Chase and Lucille exchanged another passionate kiss before he released her and watched her leave.

He turned and entered the house, his entire body reeking of alcohol and the familiar scent of Lucille's fragrance.

His expression froze as soon as he saw me, but he quickly recomposed himself.

"I'm tired," he said indifferently before heading straight to his room.

Standing in the living room after watching him shut the door in my face, I felt as though my heart had been repeatedly stabbed.

I didn't say anything. Instead, I booked a reservation for a surgical abortion tomorrow.

Then, I called my father, Frank Gambino.

"Papà, I'm coming home."

"Sweetheart, you've finally decided to come back! Are you taking your boyfriend with you this time?" Dad asked, chuckling.

His voice was dripping with joy. After all, he had been yearning for me to go back.

The moment I heard his words, I burst into tears. I sacrificed everything for Chase, even to the point of almost betraying my family—yet this was what I got.

Hearing my sobs, Dad was clearly alarmed. "Who made my princess cry?"

More tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Wait there. I'll go pick you up now," Dad said, his voice turning cold.

I immediately straightened up. "It's fine!"

I declined his offer. I knew how much he cherished me—he would kill Chase if he found out that he betrayed me.

Sucking in a deep breath, I tried to recompose myself before saying, "I will settle everything before going back to find you."

I packed my things after hanging up and prepared to leave.

I wanted to see Chase one last time. When I walked into his bedroom, my gaze fell onto his phone, which sat on the nightstand.

Chase never set a password for his phone. He said there was nothing to hide from me. But was that really the truth?

I opened his phone and froze. The picture on his lock screen was no longer me—it was a picture of Lucille.

Golden locks cascaded down her shoulders as she beamed at the camera.

A shiver raced down my spine as I clicked on the photo album, flipping to the date of my birthday.

That night, Chase told me he was busy. He was so occupied with dealing with a batch of arms that he couldn't call me—and I believed in him.

But the photo before me said otherwise. He was with Lucille at the most prestigious private club in Montagne, picking out a diamond necklace and holding a glass of champagne for her.

I had never seen this side of him.

What was even more ridiculous was that his subordinates were also there too. The very same men who called me "Mrs. McGregor" sat at the table, witnessing the sweet moment between their boss and Lucille.

I closed his phone. My fingers trembled slightly, yet I didn't cry at all.

Gazing at Chase's sleeping face, I removed the diamond ring he gave me and placed it on the bedside table before leaving.

The next day, under the sympathetic looks the nurses gave me, I ended everything.

By the time the anesthesia effects wore out, I had received several calls from Chase.

My phone buzzed again, and I picked it up.

"Daphne Gambino, where the fuck did you go?" he demanded, his voice tinged with fury. "What's with the ring you left behind? Are you breaking up with me?"

Hearing this, I chuckled and said, "Chase, isn't this exactly what you wanted?"

A brief silence followed. Then, his labored breathing echoed through the phone as he rasped, "What on earth are you talking about?"

The unease in his tone was unmistakable.

"You've already chosen Lucille Gervais, haven't you?"

The other end of the line went dead silent.

"How did you find out about Lucille?" he asked in a hushed tone. "Daphne, it's not what you think!"

I smiled and simply hung up. The last thing I wanted was to be involved with him anymore.

I called Dad and told him that I was already on the plane back home.

The entire airport was cleared. From the runway to the terminal, every corner was filled with his men.

A line of black bulletproof cars stretched across the tarmac, mercenaries standing on either side. They all donned sunglasses, and the bulge of firearms beneath their suits was clearly visible.

The airport security had no choice but to step aside, not daring to interfere.

My father was the most respected Mafia don on the East Coast, and he came to pick me up himself.

Time hadn't left a mark on him except for his imposing presence. Clad in a black coat, he scanned his surroundings with his piercing gaze. Every single person who met his eyes immediately lowered their heads and fell silent.

But the moment his gaze fell on me, his expression softened.

Dad approached me and took me into his embrace. With a heart-wrenching look on his face, he asked, "Who has the audacity to make my princess suffer?"

I didn't answer him, and he didn't press further either. He took me home and made sure I rested well.

During that time, I was cared for in every way.

I eventually forgot about Chase. However, I didn't expect to see him while scrolling through Facebook—he was engaged to Lucille.

In the photo, he was kneeling, kissing her pregnant belly.

Staring at the bulge of Lucille's belly, I chuckled. So it turned out that they had been together so long that he had even gotten her pregnant.

Thanks to my family's care, I recovered well. Dad began introducing me to the family business. I enjoyed my light workload at first—until my assistant, Skylar Fox, informed me that I had to represent my family at a gala.

I agreed. Yet, I never expected to run into Chase on the night of the gala.

Hand in hand with Lucille, he shot me a complicated look.

Lucille also noticed me. "So, are you Daphne?"

I nodded. "Yes."

A mocking smile tugged at her lips as she lifted her chin and drawled out, "Daphne, I never thought you'd be the one representing the Gambino family."

She tilted her head slightly, the smugness in her voice belying her feigned composure as she continued, "Did you know the Gambino family's Don has always treated me like his own daughter? And the heiress of the Gambino family is my best friend."

I blinked and flashed a smile at her, not willing to indulge her.

We had never met before. How could we be best friends?

Besides, no matter how much the Gervais family had expanded in recent years, they were nothing more than nouveau riche—clawing their way up the social ladder through arranged marriages and backdoor deals.

If they hadn't come begging to work with us, they wouldn't even be worthy.

As the oldest and most powerful mafia family in history, our family had nothing to prove.

Of course, I was well aware that Lucille was saying all this to show off.

Skylar wanted to say something, but I stopped him.

Just then, Chase went up to me. Conflicted emotions flickered in his gaze as he asked, "Daphne, why did you leave without a word?"

I smiled. "Well, I'm letting you and Lucille have more space."

His expression darkened. Meeting my gaze, he said, "Daphne, you know I fought my way up to where I am now. In order to further establish my family, I have to hold onto Lucille!"

Hearing how justified he sounded, I felt my smile wane. "Yeah, so you made the right choice."

Chase seemed even more mortified. "Daphne, I went looking for you as soon as you left."

Grief flashed in his eyes as he continued, "I know you went to the hospital to—"

"Chase McGregor!" I interrupted, scowling at him. "I was glad I did that. At that moment, I realized you were never meant for me. So, I also made the right choice. Otherwise, I would've ended up being just another one of your pawns!"

Chase looked like someone had punched the living daylights out of him.

I said nothing more. Handling the rest of my affairs to Skylar, I left on my own.

Seeing those two put me in a foul mood—it was better not to cross paths at all.

After I left, Skylar told me that Lucille had been acting particularly arrogant, even publicly claiming that we were best friends.

I smirked, swirling a glass of red wine. "Don't expose my identity just yet. Let her keep up the act."

My eyes glinted as I continued, "Over my dead body will the Genovese family ever see a dime from the Gambinos!"

That night, Chase sent word to me that he wanted to meet me at Crimlion.

"Daphne, see you at ten o'clock tonight."

I snorted and set my glass down. Turning toward Skylar, I asked, "Who does he think he is?"

Skylar went silent for a while before answering, "Miss, should we not meet him instead?"

"No, I'm going." I got up, draping a shawl over my shoulders. "I'd like to see what tricks Mr. McGregor, who had once abandoned me, is pulling."

…

Under the night sky, Crimlion was ablaze with lights. Everywhere was packed with Chase's men.

The moment I stepped inside, I sensed hostility.

Chase sat waiting at the far end of the room. The instant he saw me, he sprang to his feet and yanked me forward with such force that I staggered.

"We need to talk," he snarled, leaving me no room to refuse.

The next second, he dragged me into a private room and slammed the door shut behind us.

My back crashed into the cold wall. He pressed in close, clutching my shoulders as his gaze burned with suppressed fury.

"Tell me, Daphne!" he bellowed. "Did you actually have the heart to abort our child?"

I scoffed, meeting his furious gaze with an unwavering calm. "Chase, we have nothing to do with each other anymore."

Chase's pupils were blown wide. Tightening his grip around my shoulders to the point that his knuckles turned white, he growled, "Why did you do that? Do you have any idea how long I searched for you?"

"I didn't want my child to grow up fatherless," I hissed. "Besides, your fiancée is still waiting for you at home. Maybe you should ask her if she knows you're here, acting like a madman over another woman."

His expression immediately changed.

"Daphne, you know exactly what I want. We both came from the bottom. If we want to climb up the social ladder, certain sacrifices are necessary!" he barked.

"I only agreed to marry Lucille for power," he continued, fixing his searing gaze on me. "I never planned to give you up!"

Yet, I found him laughable. "And what do you expect me to do about that? Fall for your grand confession and come running back to you to become your mistress?"

Chase frowned, a menacing glint flashing in his eyes. "Daphne, you know I've always loved you."

I snickered. "And yet, you still chose Lucille."

He swallowed hard, hesitation flickering in his gaze. "As long as you come back, we can still have another child together. My marriage to Lucille is nothing but a deal—I need the Gervais family's support!"

"Chase, enough! Please leave," I interjected coldly.

"Daphne, do you know Lucille has a special relationship with your family's Don? With just one word from her, your position could be taken away in an instant. If she really strips you of everything, who else will you have left?"

His shamelessness actually made me laugh.

"Don't worry, Chase. Even if I lose everything, I'd never come to you."

Just as I was about to leave, the door suddenly burst open.

A woman clad in an exquisite designer gown stormed in, her heels clicking against the floor.

It was Lucille.

Her face was twisted with rage as she shrieked, "Bitch, so it is you who has been seducing my husband!"

I scowled at her and said, "I have no interest in your husband. I'm leaving!"

"Who said you could leave?" she screamed hysterically. "I’m calling the Gambino family’s Don right now! Let him see your true colors—pretending to talk about business while trying to seduce someone else's husband! You're disgusting!"

"I'm calling him now. I'm going to see him now and have him kill you!"