The sports car roared along the road, stopping at the foot of the mountain after a sharp drift.

I got out after Carlo and saw spotlights flashing everywhere. Deafening music from speakers seemed ready to burst out, with chaos and noise happening all around.

I instinctively sought someone to hold onto amid the ruckus. When I looked up, I saw a graceful figure throw herself into Carlo's arms.

Carlo glanced back at me. In the next instant, he wrapped his arm around the woman's waist.

Encouraged by his response, the woman grew bolder and kissed Carlo as if no one else were around. As I stood very close to them, I could see their intimate entanglement clearly.

Everyone else clapped and cheered, yet when they looked at me, their gazes were mocking.

They clung to each other in front of me until the woman sweetly called, "Caro…"

Only then did I speak up. "You can't call him that."

As soon as my words fell, I remembered that Carlo was still there. Afraid he might notice something amiss, I paused and added coldly, "It doesn't sound good."

The woman glared at me, then coyly said to Carlo, "Carlo, isn't this the person who helped drive us around last time? Look at her, daring to boss me around."

Carlo turned to look at me, his eyes tinged with desire, and with red lipstick stains on his cheek. He smiled dismissively.

"Wen, why are you so jealous? It's just a nickname. Is it worth getting so upset about it? At worst, I'll just make sure she doesn't say it in front of you again."

I lowered my head, feeling my heart ache—but it wasn't because Carlos refused to grant me this small wish even after three years.

It was because I couldn't even protect Lucaro's one and only special name.

For the first time, I stood my ground. "I said, she isn't allowed to call him that."

Carlo's expression darkened. He hadn't expected me to be so firm on this matter, leaving him embarrassed in front of everyone.

He frowned and waved his hand. "Understood. Someone, take her to the grandstands. Don't let her disrupt things here."

Enzo quickly came over to pull me away. "Ms. Santoro, these are all Don Altieri's associates. Don't do this. Otherwise, you'll humiliate him."

As I watched Carlo walk away with his arm around the woman, I felt my heart harden. I then turned and followed Enzo.

On our way to the grandstands, the whispers around me never stopped.

"That's the lapdog who always follows Don Altieri, right? Why did she show up today? Is she trying to claim her territory?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Don Altieri doesn't care about her at all. He's been openly flirting with others right in front of her. What kind of authority does she have?"

"I heard that Wendy's just an ordinary person. She's no match for someone like Don Altieri. Being able to get close to him is already her greatest luck."

"If she wants to keep her spot, she'd better bring condoms whenever Don Altieri is with other women. Otherwise, if she waits too long and someone uses the chance to climb the ranks, she'll be left with nothing."

When Enzo heard the increasingly harsh gossip, he couldn't help but speak up. "All of you—"

I stopped him. "Forget it. I don't mind."

No matter how harshly they spoke, it didn't matter. As long as Lucaro could make it to heaven safely, nothing else mattered to me.

Enzo looked at me with a trace of pity in his eyes.

When we reached an empty spot, he suddenly said to me, "Ms. Santoro, let me tell you something.

"Don Altieri isn't completely indifferent to you. He's already secretly planning a proposal. He said that once he proposes, he'll settle down. He'll cut ties with all these other women and be with you forever."

As I looked at Enzo's earnest expression, I briefly felt a wave of helplessness.

"Okay," I merely responded.

Enzo saw me to the grandstands and then left.

As I sat in my seat, the wind kicked up dust. I instinctively closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, Lucaro was sitting beside me.

I clenched my jaw at the sight.

Lucaro's voice was hoarse as he said, "Wen, you once told me that even if a man had money and looks, if he couldn't make you laugh or treat you as well as I did, you wouldn't like him."

I gritted my teeth and looked up at the sky, pretending to be calm. However, inside me, a storm was raging.

Lucaro gazed at me deeply. He was about to say something more when, the next second, I heard someone shout, "Bad news! There was an assassination attempt on Don Altieri! He was shot and fell down the mountainside!"

I froze for a moment, feeling my blood run cold, then dashed forward like a madwoman. I tripped several times, causing my knees to scrape and bleed, yet I didn't even notice it.

The wind howled, and Lucaro's sigh of despair was carried to my ears.

"Wen, it turns out that Carlo is the one you truly love."

I was too frantic to carefully consider Lucaro's words.

The word "assasination" cast a shadow over me, making me forget everything else in that moment.

I followed Enzo all the way to the spot where Carlo had fallen, where spent bullet casings and scattered droplets of blood were on the ground.

It all painfully reminded me of the scene from three years ago when Lucaro was assassinated.

Enzo stood there anxiously, making call after call.

Seeing that I wanted to go down, he quickly stopped me. "Ms. Santoro, I've already made the call. An ambulance and the Soldati are on their way. Don't be reckless."

Despite what he said, I shook off his hand and charged down. The slope was steep and slippery, and I fell several times before reaching Carlo.

He was riddled with bullets, his body mangled as he lay on the ground. He was barely alive.

This scene almost overlapped perfectly with the one from three years ago when I saw Lucaro.

Trembling, I grabbed Carlo's hand, calling out over and over, "Caro…"

I begged him softly not to leave me. I was afraid he'd fall asleep forever, just like Lucaro did.

I started shaking Carlo. During this, he regained consciousness.

He slowly opened his eyes and, upon seeing me in such a state of despair, couldn't help widening them in shock.

Suddenly, it started to rain. I quickly dragged Carlo up and began pulling him up the mountain.

Along the way, I kept stumbling and falling. Every time I fell, I used my own body to cushion him. As a result, stones scraped my hands and legs until they were bloody.

As I trudged on, I kept saying, "Caro, don't fall asleep. I'm saving you. I'm taking you home."

Carlo just stared at me with his mouth agape, unsure of what to say.

At the top of the slope, an ambulance was already waiting.

Mia Bianchi, the woman who had been in Carlo's passenger seat, had also been thrown from the car. She was being loaded onto the ambulance.

Just as Carlo was being loaded in, the medic saw my injuries and hesitated, saying, "The ambulance has limited space. We can only take two patients."

The medic looked at my wounds and said, "This young lady's injuries also need treatment."

As everyone hesitated, Carlo spoke from inside the vehicle. "She can wait. We'll go first."

Then, he said to me, "Wendy, your wounds don't look as severe as Mia's. Let Mia get treated first."

I said nothing. I merely stood by the roadside, watching the ambulance take Carlo and Mia away.

The onlookers gradually dispersed after that.

Enzo stayed by my side, glancing at my wounds several times. He didn't know what to say.

A cold wind blew, and I shivered. "Can you take me back first? In this state, I'd probably just get in the way at the hospital."

Enzo quickly nodded.

I stood and walked to the car. The woman reflected in the window was far from elegant—her clothes were torn, and her body was covered in blood.

Enzo found me a shawl. As he draped it over me, he said, "Ms. Santoro, don't worry. Don Altieri has been taken to the best hospital. He'll be fine."

I hummed in acknowledgment before getting into the car.

On the way home, Enzo tried to make conversation. "Ms. Santoro, you're truly amazing. You risked your life to save Don Altieri. He'll be very touched and will definitely treat you even better in the future."

I only smiled when I heard this. It was useless, for the one who was truly "Caro" to me died long ago.

My eyes stung, and a tear slid from the corner of my eye.

Enzo dropped me off at the manor and went to the hospital to see Carlo.

Just as I entered the living room, a maid informed me, "Ms. Santoro, Madre Altieri is here."

Carlo's parents were here?

In the three years I'd been with Carlo, his parents had never accepted me as his girlfriend. In fact, they often criticized me.

But now, seeing me, Marta Basile quickly stood and pulled me to sit beside her. She gently asked, "How could Carlo let you come back in such a wounded state?"

She turned to a maid and instructed, "Quick, call the family doctor to dress Wen's wounds."

Marta turned back to me and patted my hand, saying solemnly, "Wen, don't worry. I've heard about what happened today. You carried my son up the slope and ignored your own injuries.

"I admit that we were biased against you before. But you have my word—from now on, we will only recognize you as our daughter-in-law. Once Carlo is discharged, I'll have the wedding preparations started."

I didn't want to marry Carlo.

But when I looked up, I saw Lucaro's spirit standing by the window. It seemed noticeably fainter than before.

I recalled what Father Piero had told me.

"When Lucaro's spirit begins to fade, it means that he isn't far from ascending to heaven."

Was Lucaro finally about to go to heaven?

Thinking of this, I felt no joy at all—only a twisting pain in my chest.

I swallowed all my emotions and looked at Marta, nodding. "Okay."

Carlo's injuries weren't severe, and he was discharged from the hospital in just a few days. Our wedding date was officially set for ten days later.

That day would be when Lucaro's spirit would fade, the day he would ascend to heaven.

It was also the day I would truly say goodbye to this world and everyone in it.

Carlo intimately wrapped his arm around my waist and whispered in my ear, "Wen, a few of my friends are coming over later. Make sure the housekeepers know about their dietary restrictions."

Carlo disliked the smell of hospital disinfectant. Once his injuries were treated, he came home to recuperate, and I naturally began taking care of him.

I couldn't help but say, "The doctor said it's best for you to rest right now."

Hearing this, Carlos didn't get annoyed. He just chuckled softly. "What, are you starting to boss me around already?"

I quickly shook my head, wanting to explain, when Enzo stepped forward and handed Carlo his phone.

Carlo glanced at the caller ID, picked up the call, and walked away while speaking.

"Mia, how's your recovery going? Have you been listening to the doctor?

"Marriage? That's a long story. I'll explain it to you slowly."

I could only catch a few scattered words of what Carlo said next. Well, they weren't important to me anyway.

After giving instructions to the housekeepers, I noticed that it was still early and decided to take a walk in the garden. I only returned home when it was almost time for the gathering.

When I reached the manor gate, I saw several sports cars parked at the entrance.

A few people had gathered there, chattering excitedly.

"What? Don Altieri is really going to marry Wendy? He's truly going to love only Wendy from now on?"

"Of course. The wedding invitations have been sent. The story of Wendy risking her life to save Don Altieri is everywhere. If he backs out now, it would make him look bad."

"But isn't Mia pregnant? How could Wendy accept her newlywed husband bringing an illegitimate child into their home?"

At this point, Enzo came forward and coldly warned, "Don Altieri has already said that Mia's pregnancy must absolutely not be known to Ms. Santoro. Otherwise, you'll bear the consequences."

The group quickly fell silent.

I stood waiting around the corner. Only after everyone had gone inside did I walk out calmly.

Mia was pregnant? Did Carlo not want me to know because he was afraid I'd be angry? Or was he worried I'd hurt Mia?

I didn't know, and I didn't want to think about it. After all, in ten days, none of this would have anything to do with me.

I looked up to find Lucaro standing in front of me. His spirit was almost transparent in the setting sun, and his expression held deep disappointment and indignation on my behalf.

I felt as though someone had squeezed my heart.

Lucaro was disappointed that my love for Carlo had made me abandon all my principles, and he resented me for the needless suffering I'd brought upon myself because of it.

But no matter what Lucaro thought of me now—whether he doubted my sincerity or felt hopeless about me—I would still send him safely to heaven.

My steps didn't falter as I walked right through his spirit. In that moment, a sudden, bone-chilling cold made me shiver.

In the living room, Carlo and his friends were playing pool. Seeing me return, he put down his cue stick and walked up to me.

"Why did it take so long? Was someone causing you trouble?" he asked.

I smiled gently. "It's fine."

The people on the couch stood to greet me. "Ms. Santoro is so considerate. We're all jealous of Don Altieri."

"Exactly."

I listened to their teasing with a faint smile, my expression still calm.

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Carlo went to answer it.

When the door opened, and everyone saw who had arrived, they fell silent.

It was Mia. Her face was pale, and tears glimmered in her eyes. She pointed at me and looked at Carlo, demanding, "Carlo, you have to choose between our baby and her."

Carlo didn't answer immediately, but I could see his gaze lingering on Mia's stomach. The longer he stayed silent, the more panicked I felt.

After a long moment, he looked at me and reached out to take my hand.

I grabbed his hand in return and said firmly, "Carlo, our wedding cannot be canceled."

Lucaro couldn't wait any longer. I had to get married!