Eighteen and desperate due to my mother's illness, I enter the orbit of Enzo Lombardi, a powerful, feared mafia boss. He treats me with impossible sweetness, and I find myself sinking into his possessive love and lavish spoiling.

Everything changes the day a woman named Isabella Gallo shows up.

She claims she's the one Enzo truly loves, and she laughs as she slides a two-million-dollar check across the table, demanding that I leave him. I turn down the money.

She then suggests we both send him a message at the same time and see who he cares about more.

Holding on to one last bit of hope, I text Enzo that I'm in a car accident. Isabella, on the other hand, tells him her plane is about to land.

I wait for his reply, but nothing comes. Instead, I watch as Isabella picks up his call. At that moment, I understood it was time for me to go.

When I was 18, my Mamma was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. To treat her, I borrowed money everywhere I could, drowning myself in debt, yet it barely kept her alive. Cornered by life, I met Enzo Lombardi.

He was the most mysterious and powerful mafia boss in Montavello, a man who ruled the business world just as easily. He sat across from me in a sharp suit, lit a cigar, and said lightly, "As long as you stay with me, money won't be a problem."

Just like that, I became his lover, his amante.

Later, when my Mamma passed away, I stayed by Enzo's side. He spoiled me in ways people would never believe.

A jewelry shop I mentioned once in passing became mine the next day; a dish I said I liked had him cooking it for me himself. The night I came down with a fever, he dropped an international meeting and flew straight back to watch over me.

Under the sweeping auroras of Vesteria, he kissed the back of my hand and whispered, "Tesoro mio… From this moment on, every year, I'll walk every step with you, hand in hand."

I drowned myself in the unreal sweetness of his love and almost forgot who I was. That was until Isabella Gallo showed up. She came toward me in sky-high heels, wearing a confident smile.

"So, you're Enzo's little amante, eh?" she said. "Do yourself a favor and leave. The moment I return, he'll come straight back to me."

Truth be told, I had heard about this childhood sweetheart of his long before she even showed up.

"If you don't believe me, why don't we make a bet?"

Isabella wore a superior smile, then reached into her Hermès bag and pulled out a check for two million dollars. "Do you believe me if I say he'll come see me as soon as I text him? You're nothing more than a little pastime for him.

"If you lose, take this money and get out of his world."

I was overwhelmed by the sudden confrontation, yet something in me still nodded. "Fine."

I clung to a tiny shred of hope, wanting to prove that Enzo's feelings for me were real. I sent him a message, telling him I had been in a car accident.

"I got into a car crash, Enzo. Can you get me? I'm bleeding a lot… I'm scared…"

Meanwhile, all Isabella had to type was, "My plane is landing soon, Enzo."

After our messages were sent, every second stretched unbearably long. In the end, her phone vibrated first. Enzo's calm, deep voice came through the speaker. "Wait for me at the airport. I'm coming to get you."

Right then, it felt like I fell straight into an ice pit.

Isabella ended the call with a flick of her fingers, then smiled victoriously. "See? You'll never outrank me in his heart."

I couldn't feel my body. My lips trembled, but not a word rolled off my tongue.

So, all that gentleness and devotion I thought belonged to me only existed because she had been away. I wasn't loved—I was just Isabella's shadow.

She held the check out to me, her red lips lifting in a mocking curve. "Take the money and disappear. Vai via!"

Contrary to her belief, I tore the check to pieces. Even I was surprised by my cold, unfeeling voice. "Fine. I'll leave Enzo. I'll never, ever appear in front of him again."

Isabella flashed me a satisfied smile and walked off in her clicking heels. I stayed where I was, stiff and unmoving, as silent tears raced down my cheeks.

I walked home in a daze, my mind off to who-knew-where. A sports car suddenly roared past, its wheels throwing muddy water all over me.

I froze, drenched and miserable, and through the windshield of that familiar car, I saw Isabella's smug, contemptuous face. She rolled down the window with a bright but cruel smile.

"Now, this is how miserable you should look every day from now on, Bianca," she said, then slammed the gas pedal.

The car shot forward with a brazen roar, leaving me behind. Soaked to the bone, I returned to the gilded cage Enzo had bought me. The mansion was absurdly luxurious, but all I felt was emptiness.

As soon as I stepped in, my phone rang. It was my university advisor, Antonio Greco. "Bianca, are you really going to give up your study-abroad spot for that man? That's a chance so many people dream of!"

I stayed silent for a moment, then finally made up my mind. "You know what, Prof. Greco? I'll take the spot. I'll pack my bags and leave in five days."

In five days, it would be Enzo's birthday. He had once said he wanted a handmade gift from me. I opened my wardrobe and pulled out a carefully tailored suit.

Every stitch, every seam, had been done by me, a labor of months. It was once the truest expression of my feelings for him. Now, looking at it, all I felt was bitter irony.

What would Enzo's expression be when he received the suit? Would he even think of me, if only for a moment? With Isabella by his side, my gift probably wouldn't even catch his eye.

And what about the pregnancy test with the double red line tucked in the pocket? That wasn't what he wanted either, was it?

After hesitating for a long time, I threw it into the trash. I had thought it would be the perfect birthday gift, but now, it seemed the ideal gift would be Isabella's return.

That night, Enzo's assistant, Romeo Ricci, came to pick me up. "Ms. Ferraro, Boss Lombardi is waiting for you at the club."

I nodded and followed silently. When we arrived at the club, I barely reached the door of the private room before bursts of laughter spilled out from inside.

"Enzo, where are you going to get rid of that amante of yours?"

"Yeah, Isabella's back now, isn't she? Yet your amante is still clinging on. She's shameless, mio dio."

"That woman's just a pastime for you. Isabella's the real deal for you, isn't she?"

"Hey, Enzo. Now that Isabella's back, just send her away. Don't let her be an eyesore."

My heart sank to the bottom of a pit, my whole body freezing. So, in their eyes, I was nothing more than a joke.

Enzo's deep voice came through the crack in the door, somewhat displeased. "Enough. Stop with the nonsense. She'll be upset if she hears this."

He didn't deny any of their words. My fingers clenched into fists, my sharp nails digging into my palms, yet I felt no pain. My heart had hurt too much to feel anything at that point.

Just then, Isabella's sharp voice cut through the air. "Ah, Bianca, what are you doing out here? Enzo was worried sick about you!"

She yanked the door open and dragged me into the private room. Under the dim lights, Enzo sat on the couch, his expression unreadable.

"Bee, are you okay after the car accident?" he asked as gently as ever, but it sounded strange to me. "My phone died. I didn't read your message and couldn't get to you in time…"

I forced a smile and mumbled, "I'm fine."

Enzo studied me carefully, his brows knitting slightly. "You don't look so well. Are you okay? You know what—let me take you home."

I shook my head, avoiding his gaze.

For four years, I had lived in a fantasy I had woven for myself, and four years of his devotion had made me forget that our relationship started as a transaction. I was only his amante.

Isabella's return forced the truth before my eyes. Enzo's care and pampering didn't mean he loved me. Therefore, when his one true love came back, I had no choice but to step aside.

That night, back at home, I quietly started packing my things. The walk-in closet had once been filled with the jewelry and bags Enzo had given me, each piece carrying a memory of our sweet moments.

Now, I pulled them out one by one and tossed them into trash bags. Even the photos, in which we smiled so happily without a care in the world, had become unnecessary clutter. I gathered them all, ready to throw them away.

I watched as the room slowly returned to the state of emptiness it was before I arrived. The warmth of those memories surged like waves and then receded, leaving only desolation.

Once, we had cuddled on that very couch, watching movies. He would hold me gently in his arms, and we would laugh like carefree kids.

On the balcony, the flowers we had planted together still bloomed. Little did they know, their owners were about to part ways. On the desk sat the pair of clay figurines we had sculpted together, symbols of our love.

Now, everything screamed irony in my face. I took a deep breath, forcing myself not to cry.

At that moment, I heard the lock turn. Enzo had returned with Isabella. He looked around the room, now stripped of much of its contents, and frowned slightly. "Bee, why are so many things missing?"

Despite my nervousness, I tried to sound casual. "I was just decluttering."

His probing gaze lingered on me for a moment. "You're—"

"Enzo," Isabella interrupted. "A woman is allowed to declutter whenever she wants, you know?"

"Anyway, Isabella will be staying with us for a while," Enzo informed me. "Her apartment has some leaks that need fixing."

I nodded calmly, saying no more. I knew my place—an amante with no right to question.

Isabella stayed behind Enzo, a victorious smile dancing on her lips. On the contrary, he looked at me with a flicker of something complex in his eyes. "Bee, you won't mind, will you?"

I shook my head, forcing a faint smile. "Of course not."

He nodded, relief flashing in his eyes. "You've put up with a lot lately. Once things settle down, I'll take you to the auction. I'll get you whatever you like."

With that, he turned and headed upstairs with Isabella.

I stayed frozen, my heart twisting as I watched their backs disappear. Enzo would never understand that it wasn't the jewelry at the auction that I cared about.

The next day, Isabella began renovating the house in the manner of a true mistress. "Enzo, I want the south-facing master bedroom. I like it when there's sunlight—it's good for my health."

Enzo naturally agreed. That had been our room, every detail carefully chosen by me.

I watched them go upstairs, silently clenching my fingers, saying nothing. Out of the blue, she turned her gaze to the flowers I had tended on the balcony. "I don't quite like these… Can we take them away?"

Enzo glanced at me, but I lowered my head, dodging his eye contact. He ultimately agreed as well. "Sure. Whatever you say."

I watched the flowers being carried away, pot by pot. It felt like a knife was slicing across my chest every minute, but I had to pretend I was okay. Strangely, beneath it all was a strange sense of relief, a finality.

I told myself quietly, "It's fine. I'm leaving soon anyway."

Then, Isabella suggested changing the living room curtains. "That color is tacky. Let's replace it."

Enzo agreed to everything, never once stopping her.

Slowly, the place I used to call home was transformed into a place I no longer recognized. This space once held all my love and hopes, but now it stood as a painful reminder of a shattered fantasy.

He looked at me in silence, a flicker of guilt in his eyes, and said softly, "Don't be upset, Bee. I'll make it up to you soon. She hasn't been feeling well lately and has been down ever since her family issues. Be patient with her, okay?"

A weak, bitter smile lifted my lips. "It's fine. I get it."