My feet reached the top of the stairs, and my thoughts returned to the present.

Dante stood below, his dark gaze fixed on me, trying to find a reaction to his words on my face. He found nothing.

I turned toward the master bedroom.

"Sienna," his voice was hoarse, carrying a strange sliver of hope.

I stopped, but I didn't turn back.

"Do you know what day it is?" he asked.

I stared at the closed oak door of the bedroom. If he hadn't mentioned it, I truly would have forgotten. Ever since he took Tess as his secretary, he had been "busy with business" every anniversary.

Last year, I spent three hours preparing his favorite meal and bought him the antique watch he’d been eyeing for months.

By 9:00 PM, he wasn't home. I called his private line. Tess answered, her voice sharp over the din of a noisy bar. "The boss is a little drunk right now. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him."

Dante was obsessively protective of his encrypted phone.

Early in our marriage, I had merely moved it to wipe the marble counter, and he had scolded me: civilian hands had no right to touch Syndicate business.

But Tess was allowed to answer his most secure line.

When he came home the next day, we had an earth-shattering row. He left in a rage, leaving my carefully prepared dinner to rot and the gift unopened.

Standing in the hallway now, the memory faded.

Today was our anniversary again.

I tilted my head slightly, catching his eye for a split second.

"I forgot."

His hand, halfway through loosening his tie, froze. His throat moved with effort, and his hands dropped to his sides.

"You forgot?" he repeated, the hope in his voice shattering instantly. "It’s our fifth anniversary."

I looked at his shocked expression and felt nothing. No victory, no remorse—only a vast, silent emptiness.

I pushed open the bedroom door, leaving him in the darkness below.

Just past midnight, a commotion downstairs woke me. I walked to the top of the stairs and looked down through the railing.

Tess was standing by the sofa, crying loudly. "Did I mess up the operation? The Capos are going to hate me."

Dante stood a few feet away, his posture relaxed. "I’ll explain it to my wife later. It wasn't your fault." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don’t blame yourself."

I had seen enough and began to walk down. Before I reached the last step, Tess suddenly threw her arms around Dante’s neck, pressing herself against his chest.

I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, watching them. Dante’s hands hovered over her back, hesitating for a moment.

I said nothing, walking straight past them into the kitchen to pour a glass of water.

When Dante’s eyes met mine, his expression shifted from surprise to panic. He pushed Tess away, stepping back to create distance.

Tess flustered, wiping her face. "I was just... overwhelmed by the Don’s kindness."

I ignored her, filled my glass, and took a slow sip. Then I turned, leaning against the counter with a faint smile.

"It doesn't matter. No explanation needed." My gaze shifted to Dante. "Please keep it down. I’m trying to sleep."

Tess looked at Dante, waiting for him to defend her or scold me.

Dante didn't look at her. He only stared at my face. "Go home, Tess."

A few minutes after the front door closed, Dante walked into the bedroom. He looked more exhausted than I had ever seen him, dark circles heavy under his eyes.

"Something is wrong between us," his voice was laced with panic. "We need to talk."

I sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the man in the doorway. Tonight, Dante looked like a stranger to me.

I smiled slightly. "What do you want to talk about? Tess?"

Dante fell silent, his shoulders tense.

I let out a soft sigh. "There’s nothing to say. I understand you need to comfort your subordinates for the sake of the family, right? There’s nothing to explain because I understand everything."

Those were the exact words he used to say to me whenever I cried for his comfort.

Dante’s face went pale instantly. He opened his mouth to speak, but the sharp ring of his encrypted backup phone cut through the silence.

He pulled the device out, hesitated for a second, and hit speakerphone.

"Boss!" Tess’s voice came through, thick with hysterical sobbing. "Someone shot at my car! I think I’m being followed! Please, save me!"

Dante frowned, his lethal instincts taking over. "Call the family doctor and go to the nearest safe house. I’ll send a Capo with armed men to protect you."

He hung up and immediately began mobilizing his men. I sat quietly, watching him issue cold, calculated orders.

When he finally hung up, he rubbed his face with his hand.

"If you knew this would happen," I broke the silence, "you should have driven her home yourself."

Dante froze, staring at me for a long time. "I shouldn't have taken her away," he murmured to himself, as if trying to convince his own conscience.

I pulled back the covers and lay down, turning my back to him. "Turn off the light when you leave."

Just like our marriage, it was time to turn out the lights.