I spent five years helping my boyfriend Marco rise to the position of Don.

I nearly died countless times, but I didn't care; I loved him.

He used to look at me tenderly and promised to propose to me publicly at his Don succession ceremony.

But on that very day, he held the hand of another Mafia Principessa Sophia Romano and announced their engagement.

To completely get rid of me, Sophia pulled a stack of photos from her bag and slammed them into my face.

"See for yourself! She's been sleeping around to get intel!"

In the picture, I was leaning into a man's arms.

I tried to explain, but Marco interrupted me. "I always knew you were lowborn, but I didn't realize you were this cheap."

"Get out!" Marco pointed at the door. "Elena, you are exiled from the family. Never let me see you again."

I finally saw this man for who he truly was.

He was completely subservient to me when he needed my help to seize territory, but after becoming the Godfather, he needed a more distinguished Donna, and therefore no longer needed me.

I sneered; they had no idea that the man in the picture was my brother, the Don of the most powerful Corleone family.

Sophia’s family was nothing compared to the Corleone family.

I stopped arguing and simply turned and left.

But when my true identity was finally exposed, he crawled back to me, weeping and begging for my forgiveness.

Tonight was the night Marco took over as the Don. It was also the night he promised to announce me as his Underboss and his fiancée.

Many important figures from the underworld attended. Marco dressed formally but looked nervous. He kept glancing at the entrance, waiting for someone.

I walked over, intending to fix his tie.

Marco impatiently dodged my hand.

"Don't touch me," he snapped. "There are VIPs coming. Don't embarrass me."

I was stunned. He had never been rough with me before. I assumed it was just nerves.

I tried to return to my seat, but I was told the chair next to the Don didn't belong to me.

Just then, the doors swung open.

Sophia, the principessa of the Romano family, walked in. She wasn't even on the guest list.

Yet, Marco eagerly rushed over and welcomed her to the seat beside him.

The soldatos below started whispering.

I frowned and approached Marco. "What the hell is this?"

Before Marco could speak, Sophia answered.

"Elena, didn't you know?" Sophia smiled at me. "Marco said he's announcing me as the new madre of the house tonight."

I looked at Marco.

He wouldn't meet my eyes.

Instead, he spoke into the microphone.

"Everyone, let me introduce Miss Sophia Romano. She is the sole heir to the Romano family and my future wife."

The crowd exploded.

" The Romanos? That's old New York royalty!"

"They're broke, but the bloodline is pure."

I understood.

Marco wanted her name; Sophia wanted his money.

"So," I stared coldly at Marco. "You're breaking our engagement for a title?"

"It's not just a title!" Marco hissed, lowering his voice. "Elena, you don't get it. Without the Romano backing, I'm just a thug. Sophia makes me legitimate. What can you offer me? You only know violence."

Before I could retort, Sophia interrupted us.

"Marco, Elena can't stay on as the family Consigliere! We can't have the family honor ruined by a dirty woman!"

Marco paused. "What do you mean?"

Sophia pulled a stack of photos from her bag and slammed them into my face.

"See for yourself! She's been sleeping around to get intel!"

Marco picked one up from the floor.

In the picture, I was leaning into a man's arms. It was my brother, the Don of the Corleone family. He was dressing my wound that day.

Sophia whispered in Marco's ear, "Look at his hand on her ass... Marco, she sold her body for those resources. "

He smashed his wine glass on the floor and pointed at me.

"Elena, you make me sick."

"Move!" Sophia shoved me.

I hit the corner of a table, pain shooting through my waist. Sophia grabbed a glass of red wine and splashed it in my face.

"Sober now?" Sophia smirked. " Stay away from him, you filthy woman."

I wiped the wine off my face and looked at Marco.

"You believe her over me? Just because of some photos?"

Marco sneered and pulled a banishment order from his jacket, throwing it at me.

"Sophia is right," Marco looked down on me."I always knew you were lowborn, but I didn't realize you were this cheap."

Sophia leaned into Marco's arms and pointed at the big screen. The screen started displaying the so-called "evidence."

"Look, everyone. This is your star Consigliere. Sneaking out of mansions late at night, clothes disheveled."

The crowd started jeering, pointing fingers at me.

"Get out!" Marco pointed at the door. "Elena, you are exiled from the family. Never let me see you again."

"Marco," I said. "The man in the photo is my..."

I wanted to say he was my family.

But Sophia screamed over me.

"Your sugar daddy! Elena, stop pretending. You're a gutter rat from the slums, where would you get a powerful relative? Were you going to claim that's the Corleone Don?"

The crowd burst into laughter.

I felt sick to my stomach.

For five years, I had bled for him. I risked my life time and time again.

I had hidden my identity as the principessa of the Corleone family and came here just to find pure love. Now, it seemed I was nothing but a joke.

"Marco," I said, "Calm down. That man really is my brother."

"Brother?"

Sophia laughed loudly. "Do you call every man you sleep with 'brother'? Elena, take a look in the mirror. "

The soldatos around us started whistling.

"Elena, if you're hard up for a man, I'm right here."

"Yeah, I might not have that old man's money, but I'm younger."

Marco's face turned livid.

I glanced at the ring on his left hand. It was the signet ring of the Leon family Don.

I nearly died helping him snatch it back six months ago.

And now, the ruby ring representing the madre of the House—the Madre—was on Sophia's hand.

"That ring," I pointed at Sophia's hand. "It's mine."

Sophia touched the ring, looking at me provocatively. "This is the matriarch's ring. Marco had it custom-made for me. "

"Marco," I said. "You promised that to me."

"That was before," Marco said coldly. "Back then, you were useful. Now, you're unworthy."

Sophia glanced at my neck.

I was wearing a silver cross necklace.

"Baby," Sophia shook Marco's arm, pouting cutely. "I think that cross looks really pretty. Why not give it to me as an engagement gift?"

Marco knew that was my most treasured possession. I never took it off.

It was the only thing my mother left me.

But he reached out his hand.

"Hand it over."

I covered the necklace and took a step back. "No. My mother gave this to me."

"Ooh, daring to talk back to the Don?" A soldato jeered. "Boss, this bitch has zero respect for you."

Marco rushed over, choked me, and pinned me against the table.

"I've been too nice to you, haven't I?"

Marco's grip was iron-tight; I couldn't breathe.

"Elena, I own everything you have."

"No... let go!"

I struggled desperately.

Snap—

A burning pain shot across my neck. He tore the necklace right off.

It was still stained with the blood from my neck.

Sophia wiped the blood off in disgust, immediately put it on, and kissed Marco on the cheek.

"Thanks, honey! You're the best!"

Marco held her close and announced loudly:

"From today on, Sophia is the family's only Underboss. Anyone who has a problem with that answers to me!"

He turned to look at me.

"As for you, get the hell out. Let's see how long you last in the Corleone's bed!"

I clenched my fists and crumpled the banishment order into a ball.

"Marco," I said. "You better think this through. You can't hold the succession ceremony without the nod from the person backing me."

The hall went silent for a second, then erupted into even louder laughter.

Marco laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight.

"Do you think just because you slept in Corleone's bed, you wield Corleone's power?"

Marco walked up to me and patted my cheek.

"Wake up. I investigated your background a long time ago. You're just an orphan from the slums. If I hadn't picked you off the streets back then, you'd be dead in a gutter somewhere. And you dare threaten me?"

To protect me, my brother had fabricated my identity, so clearly, Marco didn't have the clearance to access my real file.

I turned to leave. Just as I reached the edge of the stairs, Sophia suddenly blocked my path.

She had her back to Marco, revealing a vicious smile only to me, and whispered:

"Trying to leave? It won't be that easy."

The next second, Sophia suddenly screamed, threw herself backward, and rolled down the stairs.

"Ah! My stomach... Marco, help! Our baby!"

Sophia clutched her flat stomach, rolling on the ground.

Marco rushed over to scoop Sophia up, then turned back to glare at me ferociously.

"Elena! You poisonous viper! You dared to push her? She's carrying my child, how could you be so evil!"

"I didn't push her. She threw herself down."

"Shut up!" Marco roared. “Guards, hold this bitch down!"

Two bodyguards rushed forward and forced me to my knees.

The floor was covered in shards from the broken wine glass. My knees hit the glass, and blood immediately seeped out.

Marco pointed at Sophia on the floor.

"Crawl over there and apologize to Sophia! Beg for her forgiveness! Or I'll cripple those hands of yours!"

The bodyguards pushed my head down, trying to force me to kowtow.

I braced myself against the floor, keeping my head up to stare at Marco.

"Marco, you weren't like this before. You said you would protect me forever."

"Letting you stay by my side for these five years was already a charity. Not only are you ungrateful, but you also tried to harm my fiancée and child?"

"Fine," I said. "Marco, remember what you said today."

"From this moment on, we are dead to each other."

"Dead to each other? You think you can escape me?"

He issued a command.

"Send in the Enforcers. We have a traitor here. Take her to the water dungeon and teach her a lesson."

Seven or eight heavily armed men in black rushed in, their guns aimed at me.

That was Marco's most trusted private militia—and I was the one who had trained them.

"Former Consigliere Elena has betrayed the family. Freeze all her assets. Anyone who dares to save her makes an enemy of Marco Leon."

Marco crouched down and gripped my chin.

"There are people outside lining up to kill you for the bounty."

"I'm going to lock you in the water dungeon. When you learn to be obedient like a dog, I might consider letting you out."

"Take her away!"

I was dragged toward the basement by two large men.

The moment the iron door slammed shut, I saw Marco pick Sophia up gently.

"Don't be scared, baby. I've already taken care of that bitch."

Sophia wrapped her arms around his neck and looked back at me with a victorious smirk.