Early the next morning, I was woken by commotion downstairs.

Luca had brought Cindy back. I watched coldly as he carefully supported her, as if she were some priceless treasure. Several men were carrying things inside—prenatal supplements of the highest quality and imported medical equipment.

"Careful! Don't bump into anything!" Luca directed them nervously.

When he looked up, he saw me. Panic flashed across his face for a moment before it was replaced with a kind of justified helplessness.

"Xandra, you're awake?" He let go of Cindy and rushed upstairs, lowering his voice as he explained, "The Salvatore residence was attacked last night. Cindy… She's pregnant, and the shock affected the baby. I brought her here to stay for a few days."

As if realizing that he said too much, he hurriedly added, "The child isn't mine. It's an IVF baby using Kendall's preserved sample from before he passed. I'm just taking the name to shut those old men up."

Such a clumsy lie. He must've forgotten that his brother, Kendall Salvatore, had always despised the idea of IVF. There was no way he would've left anything behind.

I looked past him at Cindy. She deliberately tugged down her collar, revealing the marks on her neck, and shot me a provocative glance.

"If Cindy's not feeling well, it's only right for her to stay here," I said expressionlessly.

Luca froze, clearly not expecting me to agree so easily. A flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes as he reached out, trying to pull me into an embrace. "Xandra, I knew you'd understand. Don't worry. She'll stay in the guest room downstairs. She won't disturb us."

I dodged his hand. "She's pregnant. We don't have enough staff. I'll have the housekeeper bring in more help."

"No need!" Luca blurted.

When I looked at him, he coughed awkwardly and explained, "Cindy's situation is special. I'm worried about outsiders with bad intentions. More people would mean more risks. I'll arrange for my own people to take care of her."

Was he afraid I'd harm Cindy's child? It seemed as though he already saw me as an enemy.

"Suit yourself." I turned back toward the room. "I haven't been feeling well lately. I don't want to see anyone."

Luca followed behind me, his tone turning coaxing. "What's wrong? Should I call the family doctor? Oh, right. I brought you a gift."

He pulled out a box. Inside it was a dazzling pink diamond necklace. "When I saw it, I thought it would suit you perfectly."

I glanced at it and laughed bitterly. Cindy was the one who liked necklaces. I was allergic to metal and couldn't even wear jewelry.

Five years of marriage, and he had even forgotten that. He had clearly just taken this necklace straight from Cindy.

"Thanks. Just leave it there." I didn't take it and walked straight into the master bedroom. A room once filled with our best memories now felt unbearable to look at.

I took out a large suitcase and began stuffing all those unbearable things inside. If they were no longer beautiful, then they didn't deserve to stay.

Leaning against the doorframe, Luca frowned at me. "Why are you cleaning the room?"

"Cindy is pregnant. How can she stay in the guest room? I'm clearing out the master bedroom for her," I lied casually.

Luca didn't doubt it. He walked over and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, resting his chin against my neck. That familiar scent of Cindy's perfume hit my nostrils again. My stomach churned, but I forced myself not to push him away.

"Xandra, I know this is hard on you. Once the baby is born, the alliance between the two families will be secured, and the elders won't have anything to say. Then, we'll finally be free," he whispered in my ear, as if trying to hypnotize me, or himself.

Free? What a brilliant plan.

He wanted the power of the Don, my love, and a legitimate child with Cindy. He was far too greedy.

Suddenly, Cindy's panicked scream rang out from downstairs. "Luca! My stomach… It hurts!"

Luca's arms stiffened instantly. Almost by reflex, he let go of me and rushed out of the room. "What's wrong? Call the family doctor!"

The urgency and panic in his voice were far beyond what should exist between in-laws.

After I finished clearing out the bedroom, I went to the study and opened the safe. Inside were our prenuptial agreement and transfer documents for a portion of the Salvatore family's core assets.

When he proposed, to prove his sincerity, he willingly handed over to me the family assets that had been allocated to him. As long as I wanted, a third of the Salvatore family's holdings could be mine. But I had never touched them. They felt tainted.

As the daughter of the Caprese family, I had never lacked wealth. What I had accepted back then was his sincerity. But now, that sincerity was gone. I rolled up the documents and stuffed them into the suitcase along with everything else.

Just then, a housekeeper's voice came from downstairs. "Signor Salvatore, your mother and the elders have arrived."

My hand paused. Cindy had only just gotten pregnant, and Luca's mother had already come with the elders?

It seemed that Cindy wasn't here to seek security. She was here to force a decision.

The atmosphere in the living room was tense. Cindy sat reclined against the couch, while Luca sat close beside her, protectively guarding her belly. Across from them sat Luca's mother, Krista Mangione, along with several of the Salvatore family's senior elders.

When I walked downstairs, every gaze turned to me at once. From their stares, I felt it all—scrutiny, disdain, contempt, and even pity.

"Xandra." Luca stood, about to come over, but a single look from Krista stopped him.

One of the elders cleared his throat and spoke sternly. "Since everyone is here, let's get to the point. As agreed, now that Ms. Newton is carrying the Salvatore family bloodline, Luca can officially assume the position of Don. I believe their wedding should also be arranged. Why not announce this joyous news at the coronation ceremony in a few days?"

I noticed Luca was looking down at Cindy with concern, as if he hadn't even heard the conversation. A sharp pain twisted in my chest.

Without stopping, I walked over and sat on a single-seater couch, speaking coldly. "If you want Luca to marry Cindy, then what am I, his wife, supposed to be?"

A subordinate beside the elder let out a mocking laugh. "You are just an orphan of unknown background. Do you really think you can be the Donna of the Salvatore family? You really don't know your place, even interrupting a family meeting."

Krista lifted her cup of coffee, blowing on it leisurely, her gaze arrogant. "For the sake of your past with Luca, you can stay on as his secret lover. Cindy isn't doing well, and she'll need a bridesmaid to take care of her at the wedding. You can do it. Consider it a bit of dignity for you."

"Enough!" Luca snapped, seemingly unable to stand it anymore. But when his gaze fell on Cindy's belly, he swallowed it back. "Mom, be nicer with your words."

But that was all. He didn't even deny a single word of Krista's arrangement for me.

I smiled. "I have no objection to Luca marrying Cindy." I lifted my head, a calm smile on my face. "But I won't be anyone's secret lover. I'll divorce Luca and have nothing to do with him from now on."

Everyone was stunned. Luca stared at me in shock. "Xandra, you…"

"What? Did you really expect me to stay on as your secret lover?" I looked at him, my smile mocking.

He fell silent, his face flushing. But Krista smiled with satisfaction. "Since Signora Caprese is so sensible, that's great! Luca, you should prioritize the family. That's what a Don must do."

After seeing Krista and the elders out, Luca dismissed the household staff and, in a panic, grabbed my wrist. "Xandra, you were just saying that out of anger, right? You're not really going to leave me, are you?"

I looked at him indifferently. "Then what do you want me to do? Stay here and watch you and Cindy live happily together?"

A trace of guilt flashed across his face. "Xandra, don't be like this… I admit I was wrong. But I swear, this is the last time. Once I have full control of the Salvatore family, I'll give you the best of everything. The position of the Donna of the family can only be yours."

"I believe you," I said softly, resting my head against his shoulder.

I believed he could take control of the Salvatore family, but he would never get the chance to make it up to me.

Over the next few days, Luca was so busy that he barely had time to have a rest. He had to prepare for the coronation ceremony and the wedding, while also taking over family affairs.

At home, Cindy had already assumed the role of the lady of the house. She ordered the housekeepers to redecorate everything to her liking, having all the roses I planted uprooted and replaced with lilies she preferred.

Luca turned a blind eye to it all. When Cindy complained that the sound of my footsteps was too loud, he even had thick carpets laid down in the hallway. I watched it all coldly, quietly cooperating as Cindy erased every trace of me from the house, bit by bit.

The night before the coronation ceremony, Luca came home early for once, holding a wedding dress I had once dreamed of. "Xandra, I owe you a wedding," he said guiltily. "Tomorrow, wear this and come to my coronation, alright?"

I nodded. "Alright."

At least it would settle my last regret.

Luca let out a relieved smile. He wanted to stay the night, but I sent him away with the excuse that Cindy needed him more.

After he left, I casually tossed the wedding dress onto the table.

My phone vibrated. It was a message from Quentin Hart. "Principessa, I'll come pick you up at 9:00 am tomorrow."

I looked around at this "home" that had been altered beyond recognition.

Goodbye, Luca.

On the day of the coronation ceremony, it rained nonstop.

I dragged my suitcase downstairs, giving the house one last look. I planned to leave as soon as the ceremony was over.

As I passed through the living room, I ran into Cindy, who was fully made up and ready to go. She glanced at the suitcase in my hand, froze for a second, then curled her lips into a mocking smile. "Aw, where did this stray dog come from? How pitiful. How does it feel to watch your own husband have a child with and marry another woman?"

When I didn't respond, she directly blocked my path. "Luca promised me that after the ceremony, he'll send you abroad. After all, I can't tolerate an eyesore."

I had no patience for her shenanigans. I reached out to push her aside and walked past. But she suddenly fell backward, her expression instantly shifting to panic. "Xandra, why did you push me?"

Before I could react, Luca's furious voice came from behind. "Xandra, what are you doing?"

Cindy's face turned pale at once, tears welling in her eyes as she clutched her stomach. "Luca, my wedding dress… Someone cut it up. I just wanted to ask about it, but she…"

Hearing that, Luca looked at me with disappointment. "Xandra, I didn't think you'd do something like this. Apologize to Cindy."

I looked at them coldly. "I don't know anything about the dress. And I didn't push her. Check the surveillance footage if you don't believe me."

Cindy hadn't expected there to be surveillance cameras. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes. As she pretended to stand unsteadily, she accidentally knocked over my suitcase. It flew open, revealing a pair of scissors inside.

Luca's expression, which had just begun to soften, turned icy. "Not admitting to your mistakes? Xandra, you've truly disappointed me."

Cindy tugged at his sleeve, acting generous. "Luca, forget it. Xandra must be upset that I'm marrying you. I'm fine anyway. Today is your coronation. We should go to the Salvatore residence."

I knew she was afraid that I'd actually pull up the footage. And sure enough, Luca's expression softened as he looked at Cindy with approval. "You're too kind."

He then shot me a look of disgust. After a brief hesitation, he turned to a maid and ordered, "There's no time. Take the wedding dress off Xandra and put it on Cindy. Hurry."

I stared at him in disbelief. But he turned away, refusing to meet my eyes.

Before I could resist, two bodyguards pinned me down. Under the unrestrained gazes of the men around us, several maids stepped forward and began unfastening the buttons of my dress. With the men's intrusive "help", the wedding dress was stripped cleanly from my body and presented to Cindy.

Luca took it himself and put it on her. Then, he said to me, "Stay here and reflect. You're not to step out of the villa until the ceremony is over."

Without another glance, he led everyone away to the Salvatore residence. The front doors slammed shut and were locked from the outside. I was left alone, sitting on the cold floor in my underwear.

Not long after they left, the villa doors were blasted open, and Quentin stormed in with a group of men. It was the time we had agreed on.

When Quentin saw me, his eyes reddened. He immediately took off his coat and wrapped it around me. "Principessa, we're late. The Capreses will remember this."

I wiped my tears, turned to look one last time at the house I had once shared with Luca, then pulled off my wedding ring and threw it to the ground.

"Let's go. Burn this place down for me." With that, I got into the car and never looked back.

At the same time, Luca's coronation and wedding were held at the Salvatore residence in grand fashion, attended by distinguished guests. Cindy wore the wedding dress that had once belonged to me, her face brimming with undisguised triumph.

Luca went through the motions absentmindedly. His mind was replaying the dead, empty look in my eyes when the dress had been stripped away. A trace of regret crept in. He thought that after the ceremony, he would give me a wedding of my own as compensation.

A commotion suddenly broke out outside the banquet hall. Guests began whispering, pointing toward the windows. "Something's on fire in the south side of the city. The flames are lighting up half the sky."

A sudden sense of unease gripped Luca. The house he shared with me was in the south.

At that moment, the butler rushed in through the side door, his face pale. "Don Salvatore, something's wrong! Your villa in the south. It's on fire! The flames are too strong and can't be contained at all!"

Luca felt like the blood in his veins had frozen. He grabbed the butler by the collar. "Where's my wife? Where's Xandra? Was she rescued?"

The butler's lips trembled, his face ashen. "Mrs. Salvatore is still inside!"