Apparently, the mafia heir, Giovanni Alonzi, is on his deathbed. The Alonzi family wants to select a candidate out of all eligible bachelorettes in Monteverde in order to carry his heir and pray for his recovery.

The moment the news gets out, my fiance, Riccardo Moretti, instantly proposes to me. He also urges me to register our marriage on the same day.

We've been childhood sweethearts since we were kids, and we've already gotten engaged a long time ago. Our initial plan is to get married this year.

But on the day I'm supposed to register my marriage with Riccardo, one of the maids drugs me.

My half-sister, Elena Ricci, who shares the same father as me, puts on my gown and walks into City Hall with Riccardo on my behalf.

When I wake up, I find out that Elena is already Riccardo's legitimate wife.

Rage overwhelms my senses immediately. I rush to the bar to confront Riccardo, only to overhear his conversation with his friends outside the private room they are in.

"You really are a genius, Riccardo! You're engaged to Marcella, yet you choose to marry Elena! If Marcella refuses to marry Giovanni, she can only remain your secret lover!

"This way, you'll have both sisters as your lovers! Wow, you really are lucky!"

Rumors had it that Giovanni Alonzi was a ruthless yet strikingly handsome man with a sinister demeanor.

Years ago, however, he was ambushed by enemies, which left his face disfigured and his body frail.

His temperament grew volatile and unpredictable, striking fear into all who heard his name.

Recently, doctors have concluded that his condition was deteriorating and that he was unlikely to survive beyond next spring.

In an attempt to bring him fortune and ensure the continuation of the Alonzi family line, the Alonzis announced, "All unmarried women of appropriate age in Monteverde must participate in a lottery, and the chosen one will become Giovanni's wife."

The moment the news broke, my fiance, Riccardo Moretti, rushed to propose, urging me to marry him that very same day.

We had grown up together, were already engaged, and had planned to wed this year.

Yet, on the very day we were to register our marriage, a household staff member drugged me with sleeping pills.

When I woke up, my half-sister, Elena Ricci, had become Riccardo's lawful wife.

Furious, I stormed into the bar to confront Riccardo. But just outside the private room, I overheard him talking to a friend.

"Riccardo, what a ruthless move! You're engaged to Marcella, but you've actually registered your marriage with Elena. If Marcella refuses to marry Giovanni, she'll have no choice but to silently accept being your mistress.

"With that, you've got both sisters right under your control. It's like having a double share of bliss without lifting a finger."

Riccardo chuckled softly. "To protect both of them, I had to use some tactics. Marcella has always been proud and arrogant, so there's no way she'd ever let Elena marry me. If she found out, she'd make Elena's life miserable.

"She's not like Elena at all, who's so tolerant and understanding. Don't worry, I'll go pick Marcella up in three days."

Through the crack in the private room door, I watched Riccardo clink glasses with his friends.

"Elena is gentle and understanding, so she won't mind if I'm with Marcella," Riccardo said with smug satisfaction.

My brother, Gabriele Ricci, stood up and patted Riccardo's shoulder. In a low voice, he said, "Elena has gone through a lot all these years living away from home. It wasn't until her Madre passed away that she was brought back to the family.

"I need to properly compensate her. Marcella has been pampered since young and has a rather spoiled temper. Not to mention, her attitude toward Elena has always been somewhat dismissive.

"Having Elena take Marcella's place to marry you is both a way to save her and a gesture of amends from Marcella and me."

I tightly clutched the pocket watch Riccardo had given me years ago as a token of our love. The sharp edges of its ornamentation dug into my palm, and blood slowly seeped out.

Did it hurt? Compared to the betrayal of those closest to me, this pain wasn't even one millionth of what I felt.

So, all of this was a scheme between Gabriele and Riccardo. Their goal was to elevate Elena, the illegitimate daughter, to my position, while I, the rightful Ricci heiress, was reduced to the other woman!

I hurled the pocket watch to the ground with all my strength.

Riccardo stepped out of the private room and, seeing the blood-stained, shattered watch on the floor, frowned.

He quickly took my hand and asked with a voice full of concern, "How could you be so careless? Does your hand still hurt?"

Then, he pulled a wet wipe from his pocket and carefully wiped the blood from my hand.

"Why must you always be so impulsive?" he asked softly.

Looking at Riccardo before me, I felt a wave of disorientation.

We grew up together, had long been engaged, and were supposed to be a match made in heaven. But ever since Elena was brought back home, my wedding had been delayed again and again.

If we had already registered our marriage, I wouldn't have been forced to marry Giovanni, who was rumored to be sinister and cruel.

At that thought, I sharply shook off Riccardo's hand.

Riccardo knew I was hurt, so he patiently tried to comfort me, "I know you're angry that Elena married me in your place. But could you really expect me to just stand by and do nothing?

"If Elena had married Giovanni, her life would've been ruined. Look at it this way—you and I are still publicly engaged, and Elena and I have already registered our marriage. The Alonzi family won't dare to target either of you now.

"Isn't this a win-win situation? Be reasonable, Marcella. Elena is magnanimous, so I promise that even after marrying her, I'll love you just as I did before. Three days from now, once the wedding with Elena is over, I'll come to be with you."

A cold smirk curled at the corner of my lips. After all these years together, I finally saw his true colors. But it was already too late.

I picked up the shattered pocket watch and tossed it into Riccardo's hands, my voice icy. "Since you've already married Elena, you should focus on building a life with her from now on.

"You will only be my brother-in-law, and we are finished! You're hardly worthy of having me as your mistress!"

Riccardo's expression darkened. "Marcella, don't take my kindness for granted," he said coldly. "Though it's somewhat unfair for you to be my mistress, isn't it still better than marrying a dying man? Unsurprisingly, you truly lack even half the gentleness Elena possesses."

Watching Riccardo turn and leave with that cold, indifferent air, I felt as if my heart were being torn apart.

The Riccardo who once cherished me, protected me, and promised to love only me forever was gone. And in his heart, Elena had completely taken over my place.

On that very night, the Alonzi family delivered the lottery result to me. Members of the Alonzi family arrived at my home with a betrothal agreement and several carloads of gifts.

The head butler, Matteo Luca, announced loudly, "In three days, Mr. Alonzi will personally come to escort Ms. Ricci."

In three days, I would marry Giovanni, the man rumored to be on the brink of death, as a tool for fortune-bringing and childbearing.

Gabriele's face turned deathly pale as he whispered, "But Marcella is already engaged."

Matteo sneered coldly. "What does that matter? Once Mr. Alonzi has chosen someone, even if she were married, she'd still have to marry him!"

Gabriele collapsed onto the floor in fright, while my Madre, Ginerva Fontana, fainted on the spot.

I stared at the betrothal agreement in my hands, its cover boldly inscribed with the words, "A Match Made in Heaven."

How utterly ironic.

Helping Mamma up, I forced a bitter smile and murmured softly, "I'm willing to marry Giovanni."

"Mr. Alonzi dislikes publicity. Before the wedding, the Alonzi family does not wish to hear any ambiguous rumors, understood?" Matteo added sternly.

Gabriele nodded, trembling.

Satisfied, Matteo set down the betrothal gifts and left.

Mamma stared at the jewels and antiques scattered across the floor, overwhelmed with grief. "Marcella, what are we going to do? You're my only daughter. The Alonzi family is far from decent, and Giovanni is nothing but a violent, dying man.

"How are you supposed to live on from here? It's all your Padre's fault for dying so suddenly and leaving behind this wretched illegitimate child to stir up trouble! Now, anyone can just step all over us whenever they want.

"And you!" Mamma glared fiercely at Gabriele, her tone so full of hatred it felt as if she could devour him alive. "You ungrateful traitor! How could you help some outsider harm your own sister? Don't you have any conscience at all?"

A flicker of guilt flashed in Gabriele's eyes as he silently lowered his head.

I wiped away Mamma's tears and forced down the ache in my heart to comfort her.

"Mamma, don't worry. To put it bluntly, his short life might just be my chance at a long one. As long as I can endure, I'll eventually be free."

Just then, Elena and Riccardo walked in hand-in-hand. When she saw the betrothal gifts scattered on the floor, a trace of envy flashed in her eyes.

"Marcella, how impressive. Even if you can't marry Riccardo properly, you're still willing to throw in so much."

Riccardo wrapped his arm around Elena's waist and smiled mockingly at me. "Just moments ago, you turned me down. So, what's with the eagerness now?"

Mamma stood up and shouted at Elena angrily, "It's all your fault! If it weren't for you, Marcella wouldn't have—"

Just as her hand was about to strike Elena's face, Riccardo landed a sharp blow across my cheek.

Then, he snapped at Mamma, "From now on, Elena is my wife. You are an elder, I won't disrespect you. But whatever you do to Elena, I'll do to Marcella. This slap is a warning."

Clutching my face, I fell to the ground.

A flicker of smug satisfaction flashed in Elena's eyes before she buried herself in Riccardo's arms, sobbing pitifully.

"If my Madre were still here, she would've protected me just the same."

Riccardo held Elena close, comforting her. "Don't be afraid. From now on, I'll stand up for you. No one will dare to bully you again."

Mamma helped me up and glared furiously at Riccardo. "After all the years you and Marcella spent together, how could you treat her like this now?"

Elena leaned weakly against Riccardo, weeping softly. "As long as Marcella doesn't mistreat me, I'm willing to share everything with her."

Before I could speak, Riccardo roared, "No! Elena, you're simply too gentle-hearted. If I don't teach Marcella a lesson and keep her in check, she'll surely target you again."

I stared coldly at the loving couple and sneered. "As if I'm dying to marry you. Just who do you think you are? How dare you boss me around like this?"

Riccardo tightened his arm around Elena and sneered back at me. "Let's see if you'll regret it in three days' time."

Before leaving, Riccardo threw the wedding dress I had custom-made onto the floor and walked away without looking back.

As I watched them leave, I let out a cold laugh.

In three days, I would indeed be getting married. But unfortunately, it wouldn't be to Riccardo.

I instructed one of my household staff, Sofia Bianchi, to burn the wedding dress Riccardo had thrown aside on the spot.

Gabriel hesitated, his words caught in his throat. "Marcella, I never imagined things would turn out this way."

I scoffed at him and said, "You abandoned me the moment you chose Elena. From now on, I have nothing to do with this family anymore. I only hope you'll treat Mamma kindly after I leave."

Gabriel sighed and closed my door.

···

The thought of having to marry the rumored-to-be cruel, cold-blooded, and merciless Giovanni tomorrow filled me with deep sorrow.

Marrying into the Alonzi family would be a stain I could never erase in this lifetime, and there was no guarantee I might even make it out alive.

I turned to Violetta Bellario, who was supposed to be my maid of honor, and whispered, "Violetta, perhaps you shouldn't attend my wedding. Getting involved with the Alonzi family won't do you any good."

Violetta wiped away her tears. Upon hearing my words, she let out a bitter laugh and playfully smacked my shoulder.

"What are you talking about? We promised each other that even if we were marrying Hades, we'd still be each other's maid of honor. Besides, my family isn't one to be easily pushed around either, so I'm not afraid!"

As I watched Violetta's tears falling one after another, my heart softened. "Alright, then come shopping with me at the mall. The Alonzi family has sent over so many things, so we can't afford to look shabby."

Violetta and I had just stepped out of the car when we saw Riccardo accompanying Elena as she browsed for jewelry in the shop.

I had just picked out a bracelet to buy for Violetta when Elena leaned against Riccardo and cooed, "Riccardo, this necklace is so beautiful."

Just as I was about to pay, Riccardo snatched the bracelet and fastened it around Elena's wrist.

"Given your fair complexion, wearing this will really bring out your glow," he said with a smile.

"Riccardo, I was the one who saw this bracelet first," I responded coldly.

Elena pulled off the bracelet pitifully, her wrist red and sore from the tightness. Tears welled up in her eyes as she whimpered, "Riccardo, it hurts so much."

Riccardo glared at me angrily. "It's just a bracelet. Do you really have to make such a fuss? Get this straight—that Elena is my legal wife now, while you and I are only engaged in name.

"If you don't want the Alonzi family to catch wind of anything, you'd better let Elena have what she wants."

Violetta clenched her fists in anger and shouted at Elena, "Stop playing the innocent victim! You take this, you snatch that—must you really steal everything Marcella likes? Have you no shame at all?"

Elena buried herself in Riccardo's embrace, tears streaming down her face. "Riccardo, even an irrelevant friend dares to scold me. If I continue to bear the title of your wife in vain, I fear I'll suffer even more in the future."

Riccardo chuckled coldly and shouted at me, "Marcella, if you can't keep your low-class friend in check, I'll do it for you!"!

He raised his hand to strike Violetta, but I swiftly stepped in front of her. Riccardo's slap landed squarely on my face. I collapsed to the ground, gasps of shock ringing in my ears.

"Marcella!"

I pressed a hand to my cheek, cold sweat breaking out all over as the taste of blood filled my mouth.

Riccardo scoffed coldly. "Trying to play the hero, are we? Take this as a lesson so you won't let Violetta bully Elena again in the future."

Violetta shouted at Riccardo angrily, with tears streaming down her face. "You're delusional if you think Marcella would ever be your mistress! She's about to—"

"Violetta, that's enough." I shook my head softly, signaling for Violetta to help me up. Then, I stared coldly at Riccardo and said, "Don't worry, no one will dare to bully your precious Elena from now on."

A glint of triumph flashed in Elena's eyes, while Riccardo uttered arrogantly, "It seems that slap knocked some sense into you. Once this whole matter is over, if you can get along well with Elena, I'll still treat you as kindly as I did before."

With a bitter smile, I turned and walked out of the jewelry store without looking back.

Riccardo called after me, "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning. Wait for me at the side gate, and I'll settle you in before I head to the wedding."

Violetta muttered a curse under her breath as she helped me into the car.

Elena caught up and tossed the bracelet at me. Then, she said with a smirk, "Marcella, consider this my gift to you as Mrs. Moretti. Starting tomorrow, I'll be Riccardo's rightful wife. Do you really think I'll ever give you another chance to get close to him then?"

Violetta flung the bracelet out of the car window.

Riccardo erupted in fury. "Marcella, Elena was kind enough to give you a gift, yet you dare show such ingratitude? After the wedding, I'll make sure Elena teaches you a proper lesson!"

A car ran over the broken bracelet, just as the love between Riccardo and me was completely shattered.

Elena looked at the fragments on the ground and sobbed. "Riccardo, how can I ever treat Marcella as a sister again after the way she humiliated me today?"

A flash of cruelty passed through Riccardo's eyes as he pulled me out of the car and snarled through gritted teeth, "Marcella, are you determined to defy me? Fine, let's see how long you can keep this up!"

I struggled to break free from his grip, ordering coldly, "Let go of me! Riccardo, you no longer have the right to touch me!"

Violetta rushed forward and pushed Riccardo away. "You shameless scoundrel! You still have the nerve to harass her? Get lost!" she shouted angrily.

Provoked, Riccardo turned livid and pointed at me. "Marcella, if I don't teach you a lesson, you'll never learn!"