My fiance, Victor Blackwood, is a mafia boss who rules the country's underworld with an iron fist.

To the rest of the world, he is the epitome of power.

Yet to me, he is the embodiment of love.

But I do not realize the cost of loving a man like him.

On Valentine's Day, I cook his favorite dishes and wait for him to come home. However, time passes, and his chair stays empty.

Uneasy, I go to Queenie Stone's social media page. She is Victor's foster sister.

She posts, "All I said was that I felt lonely, and he came right away.

"Even when I accidentally spilled wine on him, he didn't mind. Victor is still someone who puts family first, even if it means neglecting his lover.

"He never lets me down. I hope things stay that way."

In the photo, Victor's shirt is soaked at the waist.

Queenie's handkerchief lingers near his most private parts, but he doesn't pull away. He merely looks at her affectionately.

I do not make a fuss and give Queenie's post a like.

Then, I send Victor a message that reads, "Let's break up."

Victor ignores it as always.

Later, I discover that when my breakup message popped up, he had said offhandedly, "Vivienne can't live without me. She's just acting out.

"If I ignore her for a few days, she'll come crawling back by herself. She's easy to please."

What he doesn't know is that I was easy to handle only because I once loved him.

But now that I have decided to leave, he cannot make me turn back, no matter how he tries to win me over.

My message asking to break up with Victor Blackwood received no reply. It was completely ignored.

Queenie Stone, on the other hand, sent a video almost immediately.

It showed a lively private club, with a few of Victor's closest subordinates teasing him.

"Don Blackwood, Vivienne has loved you for seven years, and she actually dared to say she wants to break up? She can't be serious, right?"

Victor toyed with a die in his hand, sounding indifferent as he spoke. "She's just throwing a tantrum to make me go back and keep her company.

"I was planning to have a few drinks and return. But the more she behaves like this, the less I'll indulge her. She can cool off on her own for a few days first."

As he spoke, he brought a glass of wine to Queenie's lips.

He said, "Try this. It was flown in today, and it tastes pretty good."

Queenie smiled and drank it with his help.

Victor's subordinates exchanged meaningful glances.

One of them said, "Anyway, Vivienne's just someone you picked off the streets to keep the family satisfied. You might as well break up with her."

Another chimed in, "Exactly! Everyone knows that you care most about Ms. Stone, Don Blackwood. No one else could ever come between the two of you."

"If you ask me, both of you are the perfect match!" one other subordinate exclaimed.

Victor frowned. Just as he looked like he was about to argue, Queenie interrupted him.

She playfully pouted and patted him on the arm.

"What are you guys talking about? Vic, you should make it up to Vivienne, or people will think I'm the reason you two argued."

Victor's lips curled into a smile as he looked at my photo on his phone wallpaper. "Relax, she's easy to please."

I watched the video expressionlessly, but there was a crushing pain in my chest.

I remembered the first time I met him. I hadn't known then that he was an heir to a mafia family.

It was a rainy night, and I had taken a wrong turn into an alley. Suddenly, I was surrounded by gunfire, violence, and the smell of blood.

A bullet grazed past my ear. I wanted to run, but my legs wouldn't comply.

Then Victor appeared. He stood in front of me as he shielded me from danger with his strong back.

When he noticed me trembling, he gently held my hand, sending searing warmth through me.

"Don't be afraid. I will protect you," he said.

The bullets and screams gradually faded from view.

When I returned to my senses to thank him, he had already vanished.

From that night on, I couldn't control my desire for him.

At night, I dreamed of being held in his arms. During the day, I absentmindedly sketched his well-defined side profile.

A month later, I found myself turning into that alley again. Somehow, I found him covered in blood, slumped against the wall, and gasping for air.

Sobbing, I threw myself at his side and asked how I could save him.

"Why do you like to cry so much?" He leaned close to me and brushed the rain-soaked hair from my face. "Help me out a little and hide me at your place."

When I lost myself in his dark, intense gaze, I truly believed I had entered a world I could never escape. With our unspoken understanding, I gave myself to him and became his only lover.

That was until a year ago. He lost control in bed and called out Queenie's name once without realizing it.

I could feel the blood in my body turn cold.

The next day, he put a priceless jeweled bracelet on my wrist and kissed my fingertips lightly.

He said, "Don't read too much into it. Queenie's only my foster sister. I just miss her a little, since it's been so long since I last saw her."

Seeing the dark circles under his eyes, I gave in.

After all, he had truly treated me well.

On cold winter nights, he would warm my hands in his coat.

Once, I accidentally twisted my ankle. He then spent the next few weeks carrying me up and down the stairs.

Whenever I had my period, a cup of hot cocoa that he prepared would always appear by my bed.

I once thought I would be the woman who stayed by his side until the end.

But six months ago, his foster sister Queenie returned. She had been sent abroad for her safety.

As she linked arms with Victor, she tilted her head and studied me for a long moment. Then, she smiled innocently and remarked, "Vic, why did you find someone who looks so much like me?"

In that instant, I came face-to-face with the cruel truth.

It was Queenie who had weak health and couldn't stand the cold since childhood.

She was the one who often twisted her ankle in high heels.

Even the hot cocoa Victor brought to me was Queenie's favorite brand.

So, it turned out all the love I secretly savored at night under the covers had been stolen from her.

Victor had once sworn to me, "Vivienne, once my enemies are dealt with, I'll give you a spectacular wedding for the world to see."

He also said, "You love occasions, so I will spend every Valentine's Day with you from now on."

Now that he had no enemies left, there was still no sign of him preparing the wedding.

He had forgotten his vows, and I no longer had to remember them.

Because I was leaving too.

By midnight, Victor still had not returned.

I couldn't fall asleep the whole night. That was when I heard noises from the kitchen downstairs.

Victor was back. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing off his strong forearms. He was putting the already cold steak I had made for him last night back into the pan.

He said, "I'll make up for Valentine's Day with you today."

Then, he cut off a small piece of steak and ate it without looking the least bit bothered by it.

My eyes widened.

Victor was extremely picky about food. He never touched leftovers, much less a steak from the night before.

I took two steps toward him before meeting his smug gaze.

Realization dawned on me, and the hope vanished from my eyes.

I finally understood.

To him, making an exception for me was enough to coax me, and I had no right to be upset anymore.

In the past, this trick had always worked. Now, I only shook my head and replied, "There's no need to."

The damage to me was already done. No matter what he did, it would never mend the wound in my heart.

Victor frowned slightly. Then, he pushed a velvet box toward me and said, "This is your Valentine's Day gift. Last night's matter ends here."

I looked at the box but didn't touch it.

Victor opened it himself, and inside was a pair of sparkling diamond earrings.

He had given me countless pieces of expensive jewelry over the past seven years, but he never understood what I truly cared about.

I merely stared at the earrings in silence and said nothing.

I could see the impatience grow in his eyes, but he softened his tone as if soothing me from a tantrum.

"That's enough, babe."

He shoved the box into my hand and said, "Take it and stop looking like you've been so wronged. The price of this is enough to make any woman smile.

"Queenie told me to get this to cheer you up, yet you're still jealous of her for no reason. So don't say that kind of thing again, okay?"

So that was it.

Even this belated attempt of his to make amends had only come because Queenie told him to.

"Victor, I'm serious," I said slowly. "We—"

I wanted to say, "We should just break up. Let me go."

But the rest of my words were cut off by his phone ringing.

"Queenie?" His tone turned gentle at once, and he shifted his attention away from me. "Alright, I'm on my way."

He hung up the phone and lingered for a moment, studying me.

Then, he said, "Be good and stop being upset. There's an urgent matter at Queenie's. I'll be right back."

As he had so many times before, he left me with empty promises and walked out.

This time, I didn't watch his back as he departed.

I took out another phone and dialed a number. The call connected quickly, and a voice I had not heard in ages came through.

"You've made up your mind?" the person asked.

"Yes," I said softly as I looked out the window. "Come take me away."

After hanging up, I changed my clothes. In the evening, I went alone to the most hidden private club in the city.

The people sent were already there waiting for me. They would help arrange everything, so I could break away from the Blackwood family cleanly.

But as soon as I stepped into the passageway meant for VIPs at the back, I saw Victor and Queenie through a half-open door.

They were sitting very closely next to each other on a velvet couch.

The table was full of Queenie's favorite dishes. Smiling, she lifted a spoonful of soup to Victor's lips.

"This is good, Vic. Try some," she said.

Victor didn't refuse as usual.

Seeing it in person hit harder than any photo. I stumbled into the door beside me, feeling as though all strength had been drained from me.

Hearing the noise, Queenie looked up and saw me standing there. She nudged Victor with a smile.

There was mockery in Queenie's expression, as if she were enjoying a show.

She was waiting for me to break down like before, which I had done many times in the past because of her.

On our dating anniversary, one phone call from her was enough for Victor to abandon me and go car racing with her.

Once, I was injured in an ambush and was lying in a hospital bed. Victor said he was going to deal with the traitor for me, but he flew to Glorian to watch a fashion show with her instead.

I had screamed at him in anger and even begged him to stay without a shred of dignity.

But he always had the same cold answer for me.

"Stop it. Queenie and I are just siblings."

Now, I took a deep breath to steady my roiling emotions, then turned to leave.

But Victor frowned and grabbed my arm.

There was a hint of displeasure in his eyes as he said, "You clearly followed me all the way here, but now you're leaving without eating something first?

"Are you throwing another fit because you misunderstood me and Queenie again?

"I've already tried to comfort you and even gave you a gift. Vivienne, don't push your luck just because I've been patient with you."

He rarely said so much to me in one breath.

It wasn't because he cared, but because he sensed that things were slipping out of his control.

But none of that mattered anymore.

"I'm just here to see someone," I said, trying my very best to keep my tone even. "Besides, we've already broken up. Whatever both of you do now has nothing to do with me."

Queenie's eyebrows rose. My reaction was clearly not what she had expected.

"Vivienne, don't say things out of spite," she said slowly as she looped her arm around Victor's flashily. "I was in a bad mood today, so I had Vic come to keep me company.

"Don't read too much into it. Although he and I are not related by blood, we really are just family."

Queenie was enjoying the privilege of a lover while hiding behind the title of family.

It was shameless, but it no longer had anything to do with me.

I didn't bother to defend myself and merely nodded. Then, I walked toward the neighboring private room I had reserved to meet my contact.

But before we could start our discussion, voices from the room next door slipped through the crack of the door.

It was Queenie's voice, full of hurt and complaint.

"Vic, why are you so bad at coaxing people now? You can't even soothe Vivienne, and now she has come all the way here to pick on me.

"You never used to be like this with me before. When I was 16 years old, you gave me a private island just to make me happy.

"On my 18th birthday, I wanted to play the piano, and you invited a world-class musician to accompany me.

"So why have your comforting skills gotten worse now?"

Every word she uttered was dripping with showy pretension.

Victor was silent for a moment, then he said petulantly, "Of course, she can't compare to you."

I felt a sharp pang of pain in my chest. Then, I dug my nails into my palms as I forced my attention back to the matter at hand.

I had devoted seven years of my life to him, only to get that one sentence in return.

I had wondered countless times before—why did the man who once cared for me in every way become so cold and distant after Queenie's return?

I understood it all now.

No matter how deeply I loved and devoted myself to him, I wasn't Queenie.

And it was time for me to quit Victor once and for all.