Mamma's eyes went wide. "Regina, do you even hear yourself? Samuele Moretti is a—"

I cut her off. "I know exactly who he is. He used to be the underboss, the one who stepped back because of his heart condition."

"Then why would you—"

I pushed to my feet and walked to the window. "Because I'm done. I'm done waiting around for someone who never deserved me in the first place."

Mamma stayed quiet for a long moment before she finally exhaled. "If this is your decision, our family will stand with you."

"This is my decision."

…

The next day, I got a reply from Rina Moretti, the Donna. As Samuele's mother, she was stunned by the idea of this marriage.

Daniele and I already had a marriage contract that the whole city loved to laugh at, and on top of that, Samuele had a heart condition. Most people didn't want to marry a man they assumed was already halfway to the grave.

Either way, Donna Moretti adored Samuele, so she agreed almost immediately.

The marriage gifts arrived soon after. They came with the most profitable dock at the port and protection rights for three city districts.

There was jewelry too, along with limited-edition bags and expensive paintings. Donna Moretti said Samuele had insisted on giving it all to me.

Staring at everything laid out in front of me, my chest tightened. Their value outmatched anything Daniele had ever promised. It seemed Samuele understood respect in a way Daniele never had.

The doorbell rang, and through the window I spotted Daniele's red sports car parked outside. He and Sofia walked up to the house hand in hand.

"Ms. Sterlini, Mr. Moretti is here," the maid announced.

"Let them in."

Daniele swaggered into the living room with Sofia trailing behind him.

He wore that smug little smile, completely sure I was still in the dark. His custom suit fit perfectly, his hair slicked into place, and as usual, he looked every inch the charming mafia playboy.

But I knew exactly what he really was.

Daniele dropped onto the couch and crossed one leg over the other. "So. How's the wedding prep going? Did you check every detail? The guest list… and our marriage contract?"

He leaned on the words "our marriage contract", his eyes glinting with a smug, mischievous satisfaction.

"All checked," I said evenly.

His grin widened. "Bene. This is the biggest moment of your life. Wouldn't want anything to go wrong, eh?"

Sofia chimed in, trying to sound casual. "Daniele, what about that necklace? Didn't you say you'd show it to me?"

A flash of excitement lit his eyes. So that was the real reason he'd shown up.

He stood and walked toward me. "Right. Regina, take off that necklace. It's the one my mother left for my future wife. Sofia wants to try it on, just to see how it looks. Don't be offended. You'll still get it when you marry me."

I touched the diamond necklace at my throat. It was the Morettis' heirloom, and I'd worn it for five years.

Every stone had seen exactly how stupidly loyal I'd been to Daniele. Every night, I'd run my fingers along the necklace and picture our wedding.

And now he wanted to hand it to Sofia.

I looked at them as a wave of disgust rose in my chest. But I didn't refuse. I wasn't marrying him anymore, so keeping it didn't matter.

I unclasped the necklace and tossed it onto the coffee table without a second thought. The diamonds caught the sunlight, glittering like pieces of my shattered expectations.

Daniele froze, thrown off. He clearly hadn't expected me to give it up that easily.

Sofia immediately grabbed the necklace and clasped it around her neck. She did a quick spin in front of the mirror. "It's gorgeous!"

"It suits you," Daniele said, though his eyes stayed on me, hungry for even a flicker of jealousy or anger.

Too bad for him. I just watched their little performance, calm as stone.

Daniele cleared his throat and tried to sound reasonable. "Regina, I'll give the necklace back after the wedding. There's no rush. She just wants to try it on for a moment."

I stood and walked to my desk, pulling out a velvet box. "Since you're taking the necklace back, you might as well return this too."

I pointed to his chest, where a sapphire-set family crest pin gleamed against his tailored suit.

Daniele's expression shifted instantly. I'd had that pin custom-made for him, engraved with the Moretti family crest.

He froze, staring at me in shock. "Regina, you want me to give the pin back? What's that supposed to mean? You don't want to marry me anymore?"

Daniele's voice shook as he asked again, "You want the pin back?"

I closed the box and met his eyes, steady and calm. "Since you're taking the necklace back, you shouldn't hold onto the pin before the wedding. We can figure out the rest later."

Daniele sighed in relief, then reluctantly unclipped the pin from his suit and handed it to me.

I'd ordered that pin custom-made for him, with the Moretti family crest engraved on it.

A year ago, during a shootout, that pin, sitting right over Daniele's breast pocket, had stopped a bullet that would've killed him.

That night, he'd held me and cried until dawn, whispering that I'd saved his life.

With a voice full of devotion, he'd said, "Regina, if it weren't for you, I'd already be with God. I'll treat you right for the rest of my life."

Now I knew none of it had ever been true.

After setting the pin down, Daniele didn't say another word. He just grabbed Sofia's hand and walked out.

When the engine of their car finally rumbled to life outside, I finally breathed out. Then I walked to the fireplace and tossed the pin straight into the flames.

"No!"

Lisa Caruso, my most trusted maid, sprinted toward me, but she was too late. The fire swallowed the pin, burning it down the same way it burned through the last thread between Daniele and me.

Lisa winced. "Ms. Sterlini, you carved that pin for Mr. Moretti yourself. How could you burn something you put so much effort into?"

I brushed the ash from my fingers. "Because it's tainted now, and there's no reason to keep it. I'm not marrying Daniele, so hanging on to that token of love is pointless."

Lisa let out a regretful sigh and tried to comfort me. "Ms. Sterlini, he never knew how to treasure you. He doesn't deserve that pin. The only shame is how much effort you put into making it."

I didn't answer and just watched the flames burn.

…

The next day, I headed to Moretti Estate as agreed. It was my first official visit to meet my fiance.

The butler led me to the study, where a man sat alone.

Samuele.

He was tucked back in the shadows, looking pale as he quietly read a classic novel.

He looked up the moment he heard my footsteps. His eyes were dark and impossible to read, sharp enough to make it feel like he could see straight through me.

"Ms. Sterlini, si sieda," he said, his voice low and smooth.

I sat across from Samuele, finally facing the "useless man" everyone whispered about.

He looked nothing like the rumors. They said he'd been injured in a turf war, that a blunt-force hit had damaged his heart so badly he wouldn't live past 35.

But the man in front of me, pale or not, was tall, controlled, and carried a quiet, dangerous authority.

"You're nothing like what I pictured," I said, not bothering to sugarcoat it.

He closed the book and studied me with real interest. "And what did you expect?"

"A useless man lying in bed waiting to die."

Samuele smiled, a look that was both dangerous and disarmingly charming. "Disappointed?"

I smiled back. "The opposite. I'm pretty satisfied."

We talked for a long time, drifting from business to literature, to art, and then to philosophy.

Samuele's knowledge ran deep, and his mind was razor-sharp. The way he spoke made his intelligence and charm impossible to ignore.

He was so much more interesting than Daniele ever managed to be.

"Why did you agree to this marriage?" I asked.

"Because you're smart. Smart enough to know when to let go."

"You don't mind that it's a transaction?"

A cool, unreadable calm settled in his eyes. "Every marriage is a transaction. The only thing that changes is what people put on the table."

We stepped onto the balcony, the city lights spread out beneath us like a glittering map.

That was when Daniele showed up uninvited. The second he saw how easily Samuele and I were talking, his whole expression curdled.

He came toward us, his voice pulled tight with anger. "Uncle Samuele, why are you here with Regina?"

Samuele didn't bother to look up. His tone stayed cold enough to freeze the air. "Daniele, do I need to report my guests to you?"

The words hit Daniele hard. All the swagger drained out of him.

"I-I just wanted…" he stammered, the rest catching in his throat.

Samuele's voice went even colder. "Wanted what?"

Daniele's face went bright red, but he didn't say a thing.

Injured or not, Samuele had once been the family's underboss, and that weight had never really left him. People still felt it every time he spoke.

Samuele flicked his hand like he was brushing off an annoying fly. "If there's nothing else, you can leave."

Daniele shot me a vicious glare but slunk off anyway.

A moment later, Samuele excused himself, saying he wasn't feeling well, before stepping away.

The second he was gone, Daniele stormed back in, his voice low and furious. "Why the hell did you sell the sports car I gave you to a junkyard?"

"I didn't like red anymore," I said evenly.

Daniele's eyes went wide. "You didn't like red anymore? That car was worth half a million dollars!"

I shrugged. "So? You gave it to me. It was mine. I could do whatever I wanted with it."

Daniele drew a long breath, fighting to keep it together. His voice softened, switching to the gentle act. "Regina, I know you're upset. But you can't be this reckless."

I snorted. "Reckless? What exactly did I do that was so reckless?"

He stepped closer. "You knew that car meant a lot to me. It was the one we drove on our first date."

I stepped back. "And now it's old. I no longer feel anything for it. Selling it was better."

Daniele's expression flickered, but he recovered fast, slipping back into that confident smile. "Fine. I'll admit that I've been ignoring you lately. But once the wedding's over, everything will be better."

I raised an eyebrow. "The wedding? I know."

"Of course I'm talking about our wedding," he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Though I'll be getting back late that day."

"Why?"

"I'm taking Sofia to Helarno for a vacation. I might not get back until later," Daniele said lightly, like it shouldn't bother me at all.

I stared at him, disgust curling in my chest. He honestly still thought I'd marry him. He genuinely believed I didn't know he'd tampered with the marriage alliance contract.

I moved toward the desk. "Okay. Whatever you want."

I pulled out a gold-embossed wedding invitation and handed it to him.

Daniele took it. "What's this?"

"It's the wedding invitation. You said you wanted to attend, right?"

Daniele didn't even glance at it. He shoved it straight into his pocket. "Of course. Why would I miss my own wedding?"

He then ruffled Sofia's hair. "See? She knows I only see you as a sister. She won't make a fuss over something this small."

Sofia turned on her sweetest, most innocent voice. "I always thought if you loved someone, you'd care if your fiance went on vacation with another woman."

Daniele froze, then turned to me, taking in how blank my expression was. For the first time, real unease crossed his face.

"Regina?" he said, testing the waters.

I didn't answer. I just watched the two of them.

Daniele's voice wavered. "Y-You're not actually mad, right?"

I smiled. "Why would I be? You're right. You only see Sofia as your sister."

He let out a breath, but that uneasy look in his eyes didn't fade.

He grinned and said. "Then it's settled. I'll be in Helarno for a few days, and when I'm back, we'll have the wedding. And since you don't like that car anymore, I'll buy you a new one after the wedding."

I nodded. "Va bene. Hope you two enjoy yourselves."

Daniele pulled Sofia toward the door, but right before stepping out, he glanced back at me.

I was still there, smiling softly, and something about it sent a chill down his spine.

"Daniele, what's wrong?" Sofia asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing. Let's go."

But his unease only got worse.

My behavior earlier had been way off. Every other time he brought up another woman, I'd get jealous or pissed off. But today, I didn't react at all while he and Sofia flirted right in front of me.

That wasn't me. Not the version of me he thought he knew.

Sofia noticed how far away he suddenly seemed. "Daniele, what are you thinking about?"

Daniele frowned. "I'm thinking about Regina. She was different today."

A flash of jealousy sparked in Sofia's eyes. "Different? What do you mean by different?"

"She's too calm, in a way that wasn't her at all."

Sofia's chest tightened, but she forced a casual tone. "Maybe she finally realized something."

"Realized what?"

Sofia jabbed him on purpose. "That you're never actually going to marry her. You've dragged it out long enough, haven't you?"

Daniele's face tightened. "What the hell are you talking about? Of course I'm going to marry her."

Sofia raised an eyebrow. "Really? Then why are you taking me to Helarno?"

Daniele opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

That was when it hit him. Maybe I'd seen straight through him. But it was too late to fix anything now. He'd already promised Sofia, and he wasn't about to back out.

Besides, as far as he was concerned, I loved him too much to walk away.

My voice replayed in Daniele's head. "Okay. Whatever you want."

His smile froze.