When I woke up the next morning, Riccardo had already left to handle family business.

The moment I stepped out of the bedroom, I ran straight into Riccardo's mother, Sofia Fiore.

She was lounging on the leather couch in the living room, toying with a string of black pearls. Her gaze swept over me with undisguised contempt.

"My, how spoiled of you to wake up so late. You've been married into the family for a year and haven't even conceived an heir yet, and you still run off to the hospital every day? What, does Riccardo not earn enough to support you?"

For the past year, I'd swallowed her taunts for Riccardo's sake. But now, I didn't need to anymore.

"Madre, a woman has the right to choose her own life," I said evenly. "And for the record, I can very well support myself with the income I earn from working at the hospital. In fact, I've never spent a single cent of this family's money."

With that, I grabbed my bag and walked straight out of the manor. Outside, I slid into a black sedan and drove toward the hospital.

At Westworth Private Hospital, I handed the application form to the hospital director, Angelo Santoro.

"I've decided to accept the offer from Capitolium Medical University. Here's my application."

Mr. Santoro's face lit up with approval. "Very wise, indeed. I was worried you might give it up because of your position as Don Corleone's wife."

I let out a self-deprecating laugh. Wise? If I were truly wise, I wouldn't have chosen the wrong man twice.

"Mr. Santoro, please keep this a secret for now, especially from the family."

As I walked out of his office, I came face-to-face with Alice. She was dressed in a white nurse's uniform, her blonde hair braided into two pigtails. Not only did this make her look innocent, but also delicate.

But I knew exactly what kind of evil lurked beneath that sweet exterior.

Alice grabbed my arm affectionately, her smile sickly sweet. "Dalia, come over for dinner tonight. Marco said he'd make your favorite lamb chops."

The Marco she mentioned was once my fiance.

I was about to refuse when Riccardo's voice came from behind me.

"Sounds good. I just happen to be free tonight."

I turned to find him standing there. I hadn't even heard him arrive.

He slipped an arm around my waist naturally. But his gaze drifted past me, following Alice until she disappeared into the nurse's station before finally looking away.

My heart sank to the floor.

"I have work tonight, so I won't be going," I said quietly.

Riccardo's brows furrowed instantly, his voice turning cold. "You're still hung up on Marco? He and Alice are happily together now. It's time you moved on."

I looked up at Riccardo and gave him a bitter, ironic smile. "I've moved on. But have you?"

Riccardo froze.

Instead of waiting for an answer, I just walked away.

After my shift, Riccardo dragged me to Alice's place anyway. It was an apartment in Princefield District.

Dressed in a black suit, Marco stood at the door to greet us. When he saw me, something flickered in his eyes before his expression settled back into calm.

At the dinner table, Alice suddenly linked her arm through Marco's and announced shyly, "We have some good news—I'm pregnant."

She gently stroked her belly, her eyes full of smug satisfaction.

Only now did it dawn on me that she'd invited me over to show off.

Alice turned to me with a look of manufactured concern, asking, "Dalia, when are you and Riccardo planning to have kids?"

Before I could even open my mouth, Riccardo answered for me, "We're not planning on it anytime soon."

"Why not?" Alice asked with shock.

"Dalia's health isn't great. I couldn't bear to put her through all that suffering." Riccardo looked at me tenderly. "If we ever want kids down the line, we can always adopt."

I could feel my hands shaking as I held my knife and fork.

My health was perfectly fine. In my past life, I'd run through hails of gunfire to rescue wounded family members.

I understood now that Riccardo just didn't want to have kids with me.

After dinner, Riccardo and I returned to the manor.

Madre immediately pulled him aside, clearly to complain about me.

I ignored them entirely and headed for the bedroom. I was leaving for Capitolium in two months, so I needed to rest up.

Late that night, Riccardo came in and wrapped his arms around me. "Madre's old and set in her ways. Don't take anything she says to heart."

His hand started wandering.

I caught his wrist. "I thought you didn't want kids?"

Riccardo pressed a kiss to my neck, his voice low and husky. "I just don't like kids, nor am I ready to be a father yet."

I closed my eyes, a chill settling over my heart.

I clearly remembered that in my past life, Riccardo had said he'd only have kids with the woman he truly loved.

Clearly, I wasn't that woman.

But it didn't matter anymore. Once I came back from Capitolium, I would have a life on my own.

And Riccardo would have no place in it.

The next morning, the moment I walked into my office at the hospital, I found Marco waiting.

He was sitting on the couch, his expression complicated as he watched me.

"Dalia, you know that Riccardo doesn't really love you, right?"

I paused for a beat, then said calmly, "That's none of your business."

In my past life, I'd given Marco my heart and my savings just to help him gain a foothold in the family. Yet, in the end, he and Alice had betrayed me together.

"Do you regret breaking off our engagement?" Marco pressed, a flicker of hope in his eyes.

I laughed coldly. "Regret? I only regret not seeing who you really were sooner."

Having said that, I paid Marco no further attention and walked out of the office.

That day was the hospital's community clinic day. Alice and I were on the roster.

Settling into the hospital's minivan, I leaned against the window and watched the city streets blur past.

In two months, I'd be leaving this city that brought me so much pain.

Suddenly, the driver slammed on the brakes. The minivan lurched, then spun out of control, crashing hard into the guardrail.

Metal screeched against metal. The sharp smell of gasoline flooded the air. The minivan tipped over onto its side.

I was pinned beneath the seat, blood trickling from my forehead.

Just as my consciousness began to fade, I saw a black sedan pull up on the side of the road.

Riccardo flung the car door open and anxiously rushed toward the wreckage.

"Riccardo," I called out with the last of my strength.

His gaze flickered to me just for a second, then snapped to the other side.

Alice was pinned beneath the passenger seat, groaning in pain.

I watched as Riccardo charged into the wreckage without a second thought. Then, he carefully lifted Alice into his arms and sprinted toward the ambulance without ever looking back.

In that moment, my heart froze solid, and darkness swallowed me whole.

When I woke up again, three days had passed.

Riccardo was slumped beside my hospital bed, exhaustion written all over him. His eyes were bloodshot, and dark stubble shadowed his jaw.

Seeing that I was awake, he immediately grabbed my hand.

"Dalia, you're finally awake. Are you in pain anywhere?"

I pulled my hand back, my voice cold. "How's Alice?"

Riccardo's eyes flickered.

"She's fine. The baby's safe, too. She's your cousin and pregnant, so I had to save her first," he scrambled to explain. "It's my job as the Don to protect the vulnerable."

I laughed, but the sound that came out was worse than crying.

In the moment between life and death, he'd chosen another woman. Worst still, he'd dressed it up in noble excuses.

I didn't want to wait two months anymore. I wanted to leave this hypocritical man right here and then.

When I didn't respond, Riccardo stood and said, "You must be hungry. I'll go get you something to eat."

After he left, I waited until night fell. But he never returned.

The other patients in the ward all had family members by their beds. Only I was completely alone.

When I needed to use the bathroom, I realized that my leg was injured too. I had to brace myself against the wall and shuffle slowly.

I finally made it to the bathroom door, only to find that I couldn't pull my pants down with one hand still hooked to an IV.

Helpless, I called out softly, "Is anyone there? Can someone please help me?"

A janitor heard me and hurried over to help.

She looked at me, disheveled and struggling, and couldn't help but ask, "Miss, where's your family?"

I had no answer.

In that moment, it suddenly dawned on me that love and marriage were worthless when survival was on the line.

On my way back to the ward, I heard Riccardo's voice.

I turned toward the direction it came from and saw he was carefully guiding Alice by the arm toward the examination room.

Our eyes met. For a split second, panic flashed across Riccardo's eyes.

"Dalia…"

"Dalia, don't get this the wrong way. Marco had family business to handle, so I had no choice but to ask Riccardo to escort me," Alice explained, smiling.

I stood there watching them, and for the first time, my eyes burned red.

It wasn't from heartbreak. But it was because it'd taken me two lifetimes to see people for who they really were.

"If my husband's taking you for the examination, then who's going to take me?" I asked, each word deliberate.

Patients and nurses alike glanced our way.

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Alice's face, but she quickly masked it with practiced hurt.

"Dalia, don't be so petty. I just asked Riccardo for a little help."

Riccardo frowned. "Dalia, Alice is pregnant, so don't give her a hard time."

"Answer me this. Who do you choose—her or me?" I stared into his eyes, waiting for an answer.

Three seconds passed, and Riccardo's hand stayed firmly on Alice's arm with no sign of letting go.

A self-deprecating laugh escaped my lips. "Riccardo, we're done."

I turned on my heel and walked straight to Mr. Santoro's office.

"Mr. Santoro, can I leave for Capitolium early?"

Mr. Santoro looked surprised. "It'll take at least another week to process the paperwork. Why are you in such a hurry?"

"I want to start my new life as soon as possible," I replied, my voice catching slightly.

Mr. Santoro sighed. "Alright. I'll expedite it as fast as I can. But you'd better think it over carefully. You'll be gone for at least three years, so shouldn't you at least say something to Don Corleone?"

"No. There's no need." I shook my head and walked out of his office.

The next morning, Riccardo walked into my hospital room carrying breakfast.

"Croissant and hot cocoa—your favorites."

I looked at the food in his hands and suddenly laughed.

"Riccardo, have you forgotten that I hate sweet food the most?"

In fact, the person who'd love them was Alice.

When we were kids, my nonna, Arianna Messina, always made sugary pastries for Alice. And I never liked them.

Riccardo froze for a moment, then quickly said, "I'll go get you a sandwich instead."

"Don't bother. Just take me back to the manor. I want to be discharged," I said, throwing off the covers.

My leg was only lightly injured, so I could recover just as well at the manor.

After getting into the car, I happened to spot an exquisite pearl hair clip sitting in the glove compartment.

I'd seen it at the department store last time, and Alice had loved it.

I picked it up, turning it over in my hands. "Is this Alice's?"

Riccardo quickly explained, "Marco's in Aztlan for business. Alice said it's cold out, and she doesn't have anything to wear. So, I took her to buy a few things. She probably dropped it by accident.

"Besides, she's pregnant, and it's not easy for her to be on her own. We're all family anyway, so we should help when we can."

I couldn't help but feel amused watching him trip over himself to explain.

Only someone with something to hide needed that many words to cover it up.

"Just drive." I tossed the hair clip back into the glove compartment and turned to look out the window.

Back at the manor, Madre spotted me and immediately started in again.

"You got hospitalized for a tiny injury? Talk about being pampered. Back when I was Donna, I handled family business even with a bullet in me."

I stopped walking and turned to face her. "If you want to rough it, that's up to you. But my parents didn't raise me just so I could suffer in life."

Madre froze, clearly not expecting me to talk back.

I ignored her and walked straight into the bedroom.

First, I circled a date on the calendar.

A week later, on December 15th, it would be both Riccardo's birthday and the day I'd leave.

Second, I took down the wedding photo and every picture of Riccardo and me and threw them all into the fireplace.

As I watched the photos burn, the false memories went up in smoke with them.

Third, I gathered every gift Riccardo had ever given me—gold necklaces, designer watches, custom dresses. Whatever could be thrown away, I tossed. The rest I packed up and gave to the manor staff.

When it was all done, I felt a weight lifted off my chest.

Riccardo returned in the evening. When he saw the ashes in the fireplace, his expression immediately darkened. "Dalia, you burned all our photos?"

"They were old and just taking up space," I replied calmly.

"Old?" He repeated with a hint of anger in his voice. "Those were our memories!"

"There'll be new ones." I finished washing up and lay down on the bed. "I'm tired, so I'm going to sleep now."

Riccardo looked at me, a flicker of hurt in his eyes. But in the end, he said nothing and lay down on the couch.

Late at night, I heard him whisper, "Is that circle on the calendar for my birthday surprise?"

I kept my eyes closed and didn't answer.

A surprise? All I had for him was a clean goodbye.