Justine's heart was pounding. As he got closer, Kevin clenched his right hand.

"Get that off her!" He pointed to the duct tape around her wrists and ankles.

After they freed her from her bonds, Justine rubbed her red wrists and then stared into her husband's dark gaze.

"I can explain everything, my love!" Her voice faltered.

"Start talking." The three words were laden with fury.

Justine tried to get up to hug him, but suddenly her arm was grabbed by Kevin's long hand, which pushed her back into the chair roughly.

"Don't get up again..." He ordered rudely.

"I went to Beatrice's house to show her some dress sketches."

The cruel laughter reverberated through the dimly lit room of captivity where they had taken her.

"Yes, go on..." The thick voice was full of sarcasm. "I want to see how far you'll go with your lies."

Crying, she insisted: "I'm telling the truth."

"Enough!" Driven by hatred, Kevin grabbed the envelope the counselor had given him and pulled out the photographs before throwing them at Justine. "You were in Quarto Oggiaro with my enemy. Isn't that right, Alessandro?" He hissed the question through clenched teeth.

"Yes, boss. Your wife was with Andrew Turner before we picked her up."

Justine's gaze flew until it found the handsome face of the tall man, and then she aimed at her husband's clenched jaw.

"I loved you... but now, I can only hate you with all my strength." Frowning, Kevin raged. "You were a beautiful mistake and my downfall, Justine Delacroix." He took the Glock from his subordinate's hand.

"Please, don't hurt me," she cowered in her chair, protecting her belly. "I'm pregnant." Her trembling voice confessed.

Shaken by the revelation, the cold man scrutinized the woman hugging her belly. Even though he hated her, he still didn't have the courage to punish a pregnant woman.

Touching Justine's thin arm, he forced her to stand up.

"Get out of my sight before I do something I'll regret." Kevin resumed his usual authoritarian posture.

That was how he acted with his subordinates, but he had never treated her that way.

"But I'm expecting your child!" She showed him the pregnancy test she was holding.

"Find Andrew Turner, I'm sure it's his son." His anger was so great that he refused to believe it.

"No. The baby is yours!" Justine said as he left that place with moldy walls, leaving her behind. "Kevin, please, let's talk," she pleaded.

Stopping in the hallway, he clenched his fist at his side, feeling a growing anger take over every fiber of his being.

"What about the rules, sir?" The advisor adjusted his glasses as he asked. "She should be punished."

"Damn it, shut up!" The hoarse voice yelled. "Get her out of my sight, but don't touch her. Capisci?" The inquisitive gaze stopped on the consigliere.

"Sì, capisco!" The short man replied in Italian, and took a step back.

Before her husband abandoned her to her fate, she stood up and ran her hand over the fabric, adjusting her red dress.

"Kevin..." Justine called again.

It was too late. Mr. Harrison was not willing to give her another chance. His inscrutable expression blended with the morbid atmosphere of that moldy-smelling place. The betrayal made him even colder and more resentful.

For half an hour, Justine's anguished crying echoed through the room.

"You bitch!" Alessandro's voice was full of contempt when he cursed her. "Get out of here before the boss comes back and changes his mind."

Exhausted, the pregnant young woman stood up amid the mockery of the employees who had once obeyed her orders. Not knowing what to do, Justine wiped her tears with her hand as she staggered, looking for a way out of that place.

"My mother was right," she lamented mentally as she took slow steps down the dimly lit hallway. "He'll never forgive me."

❛ ━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━❜

With nowhere else to go, Justine headed to a subway station. She was wearing only the clothes on her back and carrying her bag with her documents when she arrived at a sumptuous two-story luxury penthouse just a few minutes from Piazza Gae Aulenti.

"Mom, let me stay here tonight!" Justine asked the woman.

Sophia took a drag on her cigarette and then exhaled the smoke. She walked through the living room decorated with classic furniture as her silk nightgown slipped between her shins.

"Oh, ma chérie, I'm sorry, but I can't." She left the rest of the cigarette in the ashtray.

"It's just for tonight. I'll try to talk to Kevin on the day I sign the divorce papers. I'm sure he'll change his mind."

"Really?" There was a certain disdain in the question when Sophia raised a well-shaped eyebrow. "I think your husband has chosen to stay with his mistress." She turned her cell phone screen toward her daughter so she could see the image of Kevin at a party with his young companion.

Justine didn't want to believe what she saw. That woman had pretended to be her friend for months and wasted no time before making her move. In the photo, Beatrice Drummond was holding hands with Kevin at a company event.

"Incompetent!" Andrew shouted as he entered the room and slapped her across the face, leaving Justine stunned. "Everyone is saying that your marriage to Kevin is over. You're a useless whore."

"I gave you the money," Justine replied in a bare voice.

Touching her face, which still burned from Andrew's slap, she blinked, fighting off the dizziness.

"You idiot!" Andrew yelled. "Get out of here."

"I need a place to stay tonight." Justine's request echoed through the living room.

"No. You're not staying here." The burly man raised his voice.

Andrew was over forty. The alliance with Kevin Harrison was of utmost importance to expand the business, and Justine was a risk he couldn't have around. She just had to convince her husband to make a deal with his rival, but she wasted time, giving in to the sensuality of that Italian and her work as a fashion designer.

"Please, Mom!" Justine's pleading gaze fell on the woman sitting on the sofa.

"You'd better go, Chérie." Sophia repeated Andrew's order, unshaken.

"How could you do this to me?" Tears burned in Justine's eyes. "First, you abandoned me with my grandmother after my father died, and now you're rejecting me again!"

"I never wanted children, Justine!" Sophia's voice changed, cold as ice. "Your father was the one who insisted. It's a good thing he died." Sophia confessed. "I wasted ten years of my life taking care of an unwanted daughter."

"So that's why you abandoned me with my grandmother?"

With a polite smile, Sophia replied, "Of course! That old woman adored you, and I wanted distance from you."

At eighteen, Justine left rural France to find Sophia, seeking help for her grandmother who had cancer. Instead of help, she entered into an agreement with two con swindlers who destroyed her life.

Andrew ran his hand over his beard, flashing a cruel smile as he listened to the argument.

"That's enough; you can leave." Sophia threw the words into the air as she stood up. "I need to give my husband some attention." As she spoke, Sofia walked gracefully until she stopped next to Andrew.

Justine had never felt so much resentment toward her mother. The only person who should have supported her had just turned her back on her in her moment of greatest despair.

In tears, Justine left the luxurious penthouse. She had no idea how she would take care of a baby on her own.

Within a few hours, she took the diamond ring off her finger, along with her earrings and necklace, and sold everything. 

With the money, she rented a hotel room on Via Padova in Milan. The next morning, she tried to open the studio but stopped when she saw two men standing at the entrance.

"Mr. Harrison ordered the studio to be closed," one of her ex-husband's henchmen said, blocking her way.

"But my collection and sketches are in there," Justine argued tearfully.

"All of that belongs to Mr. Harrison," the shorter man warned. "Get out!" he ordered.

No henchman had dared to speak to her in that tone a few months ago. Everyone respected her and did everything she asked. But at that moment, she was being shooed away with contempt.

Returning to her inhospitable hotel room, she tried to advertise her work but found that many customers were badmouthing her clothes on social media. 

Days after the separation, the fashion designer, who barely had any space in her schedule, didn't even have a decent place to sell the clothes she created.

On the day of the divorce, Kevin barely paid any attention to her. He just initiated the document and left in a hurry. She ran to catch up with him but stopped when she saw him hugging another woman.

​"Excuse me, can we talk?" Justine's voice sounded weak.

He didn't even look back; he just kept walking.

"Kevin!" Justine stopped in front of him and Beatrice.

"Get out of my way," the bitter man muttered. "I don't want to see your face in this town again."

Looking up, Justine caught a brief glimpse of Beatrice, who was shaking Kevin's hand. 

Devastated, Justine returned to the room where she had signed the papers and took what Kevin's lawyer handed her.

"You signed a separation of property agreement. What each of you owned before the union remains the exclusive property of the parties."

"I can't keep the car?" Justine asked, looking at the lawyer.

"Mr. Harrison gave his car to his girlfriend. He also claimed that there was a shortage of seventy thousand euros and demanded that this amount be returned as soon as possible."

"How am I going to pay?" Justine asked, exasperated. "I'm out of work and barely have enough to eat..."

Despair consumed her. The pregnant young woman couldn't hold back her tears.

"Mr. Harrison's employee left some bags with your belongings," the lawyer said. "Follow the secretary to the room where the luggage is."

"What about my baby?" she asked. "I'm pregnant!"

"Have you talked to Mr. Harrison about this?" Suspicious, the lawyer adjusted his glasses as he examined her still-flat stomach.

"I told him, but Kevin thinks the child isn't his," she stammered.

"Ask your lawyer to contact me. See you soon, Miss Delacroix." 

Where would he find a pro bono lawyer who would defend his rights? Besides, no one in that town would dare to sue Kevin Harrison Giordano.

She left, carrying one piece of luggage at a time to the taxi.

Soon, Justine sold some designer clothes, shoes, and accessories on an online store. With the money she made, she rented a small apartment downtown.

In a few days, Justine found work as a seamstress in a clothing studio and excelled at everything she did. But one day, she was fired without explanation.

"It was Mr. Harrison Giordano who had me fired, wasn't it?" Justine wanted to know at all costs.

It was obvious. Her ex-husband was cruel and vengeful. He didn't want to kill her, but he would do anything to make Justine pay for her betrayal.

"Please don't complicate my situation. Go away!" The owner of the studio dismissed her without further explanation.

Every day it became more difficult to find a job.

"How am I going to pay off the seventy thousand euro debt?" she thought desperately as she rode the subway back to her room. "Kevin won't stop until I leave Milan."

Despite her best efforts to find work in the fashion capital, she was unsuccessful.

Her belly was barely visible in her fifth month of pregnancy due to poor nutrition.

The baby was expected to be born soon, and she was grateful for any job opportunity, even if it was in a restaurant.

Occasionally, she would contact her ex to discuss the pregnancy, but Kevin was in Ibiza with his new girlfriend, Beatrice, and had no intention of returning.

The CEO's consigliere had already given the order: Justine was forbidden from entering the company or the mansion. All employees were prohibited from disclosing any information about their boss. To ensure her own livelihood, Justine washed dishes and cleaned the kitchen of a restaurant at night.

In her eighth month, she left work early, feeling strong contractions. In the midst of excruciating pain, she walked the streets asking for a ride, but everyone refused to help the pregnant and ragged woman. When she finally made it to the emergency room, she collapsed and lost consciousness.

Hours later, Justine woke up. Despair took hold as soon as she realized she was lying on a stretcher, IV fluids running through her veins.

"Where's my baby?" Her voice was weak as she asked the nurse.

"Your son is with his grandmother." The nurse pointed to Sophia, standing near the window.

"Is it a boy?" Curious, Justine asked.

"Yes!" The nurse replied, smiling kindly.

On the other side, Sophia rocked the newborn wrapped in a blue blanket.

"I brought diapers, clothes, and some money for you," Sophia said, approaching her.

"What are you doing here?" Justine asked weakly.

In a complacent tone, Sophia replied, "I got a call from the hospital. They said the baby was born."

Avoiding eye contact, Justine whispered, "I forgot to remove you from my emergency contacts."

"Please leave my son and go away, Sophia." Justine said bitterly.

Looking at the newborn yawning in her lap, Sophia asked, "Can I stay a little longer with my grandson?"

"No!"

With a sigh, Sophia took another look at the baby in her arms before turning to Justine and asking, "At least you could tell me the baby's name?"

"My son's name is Bryan Delacroix," Justine replied, remembering her late father.

But Justine just wanted to annoy Sophia because she was still hurt that Sophia chose to side with her mobster lover instead of helping her when she needed it most.

"You named him after your father. How sweet!" There was sarcasm in Sophia's soft voice.

After picking up the baby, Justine saw the boy's small blue eyes. Wherever she went, she would carry with her a vivid memory of her ex-husband.

"When I came to Milan, I lived in a tenement on Via Gola, in Navigli," Sophia confessed, taking the key from her purse. "I have an apartment on the third floor of one of the buildings in that tenement. It's a suburb. There, you can begin anew, free from the tug-of-war between Kevin and Andrew. That area isn't under their control."

"I don't need your help." Although she did, Justine let her pride get the better of her.

"You won't be working for a while, and you'll need to take care of the baby for a few weeks. How will you afford rent in central Milan?"

Sophia was right. There was no way Justine could stay in that city anymore. She had no choice but to accept that woman's help.

Reluctantly, Justine accepted the woman's help. After all, it was the least Sophia could do after getting Justine involved in the war between two powerful mobsters.

After giving the newborn to his mother, Sophia smiled quietly and said, "Take good care of him." She moved away from the bed and waved. "Goodbye!"

It was ironic to see Sophia, the most incompetent mother in the world, wanting to dispense her counsel, but despite everything, Justine was willing to do anything for that little being who moved his little hands and legs while she held him in her arms.

A few days later, Justine was discharged from the hospital and accepted Sophia's ride to the suburb. She settled into a simple apartment with her baby. That was the last time they saw each other.

The following year, Justine tried to contact Sophia for Bryan's birthday but received the news that she had died. Although she was hurt by her mother, Justine cried for a few days but did not want to know the cause of death of the woman who had despised her.

❛ ━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━❜

Seven Years Later...

Justine was used to living illegally in a dilapidated apartment in the slums of Via Gola, an area known as the "Bronx" of Milan. The place was dangerous due to drug trafficking and widespread illegality, but she managed to hide for years without her ex-husband harming her.

On that foggy day, Via Gola seemed quiet. Justine usually left home at seven in the morning to drop her son off at school and go straight to the factory. She worked as a seamstress during the day and waited tables at a restaurant in Navigli at night. Sometimes pimps or drug dealers approached her, but she always refused.

On a mild afternoon, Justine stopped in front of the school entrance. Her golden eyes watched the children as they left. When she saw Bryan, she waved. Her lips formed a smile that tried to hide her exhaustion.

The week before, Bryan had turned six. Justine hadn't given him his present yet, but her keen eyes noticed the sadness and a bruise on the boy's face.

"Who did this to you, my dear?" She ran her hand through her son's light brown hair, concerned.

"No one did anything, Mum!" Bryan replied, lowering his head and looking at his feet.

She touched Bryan's chin, lifted his face, and saw tears in his blue eyes.

"Excuse me, Miss Delacroix!" The teacher approached Justine. "Bryan has been suspended for three days for fighting with a classmate."

"Why did you hit your classmate, Bryan?" Justine retorted vehemently.

"He called me a bastard because I don't have a father," the child explained, despite the teacher shaking her head. "So I hit him."

"The other student was also suspended," said the teacher. "We shouldn't solve everything with violence... Bryan should have told me he was being bullied."

"Sorry, me!" Justine apologized. "I'll talk to my son; the situation won't happen again."

"If it happens again, Bryan will be expelled from school," the teacher said. "We don't tolerate violence in the classroom.

Holding the little boy's hand, Justine walked down the street. When they stopped, she looked into the boy's blue eyes.

"You shouldn't have hit your classmate," Justine scolded her son.

"He keeps saying that I'll go to an orphanage if you die. Why does everyone have a father and I don't?" The childish voice asked. "I didn't want my father to die. I'd rather have my dad here."

Those words hit Justine like a blow to the heart. It was difficult to keep up the lie. Kevin was extremely vindictive, and Justine feared he would harass Bryan because of her mistakes.

Hoping to cheer her son up and make him forget about his father, Justine shared some news, saying "I got the money to buy you a new soccer ball."

"Yay!" Bryan cheered. "Can I see it?"

Seeing her son smile, Justine took the €20 bill from her purse and handed it to him.

Justine had been so distracted that she didn't notice the hooded man who had sneaked up from behind and had grabbed her son's arm.

"Help, Mom!" Bryan shouted as he pulled out the money that he thought the man was trying to steal.

Overcome with desperation, Justine jumped on the man's back and grabbed him by the neck as she tried to save her son.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and the boy's body fell to the ground. The hooded man ran away.

"No! No! No!" Justine screamed desperately. "Bryan, wake up!" She touched his head, and terror froze her body as she felt warm liquid running down her hand.

"A child has been shot!" someone shouted. "Call an ambulance."

The police car stopped next to the distraught mother, who remained kneeling. Justine cried uncontrollably, hugging the lifeless body of little Bryan, who had been shot in the head.

"No! No! Kevin couldn't have done this to my son!" She screamed desperately amid her anguished cries.