me into a crushing hug, as though he wanted to meld our flesh together.

"This matter ends here. Elena… has already forgiven you, so I won't press the issue any further. However, you'd do well to remember one thing…"

The muscles of his arms bulged as he abruptly tightened his hold on me and continued hoarsely, "You're not allowed to say you won't marry me again, not even in a fit of anger! I forbid you! Everything I do, I do for our future together, Susanna. Remember that!"

I didn't respond.

To hell with a future together with him! I'd already decided that I was leaving!

"Did Elena really forgive me that easily? She didn't mention any conditions?" I asked numbly.

I could feel how Lorenzo immediately went stiff before he released me. When he answered, his tone was probing and filled with hesitation.

"She… wants to have a wedding. She wants the future heir to know that his parents were once in love, that they had received everyone's blessings. This is all so he can be born legitimately."

Here, he paused briefly to look at me. "Susanna, this wedding is fake, just a formality. It's just a show put on for the family and the heir. Don't overthink it, okay?"

My lips trembled, and it felt like there was a lump stuck in my throat, preventing me from speaking.

In my mind, I wondered to myself, "Oh, Lorenzo… Just how long do you plan on deceiving me?"

I watched his lips move as he continued to speak, but I suddenly found it all so exhausting.

Throughout it all, I didn't say a word.

…

At midnight, my bedroom door was abruptly slammed open before the Don of the Gallo family, Giovanni Gallo, entered with a group of men. His expression was beyond grim as he lifted a hand briefly.

Immediately, one of the men slapped me with such force that I was sent to the floor, my ears ringing. Blood seeped from the corner of my mouth, while the newly formed scab on my head injury split open again.

"You vile woman! How could you harm a pregnant woman!" the Don's enraged voice thundered through the room. "Bring her to the innermost interrogation room and give her 20 lashes! If she dares make even a peep, add ten more!"

Susanna's POV

Unable to fight back at all, I was dragged into the interrogation room.

The first lash of the whip sent black spots dancing across my vision. My mind drifted to the night Lorenzo had flown halfway across the country to rush back to me, all because I had a nightmare. For the next seven days, he had remained by my side to lull me to sleep.

As the second lash landed, I bit my lip so hard that the metallic taste of blood instantly filled my mouth. I could almost hear his gentle words back then, when he had been injured protecting me.

"I'll always protect you. I won't allow a single bit of harm to come to you. I'll take on all of your pain and suffering."

Then came the third lash, the fourth…

Every lash seemed to strike right into my soul, causing an agony a thousand times more painful than the sensation of my skin splitting open in bloody lines.

On the 19th lash, I vaguely heard Lorenzo calling my name, but by then, I couldn't tell if it was reality or just my imagination.

Unable to hold on any longer, I fell unconscious. But right before the darkness took me, I saw Lorenzo anxiously pulling me into his arms.

However, using the last bit of strength I could muster, I shoved him away as hard as I could.

"Lorenzo Gallo, in two days, you and I will have nothing to do with each other ever again!"

That was the last thought that swam through my mind before everything went dark.

…

When I woke up again, Lorenzo was sitting by my bed.

He didn't bring up my punishment, nor did he mention anything to do with Elena. However, I still heard from the housekeepers that he was preparing for his and Elena's wedding.

Nonetheless, he resumed his past gentle demeanor as he took good care of me. Every spoonful of hot oatmeal he fed me, he would blow on it to cool it first before carefully bringing it to my lips.

Whenever I moved at night, even when it was just the slightest twitch of my fingers, he would jolt awake in a panic and grip my hand. Only once he had confirmed that I was fine would he dare to shut his eyes again.

Besides that, every time the doctor came to give me an anti-inflammatory injection, Lorenzo would hold me in a tight embrace while gently covering my eyes with a hand. In a low, soft voice, he would murmur, "Don't look. It'll be over soon."

Yet, after I was discharged from the hospital, he immediately threw himself into the wedding preparations again.

To prevent me from causing trouble again, he confiscated my phone and had men stand guard outside to keep an eye on me 24/7. Despite the expansive villa, only one housekeeper had been left behind to look after me.

Regardless, I didn't protest. I simply packed my things quietly.

…

On the day of the wedding, my phone was returned to me. It was full of pictures Elena had sent me.

Among them was one of Lorenzo in a dashing suit as he tenderly slid the ring onto Elena's finger. Another photo showed the couple in a passionate embrace, kissing while the guests showered them with blessings and congratulations.

Every photo seemed to drive yet another dagger deep into my already battered heart.

At that moment, a call from an unfamiliar number lit up my phone screen. My hands trembled as I swiped to answer the call.

"Good day, Ms. Conti. I'm the person in charge of contacting you from Howardson University. Your boarding procedures have been completed, and the car to the airport is already waiting for you outside."

Silently switching off my phone, I then turned to grab my packed suitcase. As I stepped out of the villa, the sun shone down on me dazzlingly. It was a bright and sunny day.

Without looking back even once, I made my way toward the car waiting by the road.

"Lorenzo, let's not meet again for the rest of our lives. You go your way, and I'll go mine…"