A kidnapper's gun was pressed to Lena's temple and mine, the whole scene streaming live online.

"Nolan," the kidnapper said, "your wife, Donna, or your first love. Only one of them walks away alive. Choose."

On the other side of the screen, my husband, Don Nolan Winston, head of the Winston family, did not hesitate for even a second.

"Let Lena go. As for that woman, do whatever you want with her."

I looked into the camera and laughed until tears ran down my face.

For seven years, I had stood by him as he rose from the Winston family's illegitimate son to the first Don of the Italvia mafia. I had taken knives for him, drunk with him, even lost a child along the way.

So in the end, in his eyes, I had been nothing more than a pawn he could discard at any moment.

"Did you hear that?" the kidnapper sneered at me.

I turned and ran toward the cliff. Facing the camera, I spoke my final words.

"Nolan, I'm giving this life back to you. We're even now."

I was so sure I was a goner, but then I blinked open my eyes to the sterile white of a hospital room.

"Awake?" came a voice, deep and seething with anger, next to me.

Turning my head was a struggle, but I managed, only to wish I had not. There he was, Don, the mafia boss–my so-called husband, Nolan Winston.

Nolan's face was like stone, but his voice dripped with mockery.

"Sophia Wood, you're a mafia Donna, yet you jumped into the sea just for a little sympathy? You've made a mockery of the Winston name."

His words were like ice, and my heart felt like it had frozen over.

To Nolan, my leap of despair was just a cheap trick for attention.

I was so shocked, I could not even find the words to respond.

In Nolan's eyes, my silence was as good as an admission of guilt.

He scowled at me and said with a frosty edge, "Today, I'm calling a family meeting. You're going to say sorry to Lena in front of everyone and confess that the whole kidnapping mess was your own little drama.

"And if Lena doesn't forgive you, say goodbye to your dad's health care."

That got me moving. I yanked the IV from my hand, tossed aside the blankets, and tried to stand.

Nolan pushed me back down hard. "Lost your mind? You've got a couple of busted ribs and a bunch of bruises. Where do you think you're off to?"

The pain was intense, but I faced him without flinching.

"You want that apology, right? Let's get it over with."

His hand was still heavy on my shoulder, his eyes swirling with something dark and unreadable.

For a moment, I thought I saw something in him that could not possibly be there.

It was gone as soon as it came, swallowed up by a wave of scorn.

"Sophia," he said, his hand falling away as a sneer twisted his lips, "you're pathetic."

He stepped back, looking down at me like I was nothing more than a begging stray.

"Why the rush to say you're sorry? Can't stand being out of the Winstons' good graces, or do you think buttering up Lena will get me to give you a second glance?"

I kept silent, my gaze fixed on the face I had loved for the past seven years.

Did Nolan have any clue?

The bullet he owed me for was still stuck in my shoulder, throbbing painfully whenever the weather turned sour and robbing me of sleep.

He was clueless.

I saw it in the way his icy mask melted into tenderness when he picked up that call.

"Lena?" His voice was a hushed whisper, as if he was afraid to break the spell her name cast.

"What's up? Feeling okay?"

I could not catch what was said on the other end.

However, his face said it all.

The worried furrow of his brow, the pained look in his eyes, his lips a tight line.

That was his 'I'm worried' face.

I have seen it before.

Like that night seven years back, when he was about to take over the family business and was up all night before the big meeting. He wore that same look.

I thought he was scared about the deal, but turns out, he was writing to Lena.

"Don't worry, I'm on my way." He hung up, did not even throw me a glance, and bolted out the door.

The door slammed shut behind him, echoing like a slap across my face, leaving me ghostly pale.

Lena played coy on the phone, and Nolan was ready to jump on a plane. Meanwhile, I was there with a cracked rib, fresh from a sea rescue, and all I got from him were biting remarks.

Love and indifference stood in such stark contrast, and it had taken me seven years to see it.

Just then, my phone buzzed.

A text from the hospital.

[Miss Wood, your father's medical bill is overdue by 12000 dollars. Settle it by five in the evening, or we'll have to cut off his treatment.]

What did this mean?

Nolan promised me that if I just apologized to Lena, he would not cut off my dad's medical funds. Why were we suddenly 12 grand in the hole?

A sickening thought zapped through my brain like a bolt of lightning. Nolan had been playing me all along!

I punched in Nolan's number, my heart racing.

It rang forever, but finally, someone picked up.

Lena's sugary voice oozed through the speaker. "Sophia? Thanks for sending Nolan over. He's busy slicing an apple for me. What's up?"

I inhaled sharply, fighting back the urge to hurl. "Put Nolan on the phone."

"Sophia, don't be mad. Nolan's just really concerned about me..."

"Lena, cut the act. I need to talk to Nolan!" I exploded.

The line went dead silent for a beat, then Nolan's icy voice cut in.

"Sophia, are you done throwing your tantrum? You scared Lena with that outburst!"

My hand clenched the phone so hard my knuckles blanched, nails biting into my flesh.

"Nolan, you can't just cut off my dad's medical funds. He'll die without his machines..."

Nolan's laugh was an icy slap across the face.

"This again? Can't you be a little more original? Your dad is safe in the family hospital. What, are you cursing him now just to scam some cash?"

"I'm not making this up, the hospital has already..."

"Enough!" He snapped, cutting me off. "You want money? Fine. Get back to the estate in thirty minutes. Tonight, you're not just apologizing to Lena–you're facing the family's wrath."

Nolan's voice was merciless. "The mafia doesn't put up with a liar. Survive ninety-nine lashes, and you'll get your money."

The call ended with a click, cutting off the conversation without a hint of warmth.

I stared down at the dark screen, my own ghostly reflection staring back at me, and I could not help but let out a bitter laugh.

This was the guy I had poured my heart into for seven long years.

Right then, he seemed more repulsive than ever. All those years of feeling small and pathetic just made me sick to my stomach.

'That's it, I'm done with him,' I told myself.

However, walking away from Nolan was not an option, not with my dad still depending on the Winston family's medical hookups.

I was stuck.

Half an hour later, I showed up at Skycrest Estate, right on schedule.

Dragging my bruised self through the grand entrance, I felt like a total mess in my baggy hospital scrubs, standing out like a sore thumb in the glittering hall.

Nolan's crew was lounging around a long table, throwing me looks that mixed pity with scorn.

"Donna! Always the same, huh? Can't even bother to change before you come home, always looking for sympathy..."

"Donna? Please, Lena is back now. Time for this fake to take a hike."

I tuned them out and made my way to the upstairs lounge.

The moment I pushed the door open, the chatter inside stopped dead.

Lena was perched on the central sofa, decked out in a pristine white designer dress, looking every bit the innocent angel.

Nolan was right there beside her, casually sipping wine, his eyes fixed on me with a smirk.

"Look who it is, our very own Donna," he teased.

Mike, the Winston family's Underboss and Nolan's right-hand man, let out a whistle. "Nice get-up. What's this, The Pity Act 2.0?"

I brushed off their taunts and stood before Nolan.

"The money?" I asked, my hand outstretched, voice barely steady.

Nolan gave his wine glass a lazy swirl. "What's the hurry? Forgot how things work around here?"

He nodded toward the carpet at Lena's feet. "Apologize. Now," Nolan commanded, his voice icy.

Lena gave Nolan's sleeve a gentle tug, her concern as fake as a three-dollar bill. "Nolan, come on, Sophia is hurt..."

"Hurt? Big deal," Nolan shot back with a frosty glare. "She's tough as nails. Took a bullet for me once and still made it to the docks to check on shipments. This is nothing."

His words stung, but not because they were harsh. No, it was the memory of my old, foolish self, so blindly in love with Nolan, that really hurt.

I checked my phone. 20 more minutes before it turned four in the evening. Time was running out.

"So if I apologize and take ninety-nine lashes, you'll pay up?" I locked eyes with Nolan, my gaze unwavering.

He hesitated, then nodded firmly. "Yes."

"Alright then." I inhaled sharply, the pain in my broken ribs nearly unbearable, and bent forward.

The moment I did, the whip cracked down, its bite searing across my back.

With each lash, I bit back the pain and spoke with deliberate clarity. "Lena, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. Please forgive me."

Lena clutched her mouth, feigning shock. "Sophia, you're Donna. How can I? This is too much..."

Her words said one thing, but her body stayed still, and the corner of her mouth betrayed her true feelings with a satisfied smirk.

I stood firm against the relentless pain, refusing to crumble, and my lips twisted into an icy smile. "No, I'm done being Donna."

I paused, then turned to Nolan. "You want a divorce, right? You got it."

Nolan's face twisted into an ugly scowl. "Sophia, are you for real?"

As the whip rose and fell, I swallowed the blood that threatened to choke me, my voice filled with determination.

"I swear to God, I'm done with you, Nolan Winston."

With those final words, I yanked the wedding ring off my finger and flung it at Nolan with all the force I could muster.

"Hah. Alright, then," said Nolan, nodding. He tossed a check onto the coffee table like it was nothing.

"Here's fifteen thousand. Take it and get out!"

The moment my fingers brushed the check, Lena let out a sharp cry. "Ugh, my chest... It's so tight..."

She crumpled, falling right into Nolan's arms.

Nolan's face twisted with shock, and he swatted my hand away like I was a pest.

The check drifted down, landing in an ashtray brimming with cigarette butts, instantly ruined.

"Lena! What's happening?" Nolan's voice was laced with panic as he cradled her.

"Nolan, something about Sophia's blood... My heart, it hurts..." Lena's breaths were shallow and frantic.

Nolan's eyes snapped to me, filled with accusation. "Sophia! This is what you're doing, isn't it?"

"I didn't..." I stammered, my eyes fixed on the soggy check. I reached out, desperate to salvage it.

However, Nolan kicked my hand away, grinding his shoe into my skin. "You still want money? In your dreams!

"If Lena's hurt, I swear, your family will regret it!"

He scooped up Lena and stormed out, leaving me alone with the mess.

I was about to rescue the check when my phone screeched. It was the hospital.

I picked up, shaking, but the nurse's voice cut through before I could even speak.

"Miss Wood, we're sorry to inform you that Mr. Wood took off his own breathing tube five minutes ago. We tried, but he's gone... Please come to the hospital to handle his affairs."

My phone hit the ground with a sharp crack. Suddenly, the world went silent.

I could not take it anymore. A gush of blood spilled from my lips, and everything went black.

I never noticed that the phone that had fallen to the floor suddenly flashed twice.

When I came to, I was lying on the icy floor of the now-empty mansion.

I rushed to the hospital and signed the death confirmation under the pitying gazes of the doctors and nurses.

I stood in the morgue, looking at Dad's body. The sickness had taken its toll, but he still had that gentle look, as if he were just sleeping.

I rubbed my eyes, dry and tearless, wondering why I could not cry.

Then the nurse who cared for Dad came in. She handed me a torn medical record. Dad had left his last words on it before they took him off the ventilator.

I stared at the note.

[Sophia, my dear daughter, don't cry for what I chose. I just want you to be happy and free.]

Only then did the tears come.

Dad knew everything all along. He knew my struggles, my sacrifices for his illness, and that I was tormented. I was shackled.

He made one final choice for me. He used his death to give me the strength to break away and leave Nolan behind.

How could I let his sacrifice be in vain?

I pulled out my phone and opened the only unread message. I called the anonymous number without a second thought.

…

Stepping out of the funeral home with Dad's ashes, the sky opened up. I did not bother with an umbrella. The rain turned my wounds pale and raw, the chill seeping deep into my bones.

However, my heart was already icy, just like the ashes I carried.

Right then, the shrill roar of an engine sliced through the downpour.

A sleek black Maybach screeched to a halt in front of me, its tires cruelly splashing a wave of muddy water from a puddle, soaking me to the skin.

The car door swung open, and Nolan stepped out, his bodyguards forming a tight circle around him.

His eyes locked onto the urn cradled in my arms, and for a moment, he froze, then his face twisted with anger.

"Lena was right. You're really going all out with this charade, even getting yourself an urn to play the part in this rain!"

He grabbed the urn from me and hurled it to the ground.

I felt a surge of rage. Ignoring the pain racking my body, I dove for the urn and, thankfully, caught it just in time.

Nolan watched me, his expression a mix of confusion and annoyance.

"Sophia, cut the act. Elder Donna from the Browns wants to meet you. Play nice at tonight's party, and I'll forget you ever mentioned divorce three days ago."

He paused, eyeing the urn I was holding like a lifeline. "... And drop the lies. I'll make sure you and your dad have all the money you'll ever need."

He still thought I was lying? I looked up at him, letting an icy smile play on my lips.

"Alright, I'll go."

Nolan was clearly shocked, not expecting my quick compliance.

Without further thought, he signaled the bodyguards. They ushered me into the car, patched up my wounds, and administered a couple of potent painkillers.

Before long, it was evening.

Dressed in a green silk gown with long sleeves, I hid my injuries and walked into the gathering on Nolan's arm, the eyes of the mafia on us.

We looked like the perfect couple, deeply in love, as if my pain had never existed.

However, deep down, I was the only one who knew about the raging inferno of revenge that was burning inside me.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries with the Brown family's elder Donna, Nolan moved on to mingle with the other mafia leaders.

Meanwhile, I seized the moment when no one was paying attention to stride up to the banquet hall's central stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen," I began, clearing my throat and switching on the microphone, "I'm grateful to the Browns for inviting me to this evening's gathering. I'd like to take this opportunity to make three announcements..."

My voice carried across the room, drawing everyone's attention to the stage, Nolan included.

He scowled, clearly not pleased with my impromptu speech.

However, I ignored him and continued on my own terms.

"First off, I need to set the record straight about the kidnapping last week. It wasn't some act I put on. It was a deadly trap set by my husband's mistress, Miss Lena, and my husband knew all about it but still made me take the fall."

The room erupted into murmurs of shock.

Without missing a beat, I went on, "Secondly, I'm here to tell you that my marriage to Mr. Nolan Winston ended three days ago. In other words, I'm no longer Nolan's wife, nor the Donna of the Winston family.

"And thirdly..." I slowly reached into my purse and pulled out a sleek, tiny derringer.

With everyone's eyes wide in disbelief, I took aim right between Nolan's eyes.

"Tonight, Nolan Winston is going to answer for my father's death!"