The air went still.

Lorenzo stopped unbuttoning his shirt.

He picked up the papers, glanced at the title, and laughed like it was a joke.

"Divorce? Vivian, did you get sick from the cold wind down at the docks today? Where will you go if you leave me? Back to your broke family? Or begging on the streets?"

He stomped over, grabbed my chin, and made me look at him.

In those deep-set eyes, there was not an ounce of love, only anger at being challenged.

"Have you paid the prison for your dad's dialysis bill this month? If not for the strings I pulled, he might not even make it through tomorrow."

My pupils constricted.

My dad was the last family I had.

Two years into our marriage, my family went bust, and my dad went to jail for financial crimes. His health had been going downhill fast.

Lorenzo saved his life by getting him special treatment in prison.

I always thought Lorenzo did it because he loved me.

But now I realized it was a collar that he slipped around my neck.

Whenever I misbehaved, he could tighten it to choke me.

"You're a scumbag, Lorenzo!"

I shook all over, tears welling up in my eyes.

Seeing me scared, Lorenzo let go, content.

He was back in control.

He completely changed his attitude. He gently stroked the red mark on my chin, and when he spoke, his tone was indulging in a way that sent chills down my spine.

"Be a good girl, Vivian. As long as you behave, you'll always be the Don's one and only wife. Elena's just a business partner. She can open up the South American routes for me. Can you do that? No. You two have different roles. She is to be used, and you are to be spoiled."

What a sickening excuse.

He made cheating and having illegitimate children sound so rational.

He pulled out a velvet box from his pocket and opened it, revealing a sparkling ruby necklace.

"There's a family dinner tomorrow evening. Dress nicely. I will announce to everyone that Elena is officially joining the family’s inner circle. As the hostess, you must show your generosity."

He fastened the necklace around my neck. The necklace felt cold against my skin, like a snake.

"Don't disappoint me, Vivian."

He kissed my forehead and went into the bathroom.

I could hear the water running.

I clutched the necklace so tight my knuckles were white.

For my dad's sake, I had to endure it.

But I would not endure it forever.

Late that night, Lorenzo mumbled "Elena" in his sleep.

It made my stomach churn. Fighting the urge to throw up, I quietly got out of bed.

I went into the study and rummaged through an inconspicuous corner until I found a dusty notebook.

Lorenzo thought I was just bringing him tea and coffee in the study for the past three years.

Little did he know, I had an extraordinary memory.

I remembered every account he reviewed, every under-the-table deal he discussed.

I remembered it all and wrote it down in this book.

This would be my gift to the FBI!

The dinner was held in the family’s most luxurious mansion, attended by gang leaders from all over New York.

I wore the fishtail gown Lorenzo picked out. The gown was heavy and cumbersome, making it hard to even walk.

He did it on purpose.

Wearing a gown like that meant I had no choice but to be a showpiece that could not even move around freely.

Elena, on the other hand, was dressed in a sleek dark red leather outfit, looking like a burning flame.

Holding a wine glass, she weaved through the big shots, engaging in laughter and conversation.

Everyone respected her, praising her as Lorenzo’s right-hand woman.

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

Lorenzo stood on the steps, full of vigor.

"Today, besides celebrating Elena joining the family, I also want to introduce you to two children."

The room fell silent.

Lorenzo picked up the little boy, pride written all over his face.

"This is my firstborn, Leo."

Boom!

Something erupted in my head.

Leo.

That was my twin brother's name.

When my family went bankrupt, my brother died in a car accident on the way home.

Lorenzo had sworn at my brother's grave.

He said that our first child would be named Leo, in memory of my brother.

But now, he had given that name to his illegitimate son with that woman.

I could not breathe. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by a fist.

The boy named Leo was an unruly child.

He dashed through the banquet hall with a toy gun, screaming and shooting at the guests' legs.

No one dared to tell him off. They could only smile.

Suddenly, he rushed in front of me.

Bang!

The little boy swung the toy gun and smashed it into an old wooden music box.

The music box was the only thing my late mother left me.

It shattered instantly, bits and pieces flying everywhere.

"So noisy!"

He made a face and raised his foot as if to stomp on the pieces.

"Enough!"

I could not hold back anymore and yelled at him. Then, I crouched down to pick up my mother’s keepsake.

"Waah—"

The little boy fell dramatically on the thick carpet and started bawling his eyes out.

He held his forehead like he was seriously hurt.

"What are you doing!"

Elena screamed and charged over like a madwoman, shoving me out of the way.

As I was wearing heels, I lost my balance and tumbled heavily to the floor.

My palm landed on the sharp gears of the music box, and blood flowed.

But no one cared that I was bleeding.

Lorenzo rushed over and picked up the boy who was still pretending to cry, his expression darkening horrifically.

"Vivian, have you lost your mind? He’s just a child! Do you have to do this to him?"

I held up my bleeding hand, tears streaming down my face.

"He broke my music box... it was my mother's..."

"Who cares about an old music box? It's worthless."

Lorenzo cut me off, his gaze icy and cutting.

"You'd knock over the family's heir for some dead woman's junk? Vivian, it seems I’ve spoiled you rotten. You've forgotten your place."

The guests started whispering and pointing.

They were all watching the jealous Don's wife make a fool of herself.

Elena cradled her child with slightly teary eyes, playing the victim.

"Vivian, I know you don’t like me, but my child is innocent. If you're mad, take it out on me. Don’t hit Leo."

Her words got Lorenzo even more riled up.

To establish Elena's authority in front of everyone and to solidify that illegitimate boy's position, Lorenzo did something that I would never forget for the rest of my life.

He pulled out the gold-plated Desert Eagle from his waist and slammed it on the table with a loud bang.

The place went silent.

He pointed at me, his voice devoid of any warmth.

"Get on your knees and apologize to Elena and Leo."

"Get on my knees?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing from the man I had loved for three years.

In front of the entire New York underworld, he wanted his wife to kneel before a mistress and an illegitimate child!

"Never."

I gritted my teeth, my eyes bloodshot as I glared at him defiantly.

Lorenzo narrowed his eyes, a sure sign of his murderous intent.

"Vivian, don't make me do this. If you don't kneel, you can kiss your legs goodbye."

The bodyguards closed in, grabbed my shoulders and forced me down.

I struggled wildly. My hair came undone, making me look like a madwoman.

Crack.

My knees slammed onto the floor, shards of glass digging into my flesh.

Blood instantly stained the white fabric of my dress, the pain seeping deep.

But I didn't cry out. I continued to glare at Lorenzo.

"Enough!"

Just as I was being forced to bow, an elderly figure rushed forward.

It was Uncle Carl.

My family's old butler, and someone who had watched me grow up.

The man, well past sixty, threw himself in front of me, pushing the bodyguards away.

"Lorenzo, you scum!"

Carl pointed a finger at Lorenzo, berating him.

"You swore to protect Vivian, but now you're humiliating her for some tramp! Did the dogs eat your conscience?"

The crowd gasped.

No one dared speak to the Don like that.

Lorenzo's face was like thunder, murder swirling in his eyes.

Elena let out a cold laugh as she grabbed a steak knife from the table.

"You old fool, you don't address the Don by his name!"

Thwack!

The sound of a blade piercing flesh could be heard.

Elena moved with lightning speed, driving the knife through Carl's shoulder, pinning him to the solid wooden table.

"AAGH!!"

Carl screamed, cold sweat drenching his back.

"Uncle Carl!"

I rushed over madly, trying to pull the knife out.

But the bodyguards held me back, making sure I couldn't move.

Lorenzo looked on coldly, as if it were a boring play.

"This is the consequence of defying me."

He looked down at me, swirling the wine in his glass.

"Did that hurt you, Vivian? If you admit that you're a jealous, wicked woman and swear to serve Elena from now on, I'll let the old man go to the hospital. Otherwise, he'll bleed to death right here."

I looked at Carl's pale face, at the pool of blood on the table.

He was the only person in the world who still genuinely cared about me.

My dignity was worthless compared to his life.

I stopped struggling, my body drained of strength.

"Alright ...

"I admit it.

"I'm a wicked woman... I shouldn't have been jealous of Elena...

"I beg you... please let him go."

Each word felt like glass shards in my throat.

My tears dripped onto the floor, mixing with the blood.

Lorenzo waved his hand like he was shooing away a fly.

"Get this geezer out of here."

Lorenzo wasn't satisfied; he listened to Elena's poisonous suggestion to lock me in the basement with no sunlight to reflect on my actions.

I was dragged away by two bodyguards like a dead dog.

As I passed Elena, I saw a gleam of triumph in her eyes.

Lorenzo's cold voice came from behind, devoid of any emotion.

"Vivian, remember today's lesson and reflect on your actions!"

At that moment, any illusion I still had of Lorenzo completely shattered.

My love for him vanished, leaving behind only a deep hatred.

The basement was cold and damp at night, filled with the smell of must.

I curled up quietly in a corner.

Clack! Clack! Clack!

The sound of high heels echoed closer.

I looked up, our eyes meeting. Elena was staring down at me.

Elena crouched down. Seeing my blood-soaked body, she laughed uncontrollably.

"Tsk tsk, what a mess."

When I didn't respond, she leaned in close, whispering a cruel secret in my ear.

"Vivian, you're so naive. That bad investment your dad made as well as your brother's car accident were all orchestrated by Lorenzo. We put a lot of effort into taking over your family's shipping lines, you know."

Boom.

Thunder rumbled outside, but all I could feel was a sense of absurdity.

The man I had shared a bed with for three years was the one who had devoured my family and caused our ruin.

I screamed and lunged at Elena, clawing and hitting.

"You killed my brother!"

Elena laughed even harder. She stood up and pulled out a silver handgun, aiming it at my forehead.

"I was going to keep you around as part of my act, but you disappointed me today. In that case, I'll send you down to meet your brother. Lorenzo doesn't care if you live or die anyway. Goodbye, Vivian."

The moment the gun went off, I instinctively shut my eyes and recoiled, but the expected pain never came.

A tall figure stepped out of the shadows.