The crystal chandeliers in the Griffin family estate cast a warm glow, but they couldn't dispel the chill in my heart.

Even with my parents by my side, I had never felt so out of place.

This was supposed to be the place I knew best.

Rhys and I once discussed family business here, even found excuses to sneak into his private office for secret trysts.

But now, everything had changed.

Several Capos sat around the long table, eagerly discussing the benefits of the coming marriage.

"This alliance will bring us three new ports, not to mention their arms network in Europe."

"The Noa family's political influence is nothing to scoff at either," another Capo added.

"If you ask me, all this formality is unnecessary. Getting both families' consent, visiting her father beforehand, preparing all these pleasantries… it's all so traditional."

I looked at the meticulously decorated main hall, filled with white roses flown in from Sicily.

The table was set with vintage Cuban cigars and whiskey; even the guard mastiffs wore diamond-studded collars.

And there was Rhys, adjusting his bespoke suit and combing his hair before an antique family mirror, obsessed with achieving perfection in his appearance.

Just last night, we were locked in a passionate embrace as he tenderly kissed every inch of my collarbone.

The very tie and cufflinks he wore now were the ones I had picked out for him.

I sat in a corner, bile rising in my throat as I listened to these men discuss marriage as a transaction.

Rhys's mother, Donna, approached me and gently touched my shoulder. "Maeve, dear, you look a little pale."

"I'm fine, Donna."

I lowered my eyes and remained silent.

I was afraid that if I spoke, tears would stream down my face in front of the family's leadership, an utterly humiliating prospect.

She sat down beside me and sighed softly. "To be honest, I always thought you were a better match for him than Noa."

"You grew up together, you understand each other, and you're intelligent, elegant, and you know the family's rules. I even had an understanding with your parents about a betrothal. I truly believed…"

"Mama!" Rhys spun around, his face dark. "I only see Maeve as a sister. Don't get any ideas. That betrothal was a childhood joke. How could you take it seriously? Don't let Noa's people hear this. What if they get the wrong idea?"

Rhys exploded, showing no deference to anyone, not even his own mother.

He suddenly turned to me, his gaze cold. "By the way, Maeve, there's something I need you to do."

"Where is the family ring my mother gave you? The one meant for the future Donna." He stared at my hand. "I need it back."

The entire room fell silent.

It was the Griffin family's ancestral ring, which Donna had placed on my hand herself on my eighteenth birthday.

Seeing my silence, he strode over to me and roughly grabbed my wrist. "That ring represents the identity of the future Donna of the Griffin family. I need to take it back now…"

Before he could finish, the mood in the room shifted. A hush fell over the table.

My mother started to rise, but Donna held her shoulder and rushed to my side, pushing Rhys away forcefully. "Rhys, have you lost your mind?"

"Mama, calm down." Rhys avoided her gaze. "I just think this ring might cause a misunderstanding with Noa arriving soon."

"A misunderstanding?" Donna's voice trembled. "Who was it that knelt before me and begged me to give this ring to Maeve?"

Rhys's face froze, a flicker of a memory in his eyes.

The year I turned eighteen, the Rossi family heir began to pursue me relentlessly, declaring that I was a woman now and he was going to marry me.

Rhys got blind drunk when he heard the news.

On a stormy night, he stole the five-generation Griffin family ring, stumbled into my bedroom, and called my name with a trembling voice.

"Please wear it," he'd choked out, his voice trembling. "Maeve, remember, once you put this on, you belong only to me."

Back in the present, Rhys took a deep breath and tugged at his tie.

He seemed to want to say something but ended up just waving his hand dismissively. "Forget it. It's just an object, it doesn't represent anything."

"Besides, I never take back what I give. Maeve, since you want it so much, you can keep it."

"No need." I stood up and cut him off, my voice calm. "I'll give it back. I'll go get it right now."

Before anyone could stop me, I turned and left, just before I completely broke down.

For five years, I had cherished and carefully preserved this ring, waiting for the day Rhys would marry me so I could wear it openly.

I just never imagined this would be the day it left its hiding place in my bedside table.

When I returned to the main hall, Rhys was standing by the window, adjusting his tie.

He started walking toward me when he saw me.

I held the ring out to him. He froze, clearly not expecting me to actually bring it back.

He looked stunned for a moment as I placed it in his palm, but he took it.

"Maeve." He then leaned in and lowered his voice. "I'm warning you, don't screw anything up tonight."

"Noa is a woman who deserves to be respected and cherished. Remember your place, and don't embarrass me."

I didn't even want to respond.

In his eyes, Noa was to be respected and cherished. And what was I?

I looked at the bastard I had loved for over a decade and felt like I'd been blind, but the sharp pain in my chest still made it nearly impossible to breathe.

Just then, the sound of a car engine came from outside.

Fifteen minutes later, escorted by bodyguards in black suits, Noa entered the hall with poise.

The family leaders immediately began to chat warmly.

As the conversation deepened, they were already discussing the specific arrangements for the engagement party during this first meeting.

Meanwhile, Rhys sat beside Noa, making no effort to hide his admiration for her. "Noa, you're even more beautiful than I remember."

He was her loyal knight, pouring her wine and serving her food, all the ruthless decisiveness of an Underboss erased.

They were laughing and talking, and I was clearly not needed as a prop. I didn't want to waste any more time and looked for a chance to slip away.

But Noa suddenly turned to me gracefully. "You must be Maeve. I've heard so much about you. The famous 'piano goddess of the underworld'."

Caught off guard by being singled out, I quickly waved my hand. "Thank you, but that's an overstatement. Just some flattery from friends."

I thought they would change the subject, but Noa clearly had no intention of letting me off the hook. "Oh, I'm not exaggerating. A lot of family heirs used to say you were the woman of their dreams. For a while there, they were all fighting for your affection."

Before I could respond, Noa's smile widened. "I'm just curious, you and Rhys grew up together and you're so close, why didn't you two end up together?"

"You look so good together, too."

All eyes in the room turned to me.

The atmosphere became incredibly uncomfortable.

I had barely met Noa, but I had to admit I disliked her for some reason.

Maybe it was my own sensitivity, or maybe it was Rhys's effusive attention to her that made me uneasy.

I couldn't shake the feeling that beneath her gentle, harmless exterior, her intentions were anything but kind.

I hoped it was all in my head.

As I was trying to figure out how to respond, Rhys shook his head and elegantly cut a slice of cheesecake for Noa. "Noa, you're overthinking it."

"Outsiders wouldn't get it. Maeve and I are practically siblings. Who falls in love with his own sister? The thought is ridiculous."

"And don't listen to that 'piano goddess' stuff. You have no idea…" He suddenly remembered something and couldn't help but chuckle.

"You didn't see her when she was little, getting so nervous at an important recital that she messed up her piece and embarrassed herself in front of all the distinguished guests."

"I knew right then she wasn't cut out for the big leagues."

That was a recital when I was eight years old. It was my first time facing such a large audience, and I did get stage fright.

But Rhys was the first one to rush onto the stage to comfort me back then. He told me, "Maeve, you played wonderfully. Those people just don't understand music."

Now he was using it to humiliate me.

Laughter echoed through the room, and my cheeks burned. He was mocking me in public, turning my past humiliation into a punchline.

I couldn't take it anymore and stood up abruptly.

"I have an engagement, so I must be going." I cut him off, my voice ice-cold, but I managed a polite smile for the elders. "I'm sorry, please excuse me."

Noa immediately put on a hurt expression. "Did I say something wrong to make Maeve angry?"

Rhys immediately moved to shield her, glaring at me. "Maeve, you're scaring Noa."

He completely disregarded my feelings, effortlessly casting me as the villain.

"I apologize if my presence is making someone uncomfortable," I said, grabbing my handbag. "But I really do have to go."

"Where are you going this late at night?" Rhys demanded.

I turned to face him and smiled, a hint of seduction in it. "I have an important date with the principal conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic. If I don't leave now, I'll be late."

All expressions vanished from Rhys's face, his expression instantly turning grim."Since when do you have dates with other men?"

The moment my foot crossed the threshold, Rhys grabbed my wrist, his grip tight enough to break bone. "How come I didn't know?"