The butt of the gun slammed hard into my shoulder.

I heard the sound of bone dislocating, and searing pain instantly flooded my entire body. However, I did not fall and neither did I cry.

"Spoiled Principessa," Vincenzo sneered as he put away his gun. "Your existence makes the air in this estate foul."

He crouched down and gently helped Adriana up. "Does it hurt? I'll call for a doctor."

"No need. I'm fine." Adriana weakly shook her head, her voice trembling. "I'm just frightened, that's all."

She looked past Vincenzo's shoulder at me. In those clear eyes flashed a hint of triumph.

Just like countless times in my last life, she had successfully played the victim again.

I used my good hand to support myself against the wall, steadying myself. Everyone else in the room held their breath, waiting for this storm to end.

"I'll leave the estate." My voice was calm. "Very soon."

Vincenzo said without turning back, "That would be for the best."

Then, he carried Adriana out of the room, leaving me alone to face the bloodstains and pain. The bodyguards and maids in the estate had all seen what just happened, but no one dared step forward to help me.

They knew Vincenzo's temper and what would happen if they offended him.

I leaned against the wall and slowly made my way to the phone, dialing the number of the family doctor.

"Dr. Romano, it's me, Rosalie. I need you to come over. Yes, right away."

An hour later, my shoulder was reset and my arm was secured with bandages. Elio Romano was an old friend of the Moretti family who had served us since I was a child.

"You need to rest for at least two weeks." He packed up his medical kit, then paused. "Also, Ms. Moretti, this kind of injury isn't caused by an accident."

"I know."

He looked at my calm expression. He wanted to say more but ultimately held back.

As the family doctor, he had seen too many consequences of violence and understood that in this mafia family, women were often put in even more dangerous situations.

"If you need any help..." He left the sentence unfinished, gathered his things, and left.

Three days later, I moved out of the Marino estate. This time, there were no tears or reluctance.

I hired a professional moving company and had everything that belonged to me moved to a penthouse apartment in downtown Elgano City.

It was a luxury apartment over 3,000 square feet, located in the prime area of Pica Avenue. I then began setting up my own fashion studio.

I thought about many things during that year of imprisonment in my last life. I often asked myself what I would do and what kind of person I would become if I could live again.

I wanted my own career and my own life. I would never depend on any man again. I would never sacrifice everything for 'family' again.

I contacted several designer friends in New Fay and Marise and began preparing to set up my personal brand. Although the Moretti family was part of the mafia, our legitimate businesses included high-end hotels and luxury goods trading, providing me with a solid business foundation.

One late night, a week after moving out, Vincenzo drunkenly called me while I was organizing design sketches.

"I'm at the club. Come here." His voice was thick with alcohol, and the background music was deafening. "Now."

"I've already moved out."

"Moved out?" He paused for a few seconds, then let out a mocking laugh. "You've finally learned your lesson? Realized you're not worthy of living in the Marino estate?"

I did not respond to his provocation.

In my last life, I would have cried bitterly over such humiliation. I would have proven my worth to him over and over again.

"Very good." His tone suddenly turned vicious, the alcohol exposing his true nature. "Since you're so sensible, go buy Adriana a million-dollar jewelry set as an apology gift. Then, get back to the estate and be my quiet fiancée. I don't want to hear any more complaints from you."

"I refuse," I said calmly, my fingers lightly brushing over the design sketches on the table. "I have a better proposal."

"What?"

"I'll leave Elgano, as you wish. We'll never see each other again."

With that, I ended the call.

"Rosalie, get your ass back to Elgano. Now."

Vincenzo's cold and domineering voice came through the phone like a poisoned dagger.

I stood in my newly opened studio in the New Fay commercial district. Beneath my feet was polished concrete flooring, and the air carried a mix of fresh paint and champagne.

"Why?" I tucked the phone between my shoulder and ear, continuing to adjust the pieces on the wall.

"Family meeting." His tone brooked no argument. "You didn't attend the last one. The family council needs to renegotiate our wedding date."

Wedding date. The words made my stomach churn.

In my last life, I sat through this so-called 'meeting' like a puppet on strings, listening to a group of men decide my future while foolishly believing it was the beginning of my happiness.

"I'm busy," I refused tersely.

"This isn't a request." Vincenzo's voice dropped lower. "I'll say it again. Come back immediately."

"I'm not available."

"Rosalie!" he roared. "Don't make me resort to force and drag you back here!"

"Do what you want." I calmly ended the call, shutting out his furious bellowing.

Yet in the end, I went back anyway. It was not because of him but because of my father, the Don of the Moretti family. He called me personally.

His deep voice came through the receiver. "Rosalie, there are just some things you must resolve in person."

I understood what he meant.

This was not just about my marriage. It concerned the Moretti family's dignity. I could not let the family fall into a passive position because of me, whether in my last life or now. My family had given me real help over the years.

In my last life, I could not imagine how heartbroken Papa was when he learned of my death.

Three days later, I set foot on Elgano soil again. The estate I had fled from loomed like a dormant beast, quietly waiting for its prey to walk into the trap.

The family meeting was held in the estate's council hall. On both sides of the long mahogany table sat the core members of the two families' councils.

Vincenzo sat beside the head seat, his expression as dark as storm clouds. Adriana sat on his other side, playing the role of mistress of the house. She gently poured him tea.

"Rosalie is here," Papa said, breaking the silence.

I walked straight to the head of the table and stood before everyone.

"I demand the annulment of my engagement to Vincenzo Marino." My voice was clear and loud, without a trace of hesitation.

The council hall plunged into dead silence. Everyone stared at me in shock.

Vincenzo shot to his feet, and his chair scraped against the floor with a harsh screech. "Are you insane?"

"I'm perfectly clear-headed." I looked at him coldly. "Vincenzo's heart belongs to another, and my pride does not allow me to share a man."

My gaze swept over Adriana, whose face had turned pale.

"This is impossible!" The Marino family's Consigliere slammed his hand on the table. "This is a betrayal of both families!"

"On the contrary." Papa's voice rang out as he slowly rose to his feet, his powerful presence commanding everyone's attention.

"It was the Marino family who first disrespected my daughter. My daughter deserves a husband who will love her wholeheartedly."

He looked at Vincenzo, his gaze as sharp as a blade. "Vincenzo, do you have anything to say?"

Vincenzo's face turned ashen. He could not say a word.

I took a deep breath, knowing the most critical step was over. I turned to leave, no longer wanting to see Vincenzo's hypocritical face.

However, Adriana blocked my path.

"Rosalie, please." She suddenly dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she looked at me. "Please let me and Vincenzo be together."

She grabbed my hand, her icy fingertips making me shudder. "I'm... I'm pregnant. It's Vincenzo's child."

Gasps echoed around us. I ignored her performance and tried to pull my hand away.

"Please, you can't do this to us..."

The moment I yanked my hand free, she seemed to lose all strength. She threw herself backward and tumbled down the marble steps beside us.

Beneath her white dress, a glaring red stain rapidly spread. Everything seemed to happen in a flash.

"Adriana!" Vincenzo let out a piercing roar like an enraged beast and charged out of the council hall.

He saw Adriana lying on the ground, blood pooling beneath her. Then, he looked up at me standing on the steps, and his eyes instantly turned bloodshot.

A resounding slap landed hard across my face.

My head snapped to the side. My ears rang, and my cheek burned with searing pain.

"Rosalie, you vicious woman!" he roared, his voice filled with despair and fury.

I slowly turned my head and looked at him, grief and rage written across his face as if he had lost everything.

Then, using all my strength, I slapped him back. The sound was equally sharp and loud.

"Rest assured," I said, looking into his shocked eyes. My words were cold and deliberate. "As of today, I'm no longer your fiancée."