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!"