After going bankrupt, I do the unthinkable for my gravely ill younger brother, Ricky Ashford, and climb into the bed of Damien Blackwood, the notorious mafia boss.

When his smoldering gaze sweeps over my shirtless body, I stay perfectly still. The reason is that I'm afraid to set off this infamous man in front of me. However, the next instant, his lips are everywhere on my skin, and the night dissolves into a wild, reckless blur.

For three years, I endure every torment in his bed. Thoughts of escape and even suicide cross my mind, but the fact that my brother is fighting for his life in the ICU keeps me going.

One day, I accidentally overhear him speaking with his childhood friend, Chloe Sterling.

"How long do you plan to toy with your enemy's daughter? You're not falling for her, are you?"

"Don't be absurd."

"And what about her sickly brother?"

"He died long ago."

The last thread holding me together snaps. Now, there is no reason left to live.

As I prepare to end my life by burning charcoal, tears well up in his eyes as he pleads for me not to leave.

After going bankrupt, I did the unthinkable to save my gravely ill younger brother, Ricky Ashford. I climbed into the bed of Damien Blackwood, the notorious mafia boss. One night of passion sealed my fate, and I became his kept woman.

For three years, we entangled ourselves in gardens, hot springs, and vineyards. We explored every intimate position and lost ourselves in unrelenting desire.

Damien possessed a raw, physical stamina that consumed me completely, leaving me utterly wrecked every time. However, for the sake of my brother in the ICU, I chose to endure it.

Everything changed when I accidentally overheard his conversation with his childhood friend, Chloe Sterling.

"How long do you plan to toy with your enemy's daughter? Don't tell me you've fallen in love?"

"Don't be absurd. How could I possibly fall in love with her?"

"And what about her sickly brother?"

"The hospital called last night. He's already passed away."

The grief hit so hard it felt like my chest was being ripped open. With Ricky gone, I no longer had any reason to live. I decided to follow after Ricky when he was laid to rest in three days.

When Damien arrived at the hospital, I was cleaning my brother's face. Seeing Damien, I couldn't resist confronting him.

"Why didn't you tell me my brother is dead?"

His face went rigid as he gripped my wrist.

"If you knew he was gone, you'd leave me for good… I couldn't let that happen."

"Then will you marry me?" I asked.

Damien looked away, speaking with cold finality.

"That will never happen. Your father killed my elder brother. Even if I wanted to marry you, my family would never allow it."

He went on, "In three days, I have to go through with my family's arrangement and marry Chloe. Just hold on for a year. Once she's had my child, I'll take you away."

I yanked my hand from his grip, then hugged him tightly.

"Okay. I'll wait," I said, lying through my teeth.

My only family was gone, and so was my will to live. Once Ricky was laid to rest, I planned to follow him.

By the time Damien and I returned home, Chloe was already inside waiting for us for a long time.

She sarcastically taunted, "You shouldn't be here. In three days, Damien and I are getting married."

As I walked toward the second floor, I caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye. She had taken off her coat, leaving only a lace negligee underneath.

Before I reached the master bedroom, the two of them were already locked in a deep, hungry kiss in the living room.

As they entangled in a heated embrace, I began packing my belongings. I took the small hand-carved wooden horse Damien made for me, the expensive paintings he'd bought, and the jewelry he'd given me, then threw them all into the brazier.

I meant to wipe away every sign of my existence and vanish without a trace.

That evening, Damien finally escorted Chloe upstairs. His shirt hung open, exposing his sculpted chest, which was covered in fresh red marks.

She saw I was burning my belongings and chuckled.

"Poor thing. Looks like you'll be alone from now on," she said.

When he saw that I was burning all his gifts to me, he quickly put out the flames and said apologetically, "I'm sorry. What I did with Chloe was only to ensure she bore an heir quickly. But you shouldn't have burned our memories."

I smiled faintly and responded, "I don't care for these things anymore."

Damien pulled out a black card from his pocket and handed it to me.

"Buy whatever you like instead. Just don't play with fire and hurt yourself," he said.

He then brought my burned fingers to his lips. His face was full of worry as he blew gently on them.

Seeing that, Chloe angrily hurled her lace dress at my feet.

"Since you have nothing better to do, wash this for me. And make sure you do it by hand."

I stayed silent and looked at Damien. I could see the anger building in his expression.

He grabbed the lace dress and threw it back in Chloe's face.

"Are there no maids in this house? Why do you insist on making her do it?"

He added, "You're nothing but a pawn in this marriage arrangement. Your only duty is to obediently bear an heir. Do not overstep by messing with my woman."

Seeing Damien defend me should have been comforting, but all I felt was a hollow pain inside. If there hadn't been a family feud or my father hadn't accidentally killed his brother, we might have been married with children by now.

For the past three years, he had loved me more than he loved himself. When I casually mentioned craving Kaelish curry, he discharged himself from the hospital while still recovering and flew us straight to Kaelros.

Given my health problems, Damien arranged for his family doctor and bodyguards to watch over me around the clock.

The night I was abducted, he came to rescue me himself. Even after being stabbed three times, he refused to leave me behind.

When Chloe spiked my coffee and caused me to pass out, he stayed by my side all night. As soon as dawn broke, he took his men and wrecked her place.

However, what good did any of it do?

He would take on the world for me, but the blood feud between our families was something he couldn't overcome.

Watching him berate Chloe on my behalf, I suddenly felt exhausted.

"Enjoy your wedding in three days," I said softly.

I salvaged the carved horse from the ashes, the one he'd stayed up all night making, then clutched it tightly in my palm.

I muttered, "In three days, I will leave you for good, Damien. We shall never meet again."

After stumbling out of the room, I could no longer hold back my tears. At last, my family and I could be together again in heaven.

While Damien was out, I went to a small store on the outskirts of town and purchased two large bags of charcoal.

The shopkeeper, a kindly old man, reminded me, "Miss, remember to open the windows for ventilation if you're using charcoal to keep warm."

I smiled faintly and said nothing.

Once Ricky's funeral was over, I planned to end my life by burning charcoal and leave this world for good.

Just as I hid the bags of charcoal under the bed, I blacked out. When I came to, all I saw was the stark white ceiling of a hospital room.

Damien sat at my bedside, gripping my hand tightly. His eyes were filled with despair and sorrow.

"The doctor said… you're pregnant," he said.

I stopped cold, and my hand instinctively moved toward my belly. I was pregnant with his child, and for the first time in a long while, I wanted to live for our baby.

However, Damien's following words sent me spiraling back into despair.

"This child… We can't keep it. The Blackwoods will never accept him."

I gripped his wrist so hard my nails dug into his skin.

"It's your child too!" I shouted.

He wrenched his arm away, and his tears fell onto the back of my hand.

"My family won't accept him. Don Corleone said that if you insist on keeping the baby… He'll have you killed," he said, burying his face in the crook of my neck and crying like a child.

He went on, "Evelyn, please listen to me. Once I've dealt with the family, then we'll have a child… Just wait a little longer, okay?"

Damien forced me to take the pills and waited until I miscarried. I couldn't bring myself to speak to him for the rest of the day.

Later, a bodyguard told me that the moment Corleone Blackwood found out I was pregnant, he had already ordered someone to kill me. It was only because Damien threatened to take his own life that Corleone called it off.

Corleone gave him two choices, saying, "Either she gets rid of the child, or I'll have her sent to join her dead father."

Damien chose to let me live.

Just then, the hospital room door opened, and Chloe stepped in wearing a red dress. She looked at me and suddenly chuckled.

"Poor thing. You can't even keep your own child," she taunted.

She continued, "You know, you were pregnant once before. But Damien secretly gave you abortion pills to get rid of it. Did you really think he'd ever let the daughter of his enemy carry his child?"

Chloe watched with grim satisfaction as the color drained from my face. "Know your place and get lost."

I lay there, my heart in ruins. I finally realized that, long ago, he had secretly robbed me of the chance to become a mother.

"Do you think Damien can really protect you?" she whispered, leaning close to my ear.

She added, "I'm the one who's pregnant now. Once I give birth to the Blackwood heir, you won't even be fit to lie in this hospital bed."

My gaze fell on the diamond necklace around her neck, the one Damien had given me. I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"Damien gave me this necklace. I thought it was tacky, so I threw it in the drawer. I see it found its way to you," I said.

Chloe's face flushed with fury. She'd thought he had specially bought it for her, but never expected it was something I had cast aside.

She ripped the necklace from her neck and hurled it at my face.

Just as Chloe lunged at me, footsteps echoed from the doorway. She immediately let out a sharp cry and crumpled to the floor.

"Evelyn, why did you push me…" she sobbed.

Damien strode inside the hospital room and found Chloe lying on the floor. His face darkened as he yanked her to her feet and shoved her toward the door.

"Enough with the act. Get out!" he snapped.

She stumbled from the push, then laughed defiantly.

"Do you really think you can protect her forever?"

Damien slammed the door shut, and silence reclaimed the hospital room. He sat on the edge of my bed, gently stroking the back of my hand.

"Get some rest. I'll send you abroad to recuperate," he said.

I shook my head and replied weakly, "No need. I want to leave."

I didn't say it aloud, but I wanted to leave him and this world. Just one more day, and I would be free.

He suddenly pulled me into his arms, holding me so tightly it felt like he wanted to fuse me into himself.

"Don't say that. Evelyn, please…"

On the last day before I planned to die, Ricky's funeral was finally arranged. The service was held in a small chapel, and I was the only one there to mourn him.

In the adjacent hall, Damien and Chloe were exchanging vows. Hearing the wedding music and their promises to each other created a bitter contrast that deepened the grief in my heart.

Ricky was so young, and he should have had a full life ahead of him. After the funeral, I was ready to go home and end my life. As I passed by the wedding reception, Damien's Consigliere, drunk and reeking of alcohol, blocked my way.

He had always liked me, but he had never dared make a move. Now, emboldened by alcohol, he found the courage.

"Such a beauty," he slurred. "I wonder if I might have the honor…"

His hand reached out to grasp my waist.

I froze and instinctively stepped back. I looked at Damien, who was standing not far away. He was looking right at me, and I could feel the murderous intent rolling off him in waves.

Chloe, standing beside him, feigned concern.

"Damien, your sweetheart is being harassed," she said.

After a quick look at Corleone, he turned around and smiled faintly.

"She's nobody," he said, his voice clear enough for those nearby to hear.

He added, "If you're interested, I can have her sent to your room after the reception."

Chloe snuggled up to Damien, laughing with delight as if watching a spectacle.

The Consigliere, sobered by fear, quickly fell silent.

Seeing that Damien wouldn't defend me and was instead handing me over to someone else, I furiously grabbed the Consigliere's arm. Under the astonished gazes of the guests, I pulled him away with me.

Damien stormed down from the ceremonial platform and grabbed my wrist with brutal force. Fury and pain churned in his eyes as he hissed in my ear, "Don't you see I'm putting on a show? Don Corleone is sitting right there."

He continued, "Is your sickly brother all you ever think about? You scheduled his funeral on my wedding day? Did you ever care for me at all?"

"There's a blood feud between our families, right?" I answered.

My calm detachment only made him angrier.

He snarled, his words harsh and unfiltered.

"Yes. Your father killed my elder brother. If my brother were alive, it would be you standing beside me at that altar."

I held back my tears and tried to leave, but Damien ordered his men, "Lock her up. Let her reflect on her actions."

I was dragged back and locked in my room. Tears streamed down my face as I pulled a red dress from the bottom of my closet. I lit the charcoal brazier and closed the windows and door.

I muttered to myself, "Mom, Dad, Ricky, and my two unborn children… I'm coming to join you."

As soon as the wedding banquet ended, Damien hurried home without a moment to spare. Noticing that I had shut myself in, he wanted to explain what he had said earlier.

However, no matter how hard he knocked, I didn't open it. Finally, I heard him order his men to break it down. The moment the door swung open, he saw something he never wanted to see in his life.