The Rossi mafia family followed an ancestral rule. Before marriage, the heir received one chance each year to draw lots. Drawing a fortunate lot meant he could choose his own spouse and avoid an arranged marriage.

Dante Rossi drew an unfortunate lot for five consecutive years, and I, who had been dating him for seven years, never managed to marry him.

This year marked the sixth year. I overheard his conversation with Marco Valentino, the Underboss.

"Mr. Rossi, you drew a fortunate lot again."

Dante's voice carried an unprecedented coldness. "Same as always, switch it to an unfortunate lot."

Marco hesitated, then tried to persuade him. "Mr. Rossi, you've switched it for five years straight. Aren't you worried Celia will leave? Celia's the most beautiful woman in Nopales. Half the men in the city are chasing her."

Dante said with absolute certainty, "She won't. Celia loves me too much. She won't marry anyone else.

"Years ago, Livia's father died saving me. His dying wish was for me to stay by her side for five years. After this year ends, I'll give Celia a grand wedding as compensation."

My last shred of hope died after I heard those words.

Dante probably did not know that the Rossi family had one final ancestral rule. If the heir failed to draw a fortunate lot six times, he would lose the right to choose his own marriage.

Moreover, I would soon be marrying someone else.

Dante Rossi told me for the sixth time that he failed to draw a fortunate lot and could not marry me. He asked me to wait another year. I simply nodded calmly and said, "Okay."

The words of persuasion seemed to catch in his throat. He stared at me in surprise. "Cece, are you angry?"

He sighed and pulled me tightly into his arms. "You know how luck works. Maybe next year, I'll finally draw it!"

I buried my head against his chest as tears streamed down my face.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

If I had not overheard his conversation with Marco Valentino two hours ago, I would have foolishly believed that his failure to draw a fortunate lot for the past six years was truly just bad luck. However, I finally knew the truth.

All of it was deliberate. For Livia Greco's sake, he had deceived me for five whole years.

Five years ago, Dante brought Livia back to the estate and personally arranged the finest accommodation for her. He told me, "Livia's father died saving me. I have to repay him. His daughter, Livia, grew up in Scampia, a small village. I brought her back so that she could see the world."

At the time, I thought nothing of it. I only felt grateful Livia's father had saved Dante's life. Hence, I never imagined she would make such an outrageous request of him. Even more unthinkable was that Dante actually agreed to her absurd demand.

"What do you mean? I'm just having some bad luck. Next year, I'll draw it for sure!"

His tone carried such certainty as if everything remained within his control.

Of course, I understood why. However, after today, we would have nothing to do with each other.

The day before the drawing, Giuseppe Caruso from the Rossi family sought me out.

"This is Dante's last chance to freely choose his marriage. If he still fails to draw a fortunate lot, it proves your marriage isn't blessed by God Himself. According to the Rossi family law, he will no longer have the right to choose his own marriage partner."

At this point, Elder Giuseppe gave me a meaningful look. "It's been six years. You should prepare yourself. If you can't marry Dante, you won't escape the fate of an arranged marriage either.

"I've watched you grow up since you were a child. I'll make an exception and give you a choice."

He gave me priority selection rights, along with a list of eligible marriage candidates from various families.

That day, I fought against his arrangements. I told him with absolute certainty that Dante would draw a fortunate lot this time and we would marry soon.

Reality slapped me hard in the face. The conversation I overheard afterward made me give up completely.

Dante was about to make more promises when the bedroom door burst open.

Livia poked her head inside and stuck out her tongue playfully. "Sorry to interrupt, but I couldn't wait any longer."

She waved frantically at Dante without sparing me a single glance. "Dante, the driver's here! We need to leave now!"

"Coming!"

Dante released me and explained apologetically, "Livia wants one of the new bags. Of course, I won't forget yours. I already reserved the one you like!"

He grabbed my hand to pull me along, but I gently pushed him away. "I'm not feeling well. You two go ahead."

Dante looked displeased at my refusal, but under Livia's urging, he only said hastily, "Don't be angry. I'll bring your gift back."

The words were directed at me, but his eyes never left Livia. They were filled with a tenderness he himself had not noticed.

Watching the car disappear into the distance, I dialed Elder Giuseppe's number. "I accept the arranged marriage you proposed."

Unlike my fierce resistance before, I willingly accepted his arrangement this time.

At the coffee shop we had agreed to meet, Elder Giuseppe gave me a list with a satisfied look on his face.

"Cece, I'm glad you've come around. These are the young men I've screened for you. They all have excellent looks and character. Pick whoever you like."

I did not look at the list on the table. Instead, I pushed it toward the Elder Giuseppe and said softly, "Elder Giuseppe, I trust your judgment completely. Please choose a family farthest from Nopales."

Elder Giuseppe stroked his beard and sighed gently. "Think carefully. Once you decide, it can't be changed. You may never come back."

The image of Dante looking at Livia surfaced in my mind. That concern and affection in his eyes could not be hidden. My heart ached, but my words came out gentle yet firm. "I'm certain of my choice."

Since he chose Livia, I would go somewhere he could never find me.

After Elder Giuseppe left, I sat alone in the coffee shop, lost in thought.

When I stood to leave, Dante pushed open the coffee shop door and walked in. Livia walked beside him, holding his arm. The two chatted and laughed like a couple deeply in love.

"Celia, what are you doing here?" Dante looked up. His gaze met mine directly. He looked guilty as he pulled his arm free from Livia's grasp and strode toward me. "I just bought you the newest bag. It's the only one in all of Nopales!"

He happily pressed an exquisite gift box into my hands, looking proud.

Livia suddenly covered her face. Her shoulders shook as she began to cry. "I'm sorry. I know it's rude, but I really envy you, Celia. You get to own something so unique. Not like me. I can only ask for what everyone else gets. I know I don't deserve more. I wanted this bag too, but I didn't say anything because of you."

Dante stood helplessly to the side, looking at me with pleading eyes. I said nothing and stared at him, as if waiting for his decision.

Since childhood, Dante had always doted on me—especially after we started dating seven years ago. He once swore, "As long as I'm alive, you'll have the best of everything. You're my princess. No one's going to outshine you."

Yet in the mere five years since Livia appeared, I was no longer the only one in his heart.

Every time he bought me expensive gifts, he would casually bring Livia a small present as well. Over the past five years, the gifts he bought Livia had gotten more and more expensive.

Still, I never imagined that when Livia coveted a gift meant for me, Dante would actually hesitate. When I stayed silent, Livia wiped her face and turned to leave.

Dante grabbed her arm. "Where are you going? Didn't you just say you wanted coffee? You made me take this detour just to come here!"

Livia let herself fall into his embrace. "Dante, I'm too greedy. I'm just a girl from Scampia. I really don't deserve these nice things. I should go back to Scampia. That's where I belong."

Dante held Livia tightly. The look he gave me carried a plea. "Cece, how about you give the bag to Livia? You've owned countless luxury items since childhood, and Livia just wants this one. I'll buy you something even more expensive later, okay?"

I lowered my head and placed the gift box in Livia's hands. "If you want it, then just take all of it."

Even Dante. I no longer wanted him either.

Dante froze, then let out a huge sigh of relief. His expression relaxed as he said to me, "I knew you'd understand, Cece. Livia's still young. Just indulge her a little."

He hurried toward the door. "I'll have the staff reserve next season's latest pieces for me. This time I'll definitely get your favorite!"

After Dante left, Livia's pitiful expression turned cold in an instant. She waved the gift box in her hand smugly and looked at me with disdain.

"You see? The person Dante cares about most isn't you anymore. You know why he failed to draw a fortunate lot for all these years straight? It's not because of bad luck. Dante has been swapping the lots on purpose because of me. The person he wants to marry is me, not you. He's waiting for me to grow up!"

Though I already knew the truth, Livia's words still pierced my heart.

Seeing my ashen face, Livia's smile deepened. She leaned close and whispered in my ear, "Celia Moretti, what makes you think you can compete with me? Dante owes his life to my father. With that bond, he'll never escape me.

"Tell me, given the circumstances, where do you think his heart lies? With you or me?"

Before I could react, she grabbed me and slammed us both into the floor-to-ceiling window beside us.

The loud crash of shattering glass alarmed everyone. Amid Livia's piercing screams, Dante rushed frantically into the coffee shop. When he saw the window shattered into fragments, his face turned white as he cried out Livia's name hoarsely.

"Livia!"

He ran to her side. Ignoring the sharp glass, he dug Livia out of the pile of shards with his bare hands, lifted her onto his back, and ran outside without looking back.

I lay barely two feet away, covered in blood, watching it all weakly.

Dante used to have eyes only for me. Now, even with me lying wounded right in front of him, he could not see me. His eyes held only another woman.

…

When I woke again, I lay on a hospital bed reeking of disinfectant.

"You're awake?"

Dante sat by the bedside at some point, his expression dark as he looked at me.

I shifted slightly, and the movement pulled at my wounds. The pain drained all color from my face.

Dante sighed softly. His tone carried barely perceptible reproach. "It's just a bag, Cece. Did you have to make such a scene? If you didn't want to give it to her, you could have just said so. Why hurt Livia? Now look, you've hurt yourself too."

My eyes widened in disbelief as I stared at him.

Dante turned his face away and stopped looking at me. "Livia told me everything. You were angry because she took your bag. You two fought over it and crashed into the glass.

"Cece, being this spoiled, how can you possibly take on your role as my wife? We should postpone our wedding for another two years."

My throat closed up. I took several deep breaths but could not manage a single word of protest.

I roared and cursed in my heart. I wanted to tell Dante about Livia's vicious true colors. I wanted to accuse him of having a change of heart yet continuing to deceive me.

Yet in the end, all my violent emotions turned into tears that silently streamed down from the corners of my eyes.

I closed my eyes and finally said, "That's unnecessary. I'm getting married in three days."

Dante froze, then suddenly laughed out loud. "Cece, what kind of joke is this? You love me so much. How could you marry someone else?

"You're making up lies because you don't want to apologize to Livia. Cece, I'm so disappointed in you."

He stood up and looked down at me from above. "It seems I spoiled you too much before. I made you this arrogant. I won't indulge you anymore. Since you won't apologize to Livia this time, hand over the position of my wife to her!"

He snorted coldly and left the hospital ward without looking back. I watched him leave quietly, my heart completely numb.

Dante thought I was throwing a tantrum, but he did not know that Elder Giuseppe had already arranged my marriage to the heir of the Orsini family in Sacily.

During my two days in the hospital, Dante never came to see me. However, Livia's social media was filled with his presence.

He changed her bandages, stood in line for two hours to buy her favorite food, and hired the most authoritative plastic surgeon at great expense to perform scar removal surgery on Livia.

None of it mattered to me anymore. On the third morning, I completed my discharge procedures. Escorted by bodyguards arranged by Elder Giuseppe, I boarded the plane to Sacily without looking back.