I'm representing the Rosa family at a mafia trade summit when we're ambushed on the road.

In the chaos, I get separated from the only bodyguard assigned to protect me.

When I finally overcome all hurdles and make it home alive, I see him step down from the vehicle that attacked us. The Soldati line up before him respectfully.

"Mr. Marco, if you like Leonora, you could just tell the Don. Why pretend to be Viviana's bodyguard? You had us chase Viviana into the dangerous Neralis Rainforest so that Leonora could appear at the trade summit. She's been missing for three days now. Shall we send our men to look for her?"

Marco Santis furrows his brows, and his fingers clench around a ring carved with the Santis family's crest.

"Leonora has always been insecure about being an illegitimate daughter. I haven't secured my position as heir. If I tell my father now, I'm afraid he'll never agree. As for Viviana, she's capable. She'll be fine."

I realize Marco tried so hard to stay by my side for my illegitimate sister, Leonora Rosa. She's the one who drove my mother to her grave.

It feels like someone had dug a hole in my chest and left it open to the cold wind. I force myself to stand and head to my father's room.

"Papa, you wanted me to marry the dying heir of the Santis family. I accept."

My Papa, Lucio Rosa, stood up abruptly. "Have you thought this through?"

I clenched my fists and nodded solemnly. "But I have one condition. From now on, I'll control every asset and connection that Mamma left me."

He agreed without hesitation before probing, "Since you've agreed to marry into the Santis family, your bodyguard…"

"I don't want him anymore."

I pushed the door open and said firmly, "I don't want anything aside from what Mamma left me."

Before I shut the door, I glanced back at Papa one last time. He was humming to himself, relieved that my illegitimate sister's marriage crisis was resolved. Then he eagerly pulled out a calculator and started counting the profits from the marriage.

The Santis family had offered two ports as a wedding gift, amounting to a deal worth 1 billion dollars. Papa had lost his appetite for the past month, trying to convince me to take Leonora Rosa's place.

I had been missing for three days. When I reappeared barefoot and covered in blood, Lucio hadn't offered so much as a single word of concern.

I had to accept the truth that my Papa and the man I loved favored the same person— Leonora.

I dragged my battered body to my room. The housekeeper, Rita Morelli, rushed over and supported me. "Where have you been, Ms. Rosa? Why are you so badly injured?"

She began to gently clean my wounds with warm water as her eyes brimmed with tears.

"I heard you didn't make it to the trade summit. Leonora took your place and stole the spotlight. But she doesn't know anything. How on earth did she manage to win everyone over?"

​​I lowered my gaze and recalled the conversation between Marco and the Soldati earlier.

"Mr. Marco, Viviana is the undisputed prodigy of the West Coast. Her analytical reports are outstanding. Only you despise her and would secretly steal her work to hand it to Leonora."

Marco said coldly, "Viviana grew up under the protection of two mafia families and has led a comfortable life. Leonora is different. She's had it rough and lived in the slums with her mom. She's lucky to have survived. If Leonora had the same opportunities as Viviana, she would be just as brilliant.

"I can't bear to see her being so insecure."

I couldn't help but scoff. The younger son of the Santis family had stooped to be my bodyguard just to protect a secret, illegitimate daughter. If that wasn't enough, he’d stolen my report and even orchestrated a life-threatening ambush just to get me out of the way so Leonora could shine.

Marco, did you really love her so much? Enough to put my life on the line?

A strong perfume scent snapped me out of my thoughts. Leonora swayed into the room and said, "Viviana, you're finally home? Were you out on a three-day tryst with some man?"

She was dressed in a custom gown, with the diamond necklace Papa had bought for her glittering around her neck.

"Everyone on the West Coast now knows about your scandalous past. Viviana of the Rosa family and a dozen thugs—"

Before Leonora could finish speaking, Rita lunged forward and shoved her.

"Liar! You've been spreading the rumors to frame Viviana. I'll kill you!"

Leonora shrieked and stumbled back. She fell into a broad, firm chest.

I looked up and caught Marco's murderous glare.

Rita flinched under his gaze, and I stepped forward to shield her.

I couldn't help but let out a mocking laugh at the sight of Marco's hands wrapped protectively around Leonora. "You're the bodyguard my family assigned to me. And yet, here you are, shielding someone else right in front of me? Do you even have professional integrity?"

Marco quickly released his hands as his expression reverted to cold indifference. "I apologize, Ms. Viviana. I'm the Rosa family's bodyguard."

His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the pile of blood-soaked bandages on the floor. "W-What happened? Don't you have an army of bodyguards?"

Before my mother passed away, I had many bodyguards. However, Papa reassigned all of them to protect Leonora, and Marco was all I had left. Yet, he was a fraud.

A flicker of guilt crossed Marco's face as he looked at me. "I failed to protect you. I've already received my punishment in the disciplinary room."

Leonora touched his back and said with sympathy, "Marco, your back is shredded, and you're bleeding…"

"It's all right. It doesn't hurt," Marco replied gently.

Feeling infuriated, I grabbed the wine glass from the table and hurled it at them with everything I had. "Get out!"

Marco shot me an irritated look before ushering Leonora out the door. It was then that I noticed blood on the floor where he had stood. I didn't expect the lengths he was willing to go just to stay by her side.

For three days, I was confined to my bed. Papa had ordered his men to gather my Mamma's property deeds and keys, and he had the living room filled with her jewelry.

Leonora's eyes were red-rimmed and tinged with resentment. "I really envy Viviana. She has so many assets and jewels, and I have nothing but her secondhand leftovers."

Marco glanced at her sympathetically. Then, the corners of his mouth lifted.

A bad feeling surfaced at the back of my mind. Suddenly, engines roared outside. More than a dozen men from the Santis family entered, each one carrying a safe.

They opened them one by one. Inside each box were exorbitant gifts—an oversized pink diamond, enormous pearls, and a ruby crown reserved for the royalties in Darvent.

The leader stepped forward and said, "The Santis family's younger son has been infatuated with you since the moment he laid eyes on you at the trade summit. He's currently in Darvent, but he has been following your news closely. These are his personal gifts to you.

"Please accept them. He also hopes you will attend the gala held in his honor upon his return."

The housekeepers stood paralyzed, their chores forgotten as they stared at the mountain of wealth.

"The Santis family's younger son? I heard he was raised in Darvent. He keeps close tabs on what's happening on the West Coast?"

"Seems like he wants to marry Ms. Leonora. This is such an extravagant setup."

Leonora's confidence was boosted instantly, and she shot me a triumphant look.

Marco secretly watched Leonora, and when he saw how happy she was, he let out a satisfied smile.

I let out a snort and turned to head upstairs. Marco followed behind me and said gently, "Tomorrow is the Christmas gala organized by Lady Carla, who was from a powerful family on the West Coast. Are you really not going?"

Usually, I would have spent weeks preparing for a night like this. But with my wounds still fresh, I had no desire to join the party.

"Do you want me to go?" I asked.

Marco nodded. He was probably thinking of Leonora.

As the sole heir to the Rosa family, I was required. If I didn't attend, an illegitimate daughter like Leonora wouldn't be allowed to enter.

I was about to refuse, but a thought struck me. I had agreed to the Santis family's marriage, so I needed to maintain my connections with the most influential family on the West Coast.

It seemed I needed to attend the gala.

"I'll be there," I replied.

At the gala, news of the Santis family's younger son's extravagant gifts to Leonora had already spread like wildfire. The socialites surrounded Leonora, trying to flatter her.

"The Santis family is a powerhouse in Darvent. I heard that the current heir to the Don is a sickly man and won't live long. The younger son is sure to inherit the title. If you marry him, you'll be the future Madre!"

Leonora covered her mouth shyly and said, "Oh, stop it! Nothing is official yet. Besides, how could I get married before Viviana? No one has proposed to her yet."

The other socialities shot me mocking glances.

"Viviana's Mamma left her a strict order when she was alive—Viviana can only marry a future Don."

"Only the Santis and Fabbri families fit the criteria. The Fabbri heir is a playboy, and the Santis family has two sons. The younger son is in Darvent and is head-over-heels for you, while the older son is dying. She's only left with one choice…"

Everyone knew that Romolo Santis, the Santis family's heir, had been kidnapped and poisoned as a child. He hurt his spine and had to be confined to a wheelchair for life. Now, he was plagued by many illnesses, and rumors said he wouldn't live past 30.

The Fabbri family's heir was a notorious good-for-nothing who spent his days lounging in bars with models. The number of women he brought home every year was simply beyond count.

The buzzing was unbearable. I was about to leave, but Leonora held my shoulder and said, "I almost forgot. Viviana has been seeing someone. She was on a date during the days of the trade summit."

The socialities erupted in laughter.

"We thought she was a business prodigy. Turns out she's just another lovesick fool!"

"Leonora is the true prodigy. That analytical report she wrote was a masterpiece."

My expression darkened. But before I could explain myself, the sound of glass shattering cut through the room.

"My face!" The hostess of the gala, Carla Greco, covered her face and screamed. "Who sent the perfume? It nearly disfigured me!"

A shattered perfume bottle lay on the ground, while Carla's face was breaking out in crimson hives. It looked like a serious allergic reaction, for she had clawed at her skin until it bled.

The butler picked up the broken bottle and looked in our direction. "The two young ladies of the Rosa family brought this."

Leonora immediately pointed at me and explained, "Viviana had this custom-made for you, Lady Carla! She must have done this on purpose!"

I glared at Leonora. She was a fool. The Greco family was so powerful—if they truly believed this was an attempted attack, the entire Rosa family would be implicated.

When the bodyguards swarmed us, Leonora looked like she was about to faint from terror.

After the examination, the doctor declared that there was no poison in the perfume. It was just loaded with synthetic ingredients.

Everyone knew that Carlo was allergic to artificial scents. She could only ever use perfume made from 100% natural extracts.

Leonora shot me a venomous look and said, "If you don't believe me, you can ask the bodyguard who came with us. He's the one who carried the gifts inside."

I looked at Marco, hoping that he might tell the truth. However, what he said next turned my blood to ice.

"Lady Carlo, the perfume…" He clenched his fists and looked at me guiltily. "Ms. Viviana handcrafted it herself.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Viviana Rosa?"

I let out a bitter laugh and hid my disappointment. I shook my head. What else could I say?

Marco was the Santis family's son. If he wanted me to take the fall, he had countless ways to make the charges stick.

Very well. I would consider this payment for saving my life.

Carlo instructed solemnly, "We shall proceed according to the laws of this family—12 rounds of electric shock."

After I was tied to the chair, the butler pressed the baton into my chest. My body convulsed, and every nerve screamed in protest.

The mocking gazes of the crowd felt like salt to my wound.

I opened my eyes and saw Marco and Leonora in an intimate embrace. Her back was turned to me, her face buried in his chest to hide away from the gory scene.

I clenched my jaw and stayed silent. After 12 rounds of electric shock, my mouth was oozing with blood. I closed my eyes as tears rolled down my cheeks.

Marco and I were even now. I had paid my debts after this incident.

From now on, we were strangers.