After sitting back down, I immediately saved the encrypted number.

Just then, someone knocked on my desk. I looked up to see Nico. I slammed my laptop shut instinctively.

He paused, frowning. "What are you so jumpy about? Hiding something I shouldn't see?"

I shook my head, my tone distant. "You startled me, Mr. Carbone. Is there something I can help you with?"

My coldness clearly irritated him. But with others present, he reined in his temper, his voice turning icy. "I was wondering if you've finished analyzing the data for that shipment."

"I'm still working on it. I'll send it to your secure server before dinner."

"Good. Make it fast. I'm taking Bianca to an important family dinner tonight. I can't be late."

With that, Nico turned and walked back to his study.

The moment the door closed, Jenna let out a long breath. "God, that was terrifying. Mr. Carbone looked like he was going to kill someone. I've never seen him like that."

I managed a small, bitter laugh. "Like what?"

"So arrogant!" she whispered. "He's always like that with us, but he's always been so gentle with you, hasn't he? And I've never seen him give you any real work. Your job has always been—"

"Handled by us, you mean?" a smirking associate at a nearby desk suddenly cut in, his voice dripping with mockery. "For the past three years, because the Don had a thing for you, most of your work landed on our plates."

"Now that he has a new favorite, you've been knocked down to doing grunt work with the rest of us. It's been a while, Ava. Still remember how to cook the books? If you've forgotten, you can always come ask me for a little refresher."

"You—" Jenna glared at him, but I stopped her.

I swept a sharp gaze over the gawking associates and said slowly, "If you're unhappy with the work assignments, take it up with Mr. Carbone directly. But if you don't have the guts, I'd be happy to pass the message along."

They exchanged glances, and the jeering stopped. I knew they wouldn't dare bet on whether Nico had truly cast me aside.

After all, if I mentioned this to him, given his past affection for me, they might just find themselves taking a permanent swim in Lake Michigan.

Once, an associate, green with envy, "accidentally" knocked over a restoration fluid while I was appraising antiques. Nico had shattered the man's hand on the spot and made sure he'd never work in the Chicago underworld again.

But now...

I picked up the flash drive, and my confidence wavered. Taking a deep breath, I began to sort through the data on the illicit art pieces.

In less than an hour, I had sent the files to Nico's email.

He seemed surprised by my efficiency, sending a quick message: "So fast. Get someone to help you?"

In that instant, all the suppressed bitterness in my chest overflowed.

Even if everyone else thought I'd gotten my position through connections, Nico knew better than anyone that my skills brought real value to the family.

I stormed toward his study, ready for a confrontation, but froze when I heard him talking to Bianca.

"Mr. Carbone, I finally see why Miss Sloane is the family's chief appraiser. This analysis is impeccable."

Nico snorted. "Chief appraiser? If it weren't for me, she wouldn't have even made it through the door. The Carbone family has never lacked talent, only people I find... amusing. She probably slapped this report together in five minutes."

I felt as if I'd been struck by lightning, my legs barely holding me up. So from the very beginning, I had never truly belonged.

I remembered how other members used to ostracize me. Back then, when I was disheartened, Nico had pulled me aside and comforted me. He said one day I would prove my worth with my own abilities.

Because of those words, I had secretly worked my ass off, even when I had no assignments.

It wasn't just for my reputation; it was to live up to his "trust." I never thought it was all just a lie.

I chain-smoked on the estate's balcony until my fingers went numb. When I finally stubbed out the cigarette and returned to my office, I saw Nico and Bianca emerging from his study.

In front of everyone, he draped his coat over her shoulders. My colleagues all looked up, then cast smirking glances my way.

I wanted to pretend I didn't care, but my legs felt like they were filled with lead. I couldn't even lift my head.

However, Bianca wasn't going to let me off that easily. She walked up to me with a faint smile. "Ava, the information you compiled was quite good. I'll have to learn more from you."

I couldn't be bothered to respond. Nico frowned at my silence. "Miss Sloane, did you not hear Miss Russo speaking to you?"

Jenna shot me a shocked look, clearly stunned he would speak to me that way.

I suppressed the bitterness in my chest and looked at Bianca. "Thank you for the compliment."

Bianca nodded, then enthusiastically took my hand, her smile widening. "In that case, can I just have you handle all my work from now on? After all…"

She turned to Nico, her voice soft and cloying. "I've been feeling so weak lately. I just don't have the stomach for all that dirty work."

Every word was a slap in the face, igniting a fire in my chest.

Just as I was about to refuse, Nico's firm voice cut in. "Of course. It's a superior's duty to take care of their subordinates."

In that moment, all desire to argue vanished. I just felt utterly ridiculous.

After they left, I ignored the smirks and whispers around me, shoved my laptop into my bag, and fled the estate.

The moment I stepped out the main gate, the tightness in my chest eased slightly. It's okay, I told myself, all you lost was a man. It's not the end of the world.

Just as I had finally calmed down, I caught a glimpse of a familiar armored car parked not far away. Inside, a man and a woman were locked in a passionate kiss.

Nico's eyes were closed as he held Bianca's face, looking both gentle and utterly captivated.

I stood frozen, rooted to the spot. In three years, Nico had kissed every inch of my body—everywhere except my lips.

Even if I stood on my toes to kiss him, he would always turn his head, claiming he didn't like kissing.

So, it wasn't that he didn't like it. He just didn't like kissing me.

A wave of dizziness washed over me. So, was I not even worthy of a kiss? Or was Bianca something more to him? Either answer was unbearable.

Heavy snow suddenly began to fall again, and Nico finally broke the kiss, slowly looking up.

Just before our eyes met, I stumbled back a step and ran blindly into the snowstorm.

On the way back to my apartment, I bought myself a birthday cake and clutched it to my chest.

The moment I stepped inside, I collapsed, not even having the strength to open the box.

The delicate cake was smashed to pieces. My body was on fire, my head was spinning, and I couldn't even find the strength to crawl to bed.

Just then, I recalled Nico promising me an unforgettable 25th birthday months ago.

He had probably forgotten, but he was right. This one would be unforgettable. A bitter smile twisted my lips.

I lay on the floor as time slipped by, until an encrypted notification popped up on my phone. It was a message from the Grimaldi syndicate. "Congratulations on passing the initial screening, Miss Ava Sloane. Your video assessment is scheduled in three days."

Reading the message, I felt a flicker of defiance. At least there was one piece of good news.

Lying on the cold floor, I managed a faint smile and drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I was in my bed. Nico, who hadn't been home all night, was sitting beside me, gently wiping the sweat from my forehead.

"Why didn't you call me when you had a fever?" Nico handed me a glass of warm water, his voice tight with exasperation. "Stop throwing a tantrum. Take the medicine."

I turned my head away, refusing to look at him.

Nico frowned at my defiance. "Ava, have you forgotten what I told you?"

I knew exactly what he meant. If I didn't obey, I'd be cast out by him and the Carbone family. But even with his dark expression, I held my ground.

"Hah." A sneer. "Looks like the pet has grown claws." He slammed the glass on the nightstand. "You don't answer my messages. You ignore my calls. Now you won't even take your medicine. Do you hate me that much? Fine. We'll stay here all day. I'm not leaving until you take it."

With that, he took off his jacket, leaned back, and settled in for a standoff.

I couldn't understand him. If he didn't love me, if I was just a plaything, why go to all this trouble?

Finally, I turned my head. "I'm just your pet. Why does it matter if I take the medicine?"

"Of course it matters," Nico answered without hesitation, his gaze fixed on me. "If you're sick, you can't handle my business."

Before, his intense gaze would make my heart race. Now, it just made me sick. I pulled the blanket over my head, done with the conversation. He didn't say anything else, just sat there in silence.

During that time, he took a few calls about family business, his reply the same each time. "I have more important things to deal with. Postpone all meetings." He raised his voice deliberately, as if to make sure I heard.

I don't know how much time passed, but just as my irritation was about to make me give in, Bianca called.

With just one word from her, Nico immediately stood, put on his jacket, and rushed off. His threat of "not leaving" evaporated into thin air.

At the door, he glanced back. "Oh, right. I was busy yesterday and forgot your gift. Don't throw it out in a fit of pique. It's valuable. That lighter alone could keep you comfortable for the rest of your life."

His flippant, disdainful tone made my heart sink.

All this time, Nico never believed I would actually leave. And why would he? I was an ordinary person he had "promoted" into the Carbone family, living in a luxury apartment he bought. In his eyes, without him, I had nothing. I'd be back to a menial job at a small gallery, sharing an apartment with strangers, and squeezing onto crowded buses. That's why he was so confident, so brazenly cruel.

But he was wrong. I refused to live a life where someone else held my fate in their hands. Even if I obeyed him now, once he grew tired of me, I would still end up with nothing.

At that thought, I sighed and reached for the water on the nightstand. It was cold. My hand trembled so badly I couldn't hold the glass steady. It slipped through my fingers, shattering on the floor.

Just then, my phone buzzed incessantly with notifications from the family's internal channel. "Look! Did the Don just announce his engagement to Miss Russo?"

The word "engagement" plunged into my heart like a shard of ice.

With trembling hands, I clicked on Bianca's profile. She had posted a photo of a stunning ruby ring. The caption read: "One month with my fiancé, and he already gave me the Donna's ring! Feeling so blessed! ❤️"

Seeing the ring, I froze. My birthday gift was a diamond-encrusted custom Zippo lighter. A consolation prize he picked up while shopping for his fiancée? Even though I had accepted reality, the pain was still sharp.

But the cruelest part wasn't the gift. It was Nico's reply: "As long as you like it, my love. There's more where that came from." He hadn't corrected her. They really were engaged.

My phone slipped from my hand. I stood there for a long time before taking the lighter and listing it on a black market website. As a limited edition, it sold quickly. When the notification for a large cash transfer came through, I forced a smile and wiped away my tears.

"What are you crying for, Ava?" I muttered. "Three years of my life for a fat check. I guess I came out on top."

Just as my mood hit rock bottom, Nico called. His tone was flat. "Did you take your medicine? Bianca said she was in a bad mood, so I—"

"I took it," I cut him off.

A brief pause. Then, his satisfied voice. "Oh, good. See? You should have just been obedient. Don't act up again, Ava. I don't like coddling people."

"I know."

Nico, clearly pleased, hung up. He didn't know that as soon as the call ended, I collapsed, tears streaming down my face, my eyes empty, my heart completely hollow.

I had no expectations left. And there would be no next time.