Leo let out a mocking laugh, shaking his head.

“Aurora, that word should be coming from me. If it wasn't for this goddamn marriage alliance, why the hell would I have been in hiding for five years?”

“That car crash was the perfect escape..”

I stared at him.

I suddenly remembered the bodyguard who "escaped" with Leo.

He came back, said the car exploded and went off the bridge. Leo died instantly.

I thought it was strange then. If the explosion was that bad, how did the bodyguard get out clean?

Now I knew. The whole thing was a setup by this coward.

"Leo, you—"

"Sir!" A panicked voice cut me off.

Antonio, the head butler, rushed in. He saw Leo and his face went white.

"Sir, you cannot speak to the Madame that way!" he stammered, horrified. "She is the Don's wife! The sitting Don!"

He raised an amused eyebrow, looking from me to the terrified butler.

“The Don's wife?”

Cecilia beside me asked in a feigned innocent tone.

“Leo, didn't you say that once your father stepped down, he would pass the title of Don to you?

Leo's expression froze for a moment, then he looked at me indifferently.

“My father has only one son, and no one else is qualified to inherit the title of Don besides me.”

“Antonio, have you gone senile in the five years I’ve been away? Everyone in New York knows I am the one true heir to the Corleone bloodline.”

Antonio looked even paler, his voice shaking. "Sir, you... you misunderstand. The Madame is married to Don Cassiano. He is the head of the Corleone family now."

After Leo fled the wedding that day, I stood blankly in the church, surrounded by mocking stares from everyone around.

Just when I thought I would die of shame, the heavy cathedral doors swung open.

Cassiano walked in.

He wore a black, custom-tailored suit, his face as cold and hard as a marble sculpture.

“The wedding will proceed,” his voice was low, leaving no room for argument. “I will marry her.”

No one dared to question him. No one dared to object.

Because he was Cassiano Corleone. Leo’s uncle. The true power of the Family.

He saved my dignity. He saved my life.

If that's the case, why wouldn't I marry?

“I’ll admit, Aurora, it’s a clever move. But using my Uncle Cassiano as your shield? That killing machine who doesn’t even touch women? You really think I’m going to fall for that?”

Antonio kept persuading him: "Sir, this is the truth. You can check the news on social media, or ask the maids in the household if you still doubt it."

Leo turned to the other trembling servants. “And you all want to tell me,that this woman is now your mistress, hmm?”

The servants didn't dare look up. One maid whispered, her voice shaking, “…Yes, sir. The Donna… she is married to Don Cassiano.”

Another servant nodded as well.

Leo’s smile vanished from his face, replaced by the cold fury of a man who feels he’s been played for a fool.

He didn’t shout. His voice dropped to a low, dangerous growl. “Good. Very good. It seems everyone in this estate has learned to act in the five years I’ve been gone.”

“Aurora, your methods have gotten cheaper. Not only did you cook up this ridiculous excuse, but you paid off the entire staff to play along with this little charade to trick me?”

I calmly admired my diamond-studded nails, not even bothering to spare him a glance.

I was the Don’s woman. That was an unbreakable law.

Whether he believed it or not was completely irrelevant.

Leo was spoiled since childhood, and Antonio feared he might do something irrational，hastily ordered one of his men:

"Get a message to the Don!Tell him to abort the deal and get back to the estate. Now!"

Cassiano went to Sicily today, closing a heavy arms deal.

The old Don and his mother are not in the manor.

If they were here, Leo wouldn't have the balls to pull this crap.

Right in the middle of the standoff, a little voice called from the stairs.

"Mama, it's time for my target practice!"

The moment Leo laid eyes on Nico, his eyes blazed with rage.

Because Nico looks exactly like me, a perfect miniature version of myself.

Leo’s gaze darted back and forth between me and Nico.

After a long moment, he pointed a trembling finger at me:

"Aurora, how dare you betray me and even have a bastard child."

"Tell me, whose bastard is this?"

Nico had inherited his father’s temperament. Young as he was, he knew full well that the word "bastard" was vile and offensive.

Nico just shot back, “Who are you calling a bastard? My father always says those with a filthy mouth deserve a good lesson.”

"Watch your mouth, or Papa will have your tongue."

That made Leo's face even uglier.

Cecilia saw her chance and threw gas on the fire. "Leo, look... the child looks old enough to be in school. Could Aurora have been pregnant before she married you?"

That was all it took for the paranoid Leo to completely lose it.

The one thing a man can never tolerate is his wife’s infidelity, especially when she is the very woman who swears she loves him.

He pointed a shaking finger at me and screamed, "Aurora! You cheating whore! "

I spoke calmly: "Nico is four years old."

"Sir!" Antonio tried desperately to explain. "Master Nico is Don Cassiano's son! "

"Shut up! ”Leo was not listening to a word. “You’re still covering for Aurora and lying to me. Where are my parents? Who let her be so brazen? She cheated, yet she acts as if she’s in the right!"

“The old Don and your mother know everything.”

At these words, Leo’s fury flared completely.

His eyes were bloodshot.

"Who is the father of this bastard? I think he’s begging to die!"

I let out a sarcastic laugh.

Cecilia pretended to plead. "Aurora, you've been caught. Just confess. Tell us who the real father is, and Leo will forgive you."

I stared at the wannabe saint. "Drop the innocent act."

The words had barely left my mouth when Leo, blinded by humiliation, suddenly raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face.

CRACK!

“Aurora! You cheating whore,dare to reprimand Cecilia?

A sharp pain exploded across my face. I tasted blood.

Seeing his mother get hit, Nico launched himself at Leo's leg like a furious wolf cub.

His small fists hammered against Leo, weak but filled with the same ferocity as his father, Cassiano.

"You touch my mama," Nico screamed, "and I'll beat you to death."

Leo grabbed Nico by his little vest and lifted him into the air.

My heart hammered against my ribs. "Leo, put him down, now!"

The servants also hurried to stop Leo.

"Sir, let the boy go!"

"If you don't, the Don will tear you to pieces!"

Everyone in the estate knew Nico was the Don's one weakness. Cassiano wouldn't even let the boy get a scratch.

But Leo let out a cold sneer. "Get out if you don’t want to be dismissed! I'm cleaning house today. I'm gonna teach this bitch and her bastard a lesson."

My back was slick with cold sweat. "Leo, what are you doing!"

His face was a mask of fury, a killer's look in his eyes. "By family law, you broke our vow and had a bastard child. For that, you should be put in the ground. I'm taking back everything the family ever gave you."

It was a joke. We hadn't even finished our vows.

My fingers were trembling with rage. "Leo, we never finished the ceremony! What betrayal are you talking about?!"

"Put Nico down!"

Nico’s legs dangled in the air, kicking constantly..Not a trace of fear.

Threatened by Leo, none of the servants dared to step forward.

Leo looked at me like I was already dead. "First I'm gonna break this bastard's arms. Then I'm dragging you down to the cells for punishment."

With that said, he picked Nico up by the arm and walked outside.

Finally, Antonio threw his own body in Leo's path.

Leo's eyes were pure murder. "You want to die too, old man?"

Sweat soaked Antonio's collar, but he kept begging. "Sir, you can't! Please, calm down! Let the boy go!"

I used the opening to lunge for my son, but a sharp pain shot through my scalp. Cecilia had a fistful of my hair.

She wore a triumphant smile. "In a hurry, Aurora? Got a date in hell?"

I swung my arm back, and the sharp, custom diamond ring on my finger sliced across her cheek.

"If anything happens to my son," I hissed, "I swear to God, I'll put you both in cement shoes and drop you in the Hudson!"

Cecilia shrieked, clutching her bleeding face.

Seeing that, Leo's eyes went red. All his rage focused on Nico.

"You hurt Cecilia? I'll smash this bastard's head right now!"

He roared, lifting the boy high, ready to smash him against the marble floor.

My heart stopped.

I moved on pure instinct, throwing my body underneath him. "Nico!"

Even with mafia blood, a four-year-old boy facing death is still just a boy. Tears of terror finally filled Nico's eyes.

Leo screamed at me. "Get out of the way! Your turn in hell is next."

I held my son tightly, letting him slam the butt of his gun hard against my back again and again.

Custom leather shoe and drove it into my ribs. Pain exploded behind my eyes.

The servants finally had enough and swarmed him, grabbing his legs.

"Sir, stop this at once!That's the Don's woman!"

Leo completely lost his patience. He broke free from the crowd, ready to kick me hard in the chest.

In that split second,

BAM!

The heavy front doors blew open.

A voice was gravel and ice. "Who gave you the balls to touch my wife?"