I glanced down at the screen; the professor had already cut the connection.

I calmly slid the satellite phone into the pocket of my robe.

Just as I was trying to figure out how to explain the half-sentence he'd overheard, the private phone in Lucas's pocket buzzed.

It was a text from Bella.

She had sent a picture of herself feeding stray dogs on a Sterling Heights street, the plunging neckline of her dress on full display.

"Very cute," Lucas replied.

She texted back instantly: "Are the puppies cute, or am I?"

Lucas stared at the screen, the hard line of his lips softening into a gentle smile. "Both are nice."

Seeming to remember I was still there, he quickly wiped the smile from his face and put the phone back in his pocket.

He walked over and, out of habit, pulled me into his arms, leaning down to kiss my forehead.

"Baby, why aren't you in bed?" his voice was low and tender. "I told you not to stay up so late. It's bad for your skin."

He didn't even ask about the "agreement" I'd mentioned on the phone.

I leaned against him obediently, a small, wry smile on my lips. "There are still a few figures that aren't sorted out."

"It's late. What accounts could be so urgent?" Lucas sighed, stroking my hair. "Elara, I'm not trying to criticize you, but you've been dragging your feet lately. Be a good girl and finish it tomorrow."

Lucas frowned, grumbling a bit.

I didn't bother explaining that my inefficiency was due to his last minute changes, nor did I waste my breath arguing my case.

Seeing my silence, Lucas didn't press the issue. He let me go and walked over to the bar in our bedroom to pour a drink.

A few minutes later, his low, easy laughter drifted from the other room.

I rarely saw him laugh like that anymore. It was only with Bella that he seemed so genuinely amused.

I pulled my gaze away, sat down at my desk, and opened a thick professional book.

To return to Zelova and take over my professor's financial project, I had to re-familiarize myself with professional knowledge I had long since set aside.

"What are you reading?"

Lucas had come out at some point, holding a glass of whiskey.

He leaned down, bringing with him the faint scent of tobacco, and wrapped his arms around me from behind in a familiar embrace. He reached out, took the book from me, flipped through a couple of pages, and tossed it back on the desk with a soft laugh.

"Why are you reading this?" He pinched my cheek. "Darling, don't waste your time on this. With me here, you don't need to know any of it."

I put the documents away, my tone calm. "Just browsing."

"Did you need something?"

In the past, I would have been flattered whenever Lucas initiated a conversation. Perhaps surprised by my coldness, he seemed taken aback for a moment.

His expression was a little unnatural.

"Actually, there is something."

"Bella did a great job handling things during our island vacation. I'm planning to let her manage that new legal casino we acquired in Mesa."

He looked at me, and though he said it was a discussion, I knew it was just an announcement.

I nodded. "It's your call."

"Mesa is a mess. I wouldn't feel right sending you there," Lucas said, gently cupping my face. "So I was thinking you could take over collections on a few streets in the Rowan District. It's just street-level stuff, but it's safe."

"Don't worry, it's just temporary. Once I've completely taken over Valmont, you'll be the most honored lady of the Moretti family, the Capo's wife. I'm doing this to protect you. You'll support me, right?"

I let out a silent, bitter laugh.

Of course. The message was clear.

He could read Bella's mood from the smallest clues and knew what she liked from tiny details.

But here I was, his fiancée, with my dissolution agreement already signed by his own hand, and he was completely oblivious.

He was still using the pretense of protecting me to hand the family's most profitable enterprise to his new favorite, while sending me to the slums to collect dirty money.

When I simply nodded and softly said, "Alright," Lucas's expression, which had started to darken in anticipation of an argument, instantly relaxed.

"Then it's settled. The Rowan District post is yours." His mood brightened, and he leaned in to kiss me.

I turned my head slightly to avoid him.

He wasn't angry, probably certain I wouldn't make a fuss over such small matters.

This had happened too many times. In just one year, thanks to Bella's provocations, my status in the family had dropped again and again. If I could tolerate it then, Lucas was sure I wouldn't dare leave him now.

He was about to leave when he seemed to notice something and walked back, his gaze suddenly falling on my collarbone.

"Where's the platinum necklace I gave you? The one with our initials."

I subconsciously touched my bare neck.

In this mansion, every photo, every keepsake, every memory of us, I had secretly destroyed.

Lucas used to complain that my head was full of such childish trifles, but he never knew that they were my constant reminders that he had once loved me.

Only later did I realize how ridiculous I'd been.

Each of those items was a mockery of my own foolishness.

I gave a casual excuse. "The clasp broke. I don't know where it fell off."

"Why are you always so clumsy?"

Lucas sighed, a mix of indulgence and reprimand in his eyes. He glanced down at the Persian rug beneath our feet.

"Clean the rug tomorrow." He ruffled my hair. "Someone's coming by in the afternoon for the Mesa handover documents. The clasp is sharp. We wouldn't want anyone getting hurt."

With that, he took his drink and returned to the bedroom, clearly in a good mood.

Watching his back, I couldn't help but laugh at myself.

He wasn't worried about me, of course. He meant Bella.

This was our home. I had managed all its security systems until a few months ago, when I found unfamiliar fingerprints in his private safe and smelled a perfume on him that wasn't mine.

Only then did I realize he had brought Bella here many times.

I couldn't stop myself from confronting him. It was like he already knew what I was going to say.

He immediately produced evidence proving they were only there to handle money laundering accounts and took the opportunity to reprimand me for being suspicious and small-minded.

To punish me for my "accusations," he began bringing Bella into the family's most confidential financial dealings out of spite.

I could sense the veiled provocation and hostility from Bella whenever she faced me.

But on the surface, their interactions were normal, with no obvious lines crossed.

Over time, I began to doubt myself.

I spent every day wondering if I was the one in the wrong. Looking back now, if I had spent that time on myself, I could have succeeded at anything.

The next morning, Lucas announced to the entire family Bella's appointment to run the casino, as well as my demotion to the Rowan District.

He was a little wary as he made the announcement, only relaxing when he saw that I acted as if nothing had happened, finally believing I had truly accepted it.

He was in a great mood, and so was I.

He booked an exclusive Sterling Heights club to celebrate Bella's promotion. I contacted my bank in Serrania.

He took Bella out on a yacht with champagne and a sea breeze; I transferred my cryptocurrency and erased my digital footprint.

Two days later, on my last day with the family, I destroyed the final batch of paper ledgers in the safe house and prepared to leave for good with a single, very small suitcase.

Before leaving, I had to make one last trip to the family headquarters to return the final key to the vault.

"Go to the Capo's office before you leave. Lucas wants to see you," the person in charge said without looking up.

I considered refusing, but then it hit me that I was leaving tonight. If Lucas went out with Bella as usual, this might be the last time we ever saw each other.

After five years together, a proper goodbye seemed necessary.

With that thought, I took the private elevator straight to the executive office.

Just as I was about to push the door open, I saw through the one-way glass that Lucas and Bella were standing side by side at the desk, their heads close together as they examined a document.

Bella reached out and straightened Lucas's collar, the movement so practiced and natural it was as if she had done it a thousand times.

Lucas let her fuss over him, even tilting his head down slightly to accommodate her.

They whispered something to each other, and after she finished, Bella covered her mouth, giggling uncontrollably.

My hand, raised to knock, froze.

Before I could decide whether to leave them to it, Bella "happened" to see me. She let out an exaggerated gasp and hastily stepped away from Lucas.

"Elara? What are you doing up here?"

A look of surprise also crossed Lucas's face. He quickly smoothed his slightly rumpled suit and walked towards me, his tone gentle. "Baby, what are you doing up here?"

His voice was deep and magnetic, like a lover's whisper. "You know the rules for this floor. Did you forget? Or did you just miss me that much?"

Of course, I hadn't forgotten. The original rule had been: "No one is to come upstairs and disturb my work, except for Elara."

Now I understood. While he spoke of a unique love, he was comfortably installing his new plaything in a territory that was supposed to be mine alone.

But it didn't matter. I was leaving anyway.

My voice was flat. "The vault manager said you were looking for me."

At these words, Lucas raised an eyebrow as if he'd heard a funny joke.

He walked to his desk and pressed the intercom. Less than a minute later, his second-in-command entered.

"Did you authorize her to come up?" Lucas's lips were smiling, but his eyes were cold as steel.

The subordinate sensed the charged silence. He glanced from Lucas's dark expression to Bella's pained, innocent look and quickly weighed his options.

"I'm sorry, Capo. Elara insisted on coming up."

"I see."

Lucas sighed softly and turned to me, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

"Darling, you're putting me in a difficult position."

"I thought you'd learned your lesson. I didn't realize you were still so desperate that you'd resort to these little tricks."

He moved closer, his breath warm on my skin. "Since you're so worried about me, why don't you just move into my office and watch me like a hawk? Or maybe plant a bug on my suit to satisfy that ridiculous possessiveness of yours?"

I stood there quietly, without even the desire to argue.

"Capo, don't be angry with her." Bella leaned against him softly, her hands on his chest as if to soothe him. "Elara was just worried, that's all. We were just discussing casino business, all for the good of the family."

She turned to look at me, a hint of challenge in her eyes. "Elara, I don't think you want the family to see us as a joke, do you?"

I looked at her triumphant expression and found the situation almost comical.

Even without knowing the full story, I knew this had to be a setup by Bella.

The subordinate had lied simply because everyone in the Valmont underworld knew that Bella was the woman Lucas currently favored most.

But even if I said so, Lucas probably wouldn't believe me.

I couldn't be bothered to speak. Lucas, however, took my silence as a protest. He wrapped his arm around my waist, his grip so tight it was almost painful.

"You don't need to explain to her, Bella."

"The family has its rules. Since Elara cares so much, we'll handle this according to the rules."

"Revoke Elara's top-level biometric access to the headquarters building. And as punishment, remove all her bodyguards."

On the streets of Valmont, taking away a person's bodyguards was a death sentence.

The subordinate paled, hesitating. "But Capo, Elara is already..."

He was probably about to mention my departure from the family, but before he could finish, Lucas waved his hand dismissively.

"Do it," Lucas snapped. "This is for her own good. To make her understand the rules."

"Besides, I know my woman. She won't object."

The subordinate didn't dare say more and retreated with his head down.

I thought for a moment and prepared to leave as well, but just then, Lucas gently took my hand.

His anger spent, he reverted to his affectionate persona.

"Elara, do you know how much I love you? Everything I do is for your own good."

"I am the Capo. If I don't punish you according to family law, how can I command respect? I'm protecting you, understand?"

Bella chimed in as well, "That's right. The mafia has strict rules. If you don't understand something in the future, you should ask the Capo more often. Or hey, you can even ask me."

Lucas gave her an appreciative glance.

"Bella's right. She has the family's best interests at heart and she respects our relationship. You should learn from her."

"Always my little green-eyed monster." He caressed my face. "That's what I love about you. Every bit of that jealousy just proves how much you care."

Learn what?

Learn how to flaunt herself on his desk? Or learn how to make a complete mess of accounts worth hundreds of millions?

A short, derisive laugh escaped me, but I couldn't be bothered to call him on his lie. Seeing my silence, Lucas assumed I had finally relented.

He kissed my forehead gently and said in a warm voice, "I know you only acted that way because you love me so much, and I do feel guilty about it."

"But I have to say, you've really matured lately. To make it up to you, we'll pick out rings tomorrow and set a wedding date. I want the whole world to know you're my woman."

"Married?"

Before he could finish, I laughed softly. I took a step back, out of his reach.

I pulled my hand from my pocket. With a sharp snap, I slapped the dissolution agreement onto the desk in front of him. The one bearing his signature and the family seal.

"Lucas, we're done."

"I've already left the family. From now on, we go our separate ways."