Before Daniel could react, the alluring Eva sauntered in, holding my daughter Alice by the hand.

Seeing that I was truly awake, the corner of her lips curved into a subtle, provocative smile.

Who would have thought that the timid, desperate showgirl who had begged me for protection three years ago would now dare to be so brazen in front of me, his actual wife?

Around her neck was the blood diamond necklace that Daniel had commissioned from a Parisian designer specifically for me.

My daughter, Alice, glanced at me with the eyes of a stranger before hiding behind Eva, glaring.

Her gaze was filled with unfamiliarity and fear, as if she were looking at a monster.

Eva's smile was sickeningly sweet, her concern a complete facade.

"Sarah, dear, I knew you'd want to see Alice first thing, so I brought her right over."

"But she's not a little girl anymore, not the same Alice from three years ago. You should respect her wishes."

"Legally, she has the right to choose which parent she lives with."

She then bent down, stroking Alice's hair gently and whispering in her ear.

"Alice, sweetheart, your birth mother is awake, and she wants to take you away from us. Will you choose to stay with Daddy and me, or go with this stranger?"

Alice's whole body tensed. She threw herself into Eva's arms, her voice trembling. "No! I don't know her! You're my mommy!"

"I don't want to go with her! Mommy, please don't leave me…" Alice kept backing away, tears streaming down her face as she spoke, as if I were some kind of monster about to devour her.

Three years. I had missed my chance to raise her, to watch her grow, but she was still the child I had risked my life to bring into this world.

Now she saw me as an intruder trying to tear her family apart.

Her every word was a knife in my heart, the pain so sharp I could barely breathe.

In her eyes, beyond the fear, I could even see a trace of hatred.

That look cut deeper than any blade. It terrified me more than the most brutal gunfights I had ever witnessed.

Eva and Daniel watched my humiliation, a flicker of triumph in their eyes.

My voice came out raspy. "Alice, I'm your mommy. Don't you remember me? I was shot in that street war because I was protecting you and your father. Have you forgotten?"

"Mommy held you in her arms right before the bad men came. Do you remember that?"

I knew, deep down, that a child so young wouldn't have any clear memories, but I still clung to a sliver of hope.

Because three years ago, I had gambled my life to ensure their safety.

"Shut up! You're not my mommy! I only have one mommy, and that's Eva."

"You can't take me away, because my mommy and daddy will protect me. I don't know you!"

My last hope was shattered.

Eva feigned a scolding tone. "Alice, how can you speak to your birth mother like that? She did give birth to you, after all."

"I said she's not! Mommy, why are you trying to send me away with a stranger? Did I do something wrong?"

Alice wrapped her arms around Eva's waist, pleading sweetly, "Mommy, I only want you. Just tell me what you want me to do."

Daniel stood beside them, wrapping his arm around Eva's slender waist and stroking Alice's hair fondly.

The three of them, clinging to each other, formed a perfect family portrait.

I was the intruder, the one who didn't belong.

The sight of their perfect happiness stung my eyes.

I took a deep breath, forcing down the torrent of pain in my chest.

"I'm asking you one last time. Are you sure you don't want to come with me?"

Alice turned and stuck her tongue out at me, her face full of contempt. "My mommy and daddy are right here. Why would I go with you?"

She was right. The bonds of blood were no match for three years of constant companionship.

And no matter how much pain I was in, I had to face the cruel reality.

The three years I sacrificed had completely destroyed the happy family I once had.

Or rather, what I had thought was a happy family.

Eva had completely replaced me in Daniel's and Alice's hearts.

Now, I was the outsider.

After a long moment, I spoke, my voice calm.

"Very well, Daniel Wilson. I'll sign. But on one condition."

"I am severing all maternal ties to Alice Wilson. From this day forward, her life and death are no longer my concern."

If father and daughter were both so ungrateful, so devoted to that cheap showgirl, then I would grant them their wish.

Hearing this, a smile spread across Alice's small face, likely relieved that I would no longer try to take her away.

In her eyes, having a mother like me was probably a burden, a source of shame.

"Sarah, dear, you can't just say that out of anger…" Eva feigned shock, but then a smirk played on her painted lips, one that didn't reach her eyes.

Her defiant gaze screamed: So what if you were the real Mrs. Wilson? Your own daughter disowns you and only recognizes me. I took everything that was yours without even lifting a finger.

"Get the family lawyer," I cut her off. "Now."

I didn't waste any more words on them. The Wilson family lawyer rushed over, and in front of everyone, I signed the divorce papers and the legal documents severing my maternal ties.

I slid the ring off my finger. It was the family heirloom, the symbol of the Wilson matriarch.

The diamond glittered under the light. It was once my most treasured possession. Now, I didn't want it.

I tossed the ring onto the table. It landed with a sharp clink.

"From this moment on, I have nothing more to do with the Wilson family."

Daniel stared blankly at the ring, as if he never expected me to be so final.

The moment the divorce papers were in my hand, a wave of relief washed over me.

In just three years, Daniel had become a completely different person.

It only proved that I had misjudged him three years ago.

His feelings for me were shallow. Otherwise, how could a common showgirl so easily usurp my place and steal everything that was mine?

I got my divorce papers. Daniel and Eva got what they wanted: the ring that symbolized the family matriarch.

Eva's joy was so immense she couldn't hide it. She immediately slipped the ring onto her finger and threw herself into Daniel's arms. "We did it, Daniel! I can finally be your wife, openly."

Daniel let her wrap herself around him, but his gaze drifted toward me, his mind clearly elsewhere. "Yes, baby. This is good."

Alice danced around them, chanting, "Now you're my only mommy!"

I had no interest in watching their disgusting family drama. I turned and left without a backward glance.

The Wilson family mansion was no longer my concern. I went straight back to the Rossi family estate.

The moment I stepped into our estate, I felt like I had finally returned to my own world. This was my true home.

Seeing me, our butler, Marco, hurried to greet me. "Principessa, you're finally home."

I scanned the familiar grand hall, a mix of emotions swirling inside me.

"Tell me everything that's happened these past three years."

From Marco, I learned the truth of the last three years.

Three years ago, I took a bullet for Daniel and Alice in a street war and fell into a coma.

Within a month, Daniel and Eva had started a secret affair.

At first, they were cautious, wary of the Rossi family's power. But then they began to sabotage our family's operations, stabbing us in the back while we were still weakened from the war.

They covertly seized the docks, bars, and underground casinos that were supposed to be joint operations between our families, causing the Rossi family to suffer devastating losses.

Only then did Daniel drop the facade and begin appearing publicly at all sorts of family gatherings with Eva.

His betrayal was shameless, flaunting their love for all to see.

At first, some in our circle questioned Eva's status.

To legitimize her, Daniel claimed that I had fallen into a permanent vegetative state and could no longer fulfill my duties as the Wilson family's matriarch.

And everyone knew that a man in Daniel's position could not be without a woman by his side.

So, to the rest of the underworld, Eva wasn't a home-wrecker. She was the savior who had pulled him from his grief, his one true love.

To play the part of the devoted husband, he had arranged for the best medical care available, providing me with a level of treatment few in the country could afford.

Perhaps all that care actually worked, or perhaps fate decided I wasn't meant to die. Three years later, I woke up.

That was likely Daniel's biggest miscalculation.

His obsession with his reputation and saving face had saved my life. I almost had him to thank for that.

But this time, I was going to destroy everything he cared about.

I took out my phone and snapped a picture of the freshly signed divorce agreement and the document severing my maternal ties.

Then I sent it to everyone in our circle with a simple caption: "The ink is dry. Happy divorce to me."

As I expected, it didn't take long for the gossip mills of the major families to start churning.

The news of my split from the Wilson family spread like wildfire.

Everyone started looking at Daniel differently.

"I thought the bastard divorced his wife before getting a new girl. Turns out the son of a bitch was lying the whole time."

"That bastard is a disgrace to the Wilson family name. Putting on that devoted husband act while Sarah took a bullet for him. The animal turns around and hooks up with some cheap tramp. What a load of crap about 'true love.' It was all for show."

"He took advantage of the fact that Sarah couldn't speak to make up whatever story he wanted, claiming they were already divorced. I've been in this circle for years, and I've never seen anyone so shameless."

"Wait, isn't that showgirl's last name also Rossi?"

"You don't know the inside story. Eva was originally rescued by Sarah from human traffickers. If Sarah hadn't stepped in, she'd still be turning tricks in the red-light district. Even her name was a gift from Sarah! That bitch bit the hand that fed her and stole Sarah's husband."

The entire circle was up in arms for me, calling Eva a backstabbing bitch.

Betraying his benefactor and abandoning the wife who took a bullet for him destroyed Daniel's reputation and gutted his authority.

"You crazy bitch!" Daniel's voice seethed over the phone. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

I took a calm sip of my coffee. "I was just telling our friends my new situation."

"Situation?" Daniel sneered. "You aired our dirty laundry for the whole world to see!

"Every family is trashing Eva. She's been crying all night. Are you satisfied now?"

"Sarah, you have to fix this. You need to announce that this was your decision, and that Eva had nothing to do with it."

It was laughable.

"What do you want me to announce? That you didn't betray the person who saved your life? That you didn't abandon the wife who took a bullet for you?"

"Daniel, you have a brain. Try using it for once."

I hung up and immediately blocked his number.

He tried calling me from countless other numbers, all of which I blocked.

I recorded all our conversations. Not giving a damn about the fallout, I posted them directly to my social media for the world to see.

On the very day of our divorce, I had made Daniel Wilson a pariah in our world.

He'd set a new standard for shamelessness.

Watching them scramble, I let out a cold laugh and sent a message to a secure number: [You can make your move.]

After sending the message, a thrill of anticipation ran through me.

I wondered what would become of Daniel after he lost everything. Would he and Eva still be so deeply in love?

But I never expected Daniel to have the audacity to force his way into the Rossi estate, bringing Eva and Alice with him.

He glanced around the slightly dilapidated estate and let out a sneer.

"Sarah, you really think you can fight me with what little you have? Don't you know you're playing with fire? You'll lose everything."

"Daniel, I promise you, very soon you'll be in a much worse place than I am."

"Enough with your ridiculous fantasies!" Daniel went to sit down, then frowned at the sofa.

"I suggest you be a good girl and stop making trouble."

Alice tugged on Eva's hand beside him and whispered, "Mommy has been crying for days because of you. Can you please stop bullying her?"

I didn't even glance at Alice or acknowledge Daniel's threat.

Suddenly, Eva rushed toward me, grabbing my arm. "Sarah, please, I'm begging you. Let this go."

"This deal is too important to him. He can't afford any distractions from these rumors!"

"I know it's all my fault! I'll do anything to make it up to you!"

Tears streamed down her face. Her performance was flawless; anyone else would have felt a pang of sympathy.

I hated her touch and tried to pull my arm away, but she let out a sharp cry and stumbled back, falling to the ground as if I had pushed her.

Daniel rushed forward and swept Eva into his arms. "Sarah, what the hell do you want?"

"You're mean! You pushed Mommy!" Alice shrieked. Believing I had pushed Eva, she charged at me, but stumbled and crashed into a side table.

A heavy crystal sculpture slid off the edge and crashed down on my arm.

They all stared in shock as blood instantly soaked my sleeve.