For love, I followed Harrison, the underboss of the Moretti family, from halfway across the world.

But for five whole years, my permanent residency application had gone nowhere.

Several key steps required Harrison's personal involvement, but he always claimed he was too swamped with family business to find the time.

Yet Cathy, my so-called stepsister, who was living on our estate, got her residency in just two short weeks.

I only found out through the servants' gossip that Harrison had personally stepped in, pressuring a top immigration lawyer to rush it through.

With my hopes completely shattered, I told him I wanted to go home.

Harrison, a man who was always so proud, panicked.

He pulled me into a fierce embrace, kissing my hair. "Aurora, you're my wife. Getting your permanent residency is just a matter of time."

"But Cathy is different. She has no family to protect her. Without legal status, she could be deported at any moment."

"Just do it for me. Stay. Okay?"

Once again, I gave in to his tender words.

Until today. I went to the immigration office alone to check on my file. The clerk stared at the screen, her face a mask of confusion.

"Ma'am, the system clearly states that Mr. Harrison Moretti's legal spouse is... a Ms. Cathy."

"Did you perhaps fill out your form incorrectly?"

My world froze.

So, the five years of waiting had all been a lie. I wasn't just denied permanent residency; my very marriage was a fraud.

I didn't go back to the estate. I went straight to the airport and flew home.

Before I boarded, the last message from him read: "Stop throwing a tantrum. Come home."

But Harrison, we didn't have a home anymore.

For love, I followed Harrison, the underboss of the Moretti family, from halfway across the world.

But for five whole years, my permanent residency application had gone nowhere.

Several key steps required Harrison's personal involvement, but he always claimed he was too swamped with family business to find the time.

Yet Cathy, my so-called stepsister, who was living on our estate, got her residency in just two short weeks.

I only found out through the servants' gossip that Harrison had personally stepped in, pressuring a top immigration lawyer to rush it through.

With my hopes completely shattered, I told him I wanted to go home.

Harrison, a man who was always so proud, panicked.

He pulled me into a fierce embrace, kissing my hair. "Aurora, you're my wife. Getting your permanent residency is just a matter of time."

"But Cathy is different. She has no family to protect her. Without legal status, she could be deported at any moment."

"Just do it for me. Stay. Okay?"

Once again, I gave in to his tender words.

Until today. I went to the immigration office alone to check on my file. The clerk stared at the screen, her face a mask of confusion.

"Ma'am, the system clearly states that Mr. Harrison Moretti's legal spouse is... a Ms. Cathy."

"Did you perhaps fill out your form incorrectly?"

My world froze.

So, the five years of waiting had all been a lie. I wasn't just denied permanent residency; my very marriage was a fraud.

I didn't go back to the estate. I went straight to the airport and flew home.

Before I boarded, the last message from him read: "Stop throwing a tantrum. Come home."

But Harrison, we didn't have a home anymore.

...

The clerk behind the counter noticed my prolonged silence.

Thinking I hadn't understood, she slowed her speech and repeated herself.

"Ma'am, you might want to double-check your information..."

That snapped me back to reality. I reached out, snatched back the form that now felt like a worthless piece of paper, and forced a smile.

"No need to check. Thank you."

After a few dazed seconds, my first instinct was to call Harrison and demand an explanation.

The line rang for a long time.

In the end, it was Cathy who answered.

"Aurora, Harrison's in an important family meeting. Is it urgent?"

"You can tell me, and I'll pass it along."

"Though, I can't imagine you have anything more important to discuss than what's for dinner or which color tie he should wear tomorrow."

"We're finalizing the routes for an arms shipment. You're a housewife. Try not to cause any trouble."

Every word was a barb, leaving me speechless.

I could faintly hear Harrison's deep voice in the background.

"What is it?"

Cathy chuckled lightly. "Nothing, just an... unimportant call."

"You get back to looking at those territory maps."

The call was disconnected.

I stared at the darkened screen as a single tear I couldn't stop splashed onto the back of my hand.

But as I cried, a bitter laugh escaped my lips.

Thinking back, I shouldn't have been surprised.

Harrison and Cathy had known each other since they were children. They were childhood sweethearts, their history running far deeper than mine.

I knew all this the day I accepted his proposal.

Back then, Harrison had pinned me against a wall, his gaze burning into me. "That's ancient history, Aurora. The position of Donna, the family's future matriarch, will always be yours. You're the only one I love now."

And I, naively, had believed him.

Not long after I married Harrison and moved here, Cathy followed, using the pretext of seeking refuge with family.

At the time, Harrison would soothe me in bed, kissing my collarbone and whispering reassurances.

"She's a delicate girl with no one to rely on. The world outside is chaotic. I can't trust her to live in someone else's territory."

And so, Cathy moved openly into the estate with Harrison and me.

Before long, she had effortlessly integrated herself into his inner circle.

Everyone in the family could sense the inappropriate intimacy, the line that had been crossed.

But Harrison always maintained an air of complete control. "She's just a little sister who needs looking after. Don't get jealous."

And I believed him again. I closed my eyes, covered my ears, and contented myself with being the exquisite canary in his golden cage.

I remembered my mother's words, spoken just before I decided to leave the country. She had seen right through him.

She knew the rules of the underworld, and she knew her daughter. Realizing she couldn't change my mind, she had simply offered a faint smile.

"You're too inexperienced, so I won't stand in your way. One day, you'll understand."

"A woman who lives on a man's favor is just a pretty ornament. The moment he stops admiring you, you can be replaced in an instant."

Blinded by love, I had scoffed at her words.

I was certain Harrison's love was my impenetrable shield.

I cut off all financial support from my own family, betting everything to follow him, marrying into a foreign country with a culture and language completely alien to me.

After enduring five long years, I thought I had finally found my place in this underworld.

Only now did I finally wake up to the truth: the man who had promised to protect me for a lifetime had broken his vow long ago.

Only now, having lost everything, did I finally understand what my mother had meant.

My thoughts returned to the present. I unlocked my phone. Without a moment's hesitation, I booked the next flight home.

The departure was tonight.

Five years.

I didn't have another five years to waste on Harrison.

The booking confirmation alert pinged on my screen.

At the top of the screen, Harrison's name abruptly flashed.

He was calling me back.

"Aurora, I was in a meeting with some of the capos. Is it urgent?"

"We need to talk. I'm on my way over now."

Harrison hesitated, his voice strained.

"Now? I'm afraid it's not a good time. I have a meeting with some of the family elders tonight. If this is just about something trivial, like picking out jewelry, wait until I get back to the estate and..."

"I can't wait another second," I cut him off.

My uncharacteristically firm tone made Harrison pause.

After all, for the past five years, I had been obedient and agreeable. I had rarely even said the word "no" to him.

Let alone showed such open defiance.

His voice lowered, thick with displeasure. "Are you still throwing a fit about the permanent residency? I've already announced to everyone that you're my woman, the future Donna of the Moretti family."

"Under my protection, on this turf, a piece of paper won't stop you from having everything."

"As for all that tedious government paperwork, I've been busy taking over new territory. I just don't have time to deal with it. Besides, all you do is manage the estate. What do you even need that for?"

"Aurora, be good. I'm always here to protect you. You don't have to worry about a thing."

Harrison had whispered similar sweet nothings in my ear on countless passionate nights.

But hearing them now, every word dripped with bitter irony.

Protecting a woman who wasn't his legal wife?

Then what did that make me?

The other woman? His mistress, hidden away in the shadows? Or just an accessory to be discarded whenever he pleased?

At best, I was little more than a bedmate, to be used at his whim.

I didn't confront him over the phone.

I just said coolly, "I'll be there in twenty minutes," and hung up.

There were some things I needed to hear from Harrison's own lips, while he was looking me in the eye.

Since I never involved myself in family business, I had rarely set foot in this private club he owned.

Harrison was always busy. I felt that showing up unannounced would only be a disturbance, not a help.

My unfamiliarity was obvious. The bodyguards at the door questioned me for a long time before his assistant, Marco, finally led me up to the VIP room in the furthest corner of the second floor.

When I reached it, the thick, soundproofed wooden door was slightly ajar. Through the crack, I could hear the raucous laughter of men inside.

I recognized their voices. They were the family's trusted Capos, each in charge of their own district.

One of them downed a shot of liquor and shouted boisterously,

"Boss, when are you finally gonna throw a proper wedding for Cathy? The boys have already stocked up on ammunition to celebrate."

"Yeah, you're legally husband and wife. By all rights, you should have produced an heir by now. Why are you still keeping her so hidden?"

Cathy's coy protest followed. "Oh, you guys, stop it. Harrison only helped me get legal status for the sake of our families and our childhood friendship."

"If Aurora heard you talking like this, she'd get jealous."

The man who had spoken was clearly not giving up.

Instead, he took his cue from Cathy and started badmouthing me.

"So what if she gets jealous? If the Boss wasn't spending a fortune on that little canary, a helpless woman like her would've been passed around and killed on the streets by now. She can't compare to you, Cathy. You're a woman who can hold her own with the Boss at the negotiating table."

"Besides keeping the Boss happy in bed, what is she good for? Laundry and cooking? We have servants for that. She's just a pretty decoration."

He then added with a low chuckle, offering Harrison some advice.

"Boss, if you ask me, you should just make this thing with Cathy official and make her our real Donna."

"As for the one you're keeping at the estate, just toss her a check and send her packing back home."

My hand, resting on the brass doorknob, froze.

Like the men in the room, I held my breath, waiting for Harrison's answer.

His silence was a clear sign of his approval of the insulting banter.

The sound of his fingertips tapping the table stopped for a few seconds, followed by a soft chuckle.

"Alright, shut your mouths. Cathy's sensitive."

"As for the one at home... she's been a bit temperamental lately. Nothing a little coaxing in bed can't fix. And if that doesn't work, well... we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

The subtext was crystal clear.

As his words fell, the VIP room erupted in knowing, complicit laughter.

I refused to stand outside like a fool any longer.

Amid the jeering laughter, I pushed open the door.

The boisterous men in the VIP room fell silent at once. Every head snapped toward me as I entered.

The room was dead quiet. Everyone stared, stunned.

Harrison turned as well, the lazy smile on his lips freezing instantly.

"Aurora? How did you..."

After a brief moment of shock, Harrison recovered quickly.

He strode toward me, his voice a frantic whisper. "How did you get here so fast? I told you to call and have a bodyguard bring you up."

I didn't answer. I just stood there, looking at him calmly.

My placid demeanor seemed to unnerve him; he couldn't read me.

Harrison moved to put an arm around my waist, his voice low as he tried to explain. "Did you... hear what they were saying?"

"I was just joking around with them. Don't worry, next month I'll personally put the pressure on and get your residency sorted out."

I remained silent.

My gaze drifted past his broad shoulders, sweeping coldly over the mob bosses who were watching the drama unfold.

After a long moment, I finally spoke, my voice flat.

"I just got here. I didn’t hear anything." I paused, looking at the room full of people.

"But clearly, I came at a bad time and spoiled your fun. "

"Since you're so busy, let's just forget it."

I had heard enough.

Making a scene and demanding answers about his marriage, not here, not in front of them, would earn me no pity.

It would only be a public humiliation.

My flight was tonight. All I wanted now was to go back to the estate and get my documents.

In eight hours, I would be gone from this place for good.

But I never expected that as I turned to leave, Cathy would grab my wrist in a death grip.

Her eyes instantly reddened, and tears streamed down her face.

"Aurora, I know you’re jealous of me, but must you keep Harrison on such a tight leash?" Cathy asked, her voice dripping with false innocence.

"You knew he had an important meeting with the Capos today. Did you have to follow him all the way here just to check on him?"

At her words, the men exchanged knowing smirks, their gazes on me turning colder, more disdainful.

My brow furrowed. Cathy was always like this, effortlessly throwing mud at me while playing the victim.

I met her eyes. "If you’re so afraid of angering me, then let go of my hand. And for the record, I’m not here to check on anyone. I’m here on business."

Instead of letting go, Cathy tightened her grip.

She began to wail, completely unhinged.

"No, I won’t let go!" Cathy wailed loudly.

"Not until we clear this up, right here and now! You have to tell them that Harrison and I are just family, that there’s nothing between us."

"And you have to promise you’ll stop throwing these jealous fits and let us be together like always. I won’t let your petty jealousy ruin his reputation!"

Even with my best attempts at composure, her blatant provocation and two-faced act finally lit the fuse of my anger.

"What kind of act are you putting on?"

"Your mother was a conniving, social-climbing snake who slept with my father while pretending to be his wife's best friend."

"And now you're following in her footsteps, using the title of my sister to shamelessly seduce Harrison, and you have the nerve to ask for my forgiveness?"

"Is it in your blood to do despicable things while painting yourselves as saints?"

My words shamed Cathy so much she buried her face in her hands and burst into tears.

Seeing her sobbing, Harrison's eyes flashed with rage. He whirled on me and roared, "That's enough!"

"Aurora, show some respect! Cathy is the Principessa of this family! If you have a problem, we'll deal with it behind closed doors at the estate. Don't stand here acting like a madwoman and making a scene for everyone to see."

Watching him so shamelessly defend her, the last thread of affection I had for him snapped.

My heart was dead. I couldn't be bothered to tear him apart in front of all these people.

I gave my arm a sharp tug to break free from Cathy's grasp.

I had barely used any strength at all.

"Ah—!"

But Cathy let out a piercing shriek. She threw herself backward, crashing hard against an expensive, solid-wood display cabinet.

With a sickening crash of shattering glass, she collapsed into a pile of broken shards and spilled liquor, her face pale as she clutched her stomach and cried out in pain.

"It hurts... blood... it hurts so much!"

"Harrison, help me... our baby!"

Baby?!

The absurd word had barely registered before I was shoved violently aside. My back slammed against the cold wall, and Harrison's furious tirade rained down on me. "Aurora, have you lost your mind?!"

"Cathy was trying her best to help us make up, and you attack her? What the hell is wrong with you?"

I fought through the searing pain in my back and stared in disbelief at the man I had once loved so deeply.

"You were standing right here. You saw I didn't even push her."

"You knocked her up, and you have the gall to stand here and lecture me?"

I never imagined he would use my love for him to be so brazen, so cruel.

Harrison, consumed by his own anger, threw back words that were each more cutting than the last.

"Aurora, you've disappointed me more than I can say. Have you forgotten who's been supporting you here for the last five years?"

"Since you can't even follow the most basic rules... Someone, pull her security detail! Now! And freeze all family assets in her name."

"I've spoiled you rotten all these years. It's time you faced reality and saw for yourself if you can survive without the support of the Moretti family!"

With that, Harrison didn't spare me another glance. He swept the still-moaning Cathy into his arms.

He then roared at the stunned men around him.

"What the hell are you all standing there for? Get the family doctor!"

"Get the car! We're going to the best private clinic! Now!"

His men swarmed around them, rushing them out of the room in a panic.

The vast VIP room was suddenly empty, leaving me alone, rubbing my bruised shoulder, frozen in place.

I lowered my eyes and let out a self-mocking laugh.

Look at yourself, Aurora.

This is the man you gave up everything for, the man you followed with blind courage.

What does it matter how much you loved him? It all ended up like this.

But maybe this was for the best. At least now, there would be no lingering attachment.

I knew Harrison's personality too well. He was a man of his word.

I abandoned the idea of going back to the estate to pack.

Since he was so convinced that everything I had was a gift from him, I had no reason to take anything he had paid for.

Fortunately, I had brought my passport and all my identification with me today for the trip to the immigration office.

That was enough.

I stepped over the mess and walked out of the club. Using the last of my cash, I hailed a taxi and headed straight for the airport.