I stood there in the shadows watching as my husband lovingly held his mistress and took her to the hospital for a prenatal checkup.

Two years ago, when I miscarried, the doctor told me that it was not due to my poor health but rather due to my husband's negligence. He had not brought me to the clinic on time when my water broke, and my child suffocated to death. Even after that catastrophe, my husband did not bother to bring me to any of the checkups this time either, citing his duties with the Family.

"Stop whining like a weakling! Can't you do something productive for once! You are the wife of the Don of the Moretti Family, so for God's sake stop being selfish! I must take care of the Family as well. Ask your mother to take you to the doctor."

This was what he had said to me when I begged him to accompany me, yet here he was looking so concerned as he collected medications for his mistress.

I realized it wasn't that he was too busy. It was just that I was never his priority. He had long abandoned me in his heart.

Since the hospital was crowded, Nico held Valentina close to him before speaking.

"Baby, about the sour delicacies I brought… they've been a day old so don't eat them anymore." Valentina laughed when Nico fussed over her health.

"Just a day old, so what? They're perfectly fine, Nico!"

"No, what if it harmed your health? Come, I'll buy you your favorite hot chocolate. It's getting really cold, baby."

"This time I'll compromise, but you have to promise me that we'll have a lot of sour delicacies at our wedding."

"Anything you say, baby. Our wedding would be the most lavish one in all the allied Families. Just wait a month more. When Bianca delivers, I'll find some excuse to send her away in the name of recuperating. I will make you the most envied lady of the Moretti Family."

"If you say so." She pouted, making him kiss her.

I froze at the words. I could almost hear my heart shattering. It was ironic how they resembled the loving couple that Nico and I used to be. And to think he was already trying to get rid of me.

I followed them like I was bound with invisible rope, wanting to see what they would do now. I shivered as the cold wind gushed against me without mercy while I saw my husband carefully wrapping Valentina with a scarf after putting his warm jacket around her.

When the skies roared as it thundered dangerously, I stood in the background beside a tree as Nico hurriedly took his mistress inside the car, worried that she would get drenched in the oncoming rain and suffer. With the lower car windows, I could see my husband of seven years gently cupping Valentina's face and kissing her.

Surprisingly, she opened her eyes looking straight at me before deepening the kiss. The jacket was discarded, and I could see them making out with such intimacy that it made bile rise up my throat.

It seemed all this time she was completely aware of me watching them. Time and time again Valentina would look at me as if to signify that my husband was never mine in the first place.

I took out my phone and shakenly dialed my husband's number.

Nico, who was kissing his mistress, saw my caller ID and for a moment guilt flashed across his face. Yet as soon as Valentina encircled his neck calling him sweetly, he gritted his teeth in annoyance before hanging up.

When I called again he picked up in anger.

"What?! Don't you have any work to do so why are you always disturbing me?!" He hung up and even blocked my number.

Droplets of water poured from the skies as clouds rumbled when the car drove away, leaving me standing on the side pavement getting drenched in freezing rain. The street was empty. A soldier posted near the clinic entrance had seen his Don leave and gone with him, the way soldiers always did. Nobody remained.

"I give up on a cheating man like you, Nico. From now on there is no relationship between us. You can have him, Valentina."

I gathered up courage and dragged myself to the lawyer's office in my drenched clothes. Clara Ricci took one look at me, removed her glasses, folded them with precise, deliberate care, and set them on the desk before calling for a dress for me to change into. The sympathy in her eyes was controlled, professional. She had seen wives of powerful men walk through her door before, but perhaps not like this. Not seven months pregnant and soaked through to the bone.

I presented all the evidence I had collected to her, along with the audio and video which had Nico explicitly telling Valentina:

If she gives birth to a son and agrees that you can be my wife, then I wouldn't mind keeping her as a mistress. If she refuses, then I will threaten her with our child and throw her out of the Family.

I winced, heart thrumming painfully when I heard those words. My thumb drifted to the inside of my wedding band and turned it slowly, deliberately, the way I always did when something inside me was hardening into decision.

"Ma'am, now that I have everything in front of me, I will make sure that you get rid of Don Moretti and live a better life."

As soon as I exited the office, I saw my mother calling me.

"Bianca, I heard the maid telling me that you had a high fever yesterday. Did Nico take you to the hospital?"

My lips wobbled as I could hardly stop the heart-wrenching cry leaving my lips. Hot tears streamed down my face, and I fought to contain my emotions.

"Mom, I… I am better."

"Don't lie, Bianca. Your voice is so low. Are you really alright?"

"Yes. Yes, Mom." I closed my eyes, lying so that my mother wouldn't be worried. "Nico is here with me. He's buying me hot chocolate. He even took me for a health checkup and the doctor said that I can go into labor any day now." My mom sighed.

"It's okay then, but frankly speaking I don't trust Nico after how irresponsible he was in the past. But since you are together, it's okay."

I took a deep breath as my body shivered with cold.

"Bianca, it's raining so hard, darling. You better come back soon. I have cooked your favorite food today."

I did not answer that and hung up so that my mom could not hear me breaking down. There I kneeled on the pavement as my legs lost strength. The rain hammered the concrete around me, and somewhere in the distance a church bell was ringing, steady and indifferent, the way the world keeps turning when yours has stopped.

I cried because I lost everything at this moment. All my life turned out to be a lie.

Late that night, Nico called me.

"Bianca, I'm tied up right now. Can you ask the caporegime to send over the trade agreement from the Cavalli Family—"

I gritted my teeth and cut him off before he could finish.

"It's past midnight."

My voice was hoarse with exhaustion.

"I had a fever yesterday. If you can't take care of your child, then the least you can do is stop trying to work me to death."

"W-What?"

Across the city, Nico was lounging on a sofa with Valentina curled against him, watching late-night television.

The sharpness in my tone clearly caught him off guard.

"Bianca, baby, it's important. The Family needs—"

"Then do it yourself."

I didn't let him continue.

"Or have one of your men handle it. Why are you always pushing everything onto your pregnant wife?"

The bitterness I had been swallowing for months finally surfaced.

"Or are you trying to kill this child too? Just like last time?"

"Bianca!"

His voice rose instantly.

But I was too exhausted to listen anymore.

Before he could say another word, I hung up.

What I didn't know was that Nico sat frozen for several seconds afterward.

For the first time, he realized I believed he was responsible for my miscarriage.

Guilt flickered across his face.

Regret followed.

When he tried calling back, I ignored every call.

The next morning, a massive bouquet of fresh roses arrived at the estate.

His apology.

I threw them directly into the nearest trash bin.

Afterward, I went to Clara Ricci's office and signed the annulment papers without hesitation.

The moment the documents were finalized, I arranged for a copy to be delivered directly to Valentina's residence.

My waterfront villa.

The home that used to belong to me.

Five years of marriage.

Five years of sacrifice.

And I was finally walking away.

I had barely returned home when the doorbell rang.

Opening the door, I found Valentina standing on the porch.

An expensive watch gleamed on her wrist.

The moment my eyes landed on it, her smile widened knowingly.

"Oh."

She lifted her arm slightly.

"You recognize it, don't you?"

My stomach tightened.

Of course I recognized it.

It was the matching watch set I had gifted Nico years ago.

Valentina's smile turned smug.

"Such a shame."

She tilted her wrist deliberately.

"He never wanted to wear it with you, but he gave it to me."

A sharp pain pierced my chest.

The watch wasn't just any gift.

My late father had given it to Nico and me on our third wedding anniversary.

It contained part of a Ferraro heirloom collection.

A keepsake carrying my father's initials.

Years ago, Nico told me my matching piece had been accidentally broken.

I remembered crying for two days after losing it.

Now I knew exactly where it had gone.

Tears burned behind my eyes.

"What do you want?"

Instead of answering, Valentina pushed past me and walked into the house uninvited.

She slowly surveyed the room.

"The decor is boring."

Her lips curled.

"Just like you."

She turned toward me.

"Maybe that's why Nico got tired of you."

Her gaze swept across the room.

"When I become the lady of this house, all of this garbage will be thrown away and replaced."

To her disappointment, I didn't react.

Not really.

My thumb traced a slow circle over the bare skin where my wedding band used to rest.

My heart was calm.

Steady.

Almost detached.

A flicker of irritation crossed her face.

I smiled.

"That's all you've ever been good at, isn't it?"

She froze.

"Replacing other people."

I took a slow breath.

"Living in my villa. Sleeping with my husband. Flaunting my watch."

My gaze dropped briefly to her stomach.

"What's next?"

I tilted my head.

"Faking a pregnancy?"

The color drained from her face instantly.

Then anger replaced it.

"So what if everything used to be yours?"

She snapped.

"It belongs to me now!"

Her hand instinctively moved to her belly.

"My child will be the next Moretti heir."

Her eyes flashed maliciously.

"Unlike yours."

"Your child will be abandoned by his father."

I almost laughed.

"Really?"

My voice was calm.

Too calm.

"You honestly think someone as selfish as Nico would throw away his future heir for a woman?"

Her expression darkened.

"And honestly, Valentina, you can have him."

I shrugged.

"That unreliable, manipulative coward is all yours."

Her eyes widened.

I continued before she could interrupt.

"Do you know why Nico's father entrusted me with Family affairs instead of his own son?"

Silence.

I answered my own question.

"Because Nico wasn't capable."

For years, I had managed the books.

Negotiated alliances.

Handled disputes.

Maintained relationships between Families.

While Nico enjoyed the title, I carried the burden.

I looked directly into her eyes.

"Who do you think looked after the widows and children during the territorial conflicts?"

"Who monitored neighboring Families and deployed soldiers when threats emerged?"

"Who kept this Family functioning?"

The answer was obvious.

Me.

"When I'm gone, all those responsibilities become yours."

I smiled faintly.

"Good luck."

For the first time, genuine panic flashed across her face.

Nico had promised her a glamorous future.

He had never mentioned the workload.

The sacrifices.

The endless responsibilities.

"I'd rather free myself from parasites like you than spend another day destroying my life."

I rested both hands protectively on my stomach.

Then I stood.

Ready to leave.

Valentina's face twisted.

Things weren't going the way she wanted.

"What are you planning?"

She stepped forward.

"You think I'll believe your innocent act?"

Without warning, she grabbed a fistful of my hair.

Pain exploded across my scalp.

"You bitch!"

She yanked harder.

"What did you say to Nico yesterday?"

Her voice cracked with fury.

"Why did he leave me alone last night?"

I tried to pull away.

She shoved me violently.

Everything happened too fast.

My foot slipped.

The floor rushed toward me.

Then—

Impact.

A sickening thud echoed through the room.

Pain tore through my abdomen.

For one horrifying second, I couldn't breathe.

Then I saw it.

Blood.

A spreading crimson stain.

My vision blurred instantly.

No.

No.

Not again.

The nightmare from my first miscarriage replayed before my eyes.

I looked up.

Valentina stood frozen in horror.

Then she turned and ran.

Coward.

Monster.

I clutched my stomach desperately.

Tears streamed down my face.

"Help!"

My voice broke.

"Please save my baby!"

I screamed until my throat felt raw.

"Someone help me!"

Shaking violently, I grabbed my phone and dialed Nico.

The call connected immediately.

For my child, I was willing to beg.

"Nico—"

He didn't even let me finish.

"You already caused enough drama yesterday."

His voice was sharp with annoyance.

"And now you're skipping the sit-down too? Stop bothering me while I'm cleaning up your mess."

The line went dead.

He hung up.

I stared at the screen.

The man I had loved my entire life had just abandoned me again.

Then footsteps thundered through the hallway.

"Mrs. Moretti!"

One of the household soldiers rushed into the room.

His face turned white when he saw the blood.

"Oh my God."

He immediately grabbed his radio.

"Get a doctor!"

His voice shook.

"And call the Don! Right now!"

The room spun around me.

Their voices grew distant.

Muffled.

Unclear.

"Mrs. Moretti, stay awake!"

"Please stay awake!"

I tried.

I really tried.

But the pain was too much.

Darkness crept in from the edges of my vision.

And just before unconsciousness finally claimed me, one final thought echoed through my mind.

If I lose this child...

I will go before the Commission myself.

I will have this marriage annulled.

I will erase Nico Moretti from my life forever.

Then the darkness swallowed me whole.