I cried out from the pain immediately. “Xander please...” I begged weakly while stumbling beside him. “I’m bleeding...”

But he kept walking.

“Poor woman… look at her, she can barely stand.”

“He’s dragging her like a ragdoll. Doesn’t he see she’s hurt?”

“I feel so sorry for Miss Lorraine. He used to love her so much before that witch came.”

“Her bandages are red again… she’s losing so much blood.”

Their whispers pierced my ears, but Xander acted like he heard nothing. My hospital gown brushed against my legs while warm blood slowly soaked through the bandages around my stomach again, and still he didn’t stop..

The elevator opened directly onto the luxury VIP floor. The difference between our rooms made me feel sick. Mine looked like somewhere strangers went to die quietly.

Claudia’s private suite looked like a five star hotel with a private kitchen, luxury furniture, fresh flowers everywhere, and several doctors standing around her nervously.

And Claudia herself? She's perfectly fine. She was sitting comfortably on the couch eating strawberries while watching TV. The moment she saw me, she immediately frowned and leaned closer to Xander.

“Why does she look at me like that?” she complained softly. “I’m the one who got traumatized.”

I almost laughed again. Traumatized? I was the one lying in blood on the pavement. But suddenly I felt too tired to fight anymore... So tired.

I lowered my head quietly. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I shouldn’t have disturbed Miss Claudia.”

Anna looked devastated behind me but Claudia still looked unhappy.

“Pff! That apology doesn’t sound sincere at all,” she huffed while crossing her arms. “You’re acting like I bullied you or something.”

I clenched my fists silently.

“In my hometown,” Claudia continued proudly, “people apologize properly when they hurt someone. Not like this cold rich people nonsense.”

Xander nodded immediately like everything she said made perfect sense.

“She’s right.”

Then Claudia suddenly smiled sweetly.

“You know what? I’ll forgive you if you cook for me.”

I looked up slowly.

“What?”

“I’m hungry,” she said casually. “And I heard you’re good at cooking. I want a full dinner. Like... a really huge one. Make it yourself.”

Anna looked horrified. “Mrs. Moretti can barely stand!”

Claudia shrugged. “Then don’t force her. I guess she just doesn’t feel sorry.”

Xander looked at me coldly.

“Go cook.”

My stomach twisted painfully. “Xander...” My voice shook badly. “I’m injured.”

“You’ll survive,” he answered indifferently. “Doctors are right here if something happens.”

Something happens.

Like I wasn’t already falling apart in front of him.

I stopped arguing after that because what was the point anymore? I dragged my weak body toward the private kitchen inside Claudia’s suite while trying not to cry from the pain every time I moved. The floor felt cold under my feet and my hands shook so badly I could barely hold the knife properly.

Still, I cooked.

Soup. Steak. Pasta. Seafood.

Dish after dish while sweat and tears mixed together down my face. Several times I had to grip the counter because the pain in my stomach got so bad my vision blurred, but every time I slowed down, Claudia found another problem.

“This steak’s overcooked.”

“The soup’s too salty.”

“I wanted truffle pasta, not cream pasta! Xander, why can't she cook properly? I'm starting to get annoyed.”

Xander sat beside her the whole time saying nothing. Not once did he tell her to stop. Not once did he look at me with concern.

Hours passed.

By the time I finished the last dish, my legs were shaking so badly I could barely stay standing. I carried the tray toward Claudia with numb hands.

Then one of the nurses suddenly gasped loudly.

“Oh my God! Mrs. Moretti!”

I looked down slowly.

Blood was dripping heavily from beneath my hospital gown onto the white floor tiles. Anna screamed my name and rushed toward me.

I tried opening my mouth. I tried saying something but the room suddenly spun around me and everything went black again.

…

When I woke up again, the doctor was already standing beside my bed with his head lowered. Anna was crying quietly in the corner.

The second I saw their faces, I already knew. Still, my voice came out shaking. “What happened...?”

The doctor hesitated before speaking carefully. “Mrs. Moretti... you were pregnant.”

My entire body froze. Pregnant?

My hand slowly moved to my stomach without thinking. “No...” I whispered weakly.

The doctor looked devastated. “The injury and blood loss were too severe. We couldn’t save the baby.”

The room went completely silent... I stared blankly at the ceiling. Another baby. Another child gone.

And suddenly all I could remember was Xander years ago when I got pregnant with Kyle and Cora.

He was insane with happiness back then.

The terrifying mafia boss the whole country feared had cried while kneeling beside me in our bathroom because the pregnancy test came back positive.

He canceled meetings. Canceled shipments. Canceled negotiations with mafia families overseas.

Nothing mattered except me and the babies.

Every night he came home early just to touch my stomach and talk to them.

“Daddy’s here,” he’d whisper softly.

God.

What happened to us? What happened to him?

Anna broke down crying harder. “This is all because of them,” she sobbed angrily. “They destroyed you...”

I slowly rubbed my flat stomach.

There had been a tiny life there. And now there was nothing. Just emptiness. Just like my marriage.

The hospital room door suddenly opened hard.

Xander walked in quickly. For the first time in months, he actually looked shaken.

His hair was messy like he’d been running his hands through it for hours. His shirt sleeves were rolled up unevenly and there were dark circles under his eyes.

“Lory...” His voice sounded rough.

I turned my face away immediately. He walked over fast and sat beside my bed, then tried reaching for my hand but I pulled away.

The movement hurt my body badly but I still did it.

Xander froze for a second before sighing heavily. “We’ll have another baby, you can get pregnant again."

I laughed quietly. Hearing those words from him felt cruel.

Another baby?

“No,” I whispered weakly while staring at the ceiling. “We won’t.”

He frowned immediately. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I didn’t answer.

Xander adjusted my blanket carefully. “You need rest,” he muttered quietly. “I’ll stay here with you for a few days.”

I closed my eyes. I didn’t wanna look at him anymore and somehow, he actually stayed.

...

For the next several days, Xander barely left my side. He fed me medicine himself. Helped me sit up. Even brushed my hair once when he thought I was asleep. It almost felt like the old Xander again.

Almost.

But every time I looked at him, all I saw was the man who stood beside Claudia while our children’s ashes exploded in the sky. Nothing could erase that anymore.

I kept asking him to leave and every single time he refused.

Then on the fifth day, everything changed again.

One of his men suddenly burst into the hospital suite looking panicked. “Boss! Miss Claudia disappeared!”

The glass medicine cup in Xander’s hand shattered onto the floor instantly.

He stood up so fast the chair behind him slammed backward. “What the fuck do you mean disappeared?”

“She left the mansion this morning and nobody’s been able to find her.”

Xander looked genuinely terrified.

I watched him grab his gun and coat immediately. “Search the entire damn city!" he barked furiously. “Check every hotel, every airport, every fucking highway. I want updates every ten minutes.” then he ran out.

I stared at the empty doorway after he left. A bitter smile slowly formed on my lips. So this was what panic looked like when he truly loved someone.

...

The entire Golden Lion estate became tense for the next few days. Nobody dared breathe too loudly around Xander.

Everyone was terrified of setting him off.

Late one night, I finally heard chaos downstairs and I saw Xander carrying Claudia into the mansion himself.

She looked completely fine. I followed slowly behind them despite the pain in my body. Xander placed her gently onto the bed like she was made of glass.

“Why the hell would you run away like that?” he asked quietly while brushing hair from her face. “Do you know what you did to me? I thought something fucking happened to you.”

Claudia’s eyes turned red immediately. “I got scared,” she whispered. “I thought you blamed me for the baby.”

Xander looked stunned then he immediately pulled her into his arms. “How could I ever blame you for that?”

His voice was so gentle it made my chest ache.

“You were scared too,” he continued softly. “And I wasn’t there for you enough. That’s on me.”

Claudia sniffled dramatically. “But you looked so worried about Lorraine that day...”

Xander sighed and kissed her forehead. “Yeah. I fucked up. I’m sorry, baby.”

He apologized to her?

Claudia suddenly smiled through her tears. “Then write me an apology letter.”

Xander blinked. “What?”

“A real one,” she laughed. “And I wanna dictate it while you write.”

Any other person speaking to Xander Moretti like that would’ve disappeared by morning. But him?

He actually smiled helplessly. “You’re unbelievable.”

Still, he sat down at the desk anyway and started writing exactly what she told him to. I stood outside the room gripping the doorway so hard my nails dug into my palms.

How much did he love her? Enough to throw away his pride? His power? His marriage? Me?

Was this still just a game to him?

...

After that night, I stopped leaving my room.

I just waited quietly for my family’s guards to come get me. I only needed to survive eleven days.

Then the Golden Lion anniversary arrived.

The biggest event of the year.

Every mafia family attended. Politicians. CEOs. Arms dealers. Crime syndicates from overseas.

The ballroom looked disgusting in its luxury.

Champagne towers. Diamonds dripping from every woman’s neck. Men laughing over billion dollar deals while blood money paid for the music playing in the background.

And Claudia sat beside Xander at the center table like she already owned everything.

I sat silently nearby wearing a red dress Anna helped me into because refusing wasn’t an option anymore.

Claudia suddenly sighed dramatically. “This party’s boring.”

Xander glanced at her immediately. “What do you wanna do instead?”

She looked around lazily and her eyes landed on me. She smiled. That smile made my stomach twist instantly.

“What if we do a live auction?”

The room grew quieter.

Xander frowned slightly. “Auction what?”

Claudia pointed directly at me. “Her.”

The entire ballroom froze.

Even I stopped breathing.

“She’s gorgeous,” Claudia continued casually while sipping wine. “All these mafia bosses are already staring at her anyway. Make Lorraine the bidding item tonight.”

I looked at Xander in disbelief. Surely even he wouldn’t allow this.

Right?

But Claudia leaned against his shoulder sweetly. “Come on. It’s just for fun.”

Xander stayed silent for a long moment. Then his cold eyes slowly turned toward me. “Lory... Do it.”

My chest tightened painfully. “You can’t be serious.”

“It’s just entertainment,” he replied flatly. “Nobody’s touching you.”

Humiliation burned through me so badly I thought I might throw up. “I’m your wife.”

Xander’s expression darkened slightly. “And you’re embarrassing me by refusing.”

Claudia pouted immediately. “She won’t even dance? Then nobody’s gonna bid high.”

I stared at Xander desperately. “Please don’t do this to me.”

His voice dropped dangerously low. “Don’t make this harder than it already is, Lorraine.” Then quietly enough that only I could hear, he added, “You still have family alive. Don’t forget that.”

The threat hit me like a punch to the stomach.

I went cold instantly. He really was threatening me now. The same man who once killed for me, protected me, and loved me... Now he was the one destroying me.

“Okay,” I whispered brokenly. “I’ll do it.”

The music started moments later.

I walked onto the stage feeling completely numb while rich powerful men stared at me like hungry wolves and the bidding began.

“Five million.”

“Ten.”

“Twenty.”

The numbers kept rising while Claudia laughed happily beside Xander. “See?” she giggled. “I told you she’d sell well.”

I wanted to die.

Still, it wasn’t enough for Claudia.

“Make her dance too,” she said excitedly. “The bids will go even higher.”

Xander looked at me silently and didn’t stop her.

So I danced.

While men watched. While mafia bosses bid money over my body like I was property. While my husband sat beside another woman and allowed it all to happen.

Then suddenly everything exploded into chaos and gunshots rang through the ballroom. Several masked men burst through the entrance with rifles raised.

“ASSASSINS!” someone screamed.

And the entire ballroom erupted.

The guards surrounded Xander instantly the second the gunshots started. Everything became chaos. People screaming. Tables flipping over, and blood everywhere. I tried stepping back but suddenly something slammed into my shoulder hard.

Bang!

The pain exploded through my body so violently I collapsed immediately. Someone shot me.

I heard Anna scream my name somewhere nearby. “Mrs. Moretti!”

My vision blurred badly as blood started soaking through my dress. The ballroom spun around me and through the haze, I saw Claudia not far away clutching her arm while crying dramatically.

She’d been shot too.

And Xander?

Xander rushed straight to her. “Fuck!” he shouted while grabbing her tightly. “Claudia! Look at me, baby. Stay awake.”

I stared at him from the floor while blood pooled beneath me. Not me. Never me first anymore.

“Get the doctors now!” Xander roared furiously. “Move your asses!”

His men immediately carried Claudia away while I stayed lying there barely conscious as people ran past me.

At some point Anna dropped beside me crying hysterically. “She’s bleeding too! Please somebody help her!”

One of the staff looked nervous. “Boss said all surgeons are needed for Miss Claudia first.”

I actually laughed weakly after hearing that.

Even dying wasn’t enough to make him choose me.

The pain became unbearable after that and everything slowly faded black.

...

When I woke up again, I was already back inside Golden Lion Hospital.

The room smelled like blood and medicine. My shoulder burned horribly and I could barely move.

Outside the room, I suddenly heard Xander screaming. “If neither of them fucking survives, I’ll shut this hospital down myself!”

Doctors apologized nervously while chaos echoed through the hallway. They said the bullets had poison and it was already spreading inside the body.

Then another doctor spoke carefully. “Mr. Moretti... there’s a problem.”

Silence followed.

“The antidote medication arrived late and we only have enough prepared for one patient right now. The second dose needs another three hours.”

The room became terrifyingly quiet.

I slowly opened my eyes.

Through the partially opened door, I saw Xander standing there holding Claudia tightly against his chest while she looked pale and unconscious.

The doctor swallowed nervously. “Who should receive treatment first?”

I stared at Xander silently.

“Save Claudia first.”

That was it.

Four words, and somehow they hurt more than the bullet inside my body.

Memories flooded my head instantly.

Years ago during a hunting trip, I scratched my finger slightly on a broken branch and Xander nearly lost his mind. He carried me all the way back home. Forced three doctors to stay overnight just to monitor me.

Another time I got a fever and he sat beside me for two straight days without sleeping.

“Lory,” he whispered back then while kissing my forehead, “if something ever happens to you, I’ll fucking lose my mind.”

Now I was dying. And he picked someone else without hesitation.

The poison spreading from the bullet wound started hitting harder after that. My body curled up painfully against the bed while agony ripped through me. It felt like knives were tearing through my veins. Blood spilled from my mouth onto the sheets while I gripped the blanket so tightly my fingers cramped.

Was this death?

Honestly, maybe dying would finally let me rest. Maybe I wouldn’t have to hurt anymore.

Just as my consciousness started fading again, I heard footsteps rushing inside.

“The second antidote’s ready!”

Someone immediately lifted my head and forced the bitter medicine down my throat. Slowly, the pain began easing enough for me to breathe again.

When I finally opened my eyes properly, Xander was standing beside my bed.

For once, he actually looked guilty.

“Lory...” His voice sounded rough. “I...”

“No.” My voice came out hoarse and weak, “There’s nothing left to explain.”

Xander stared at me silently.

And for the first time since we got married, I saw uncertainty in his eyes. Like he suddenly realized something was slipping away from him.

“I had no choice,” he muttered quietly. “Claudia was in worse condition and I thought you could hold on longer.”

I looked at him blankly. Did he even hear himself?

“You thought I could survive,” I whispered. “So you abandoned me first.”

His face tightened immediately. “Don’t say it like that.”

“Then how should I say it?”

Silence.

Finally, I turned my face away from him. “I’m tired, Xander.” And I meant it.

Tired of crying, tired of begging, tired of loving someone who kept choosing another woman over me.

Xander stood there for a long time.

Then eventually, he sighed quietly and left the room.

The moment the door closed, I slowly touched my chest. It was strange. I thought it would hurt more.

But honestly, my heart was starting to feel numb now.

...

The next few days passed quietly.

My shoulder slowly healed, but whatever was left inside me kept dying little by little.

The staff whispered outside my room constantly because everyone knew Xander stayed beside Claudia day and night. Feeding her personally. Helping her shower. Sleeping beside her hospital bed. He barely left her room.

Anna came in one morning carrying my medicine with swollen red eyes. “Mrs. Moretti,” she whispered softly. “It’s time.”

I took the medicine silently and drank it in one go.

It tasted disgusting but it still wasn’t as bitter as my life.

...

A few days later, the annual Mafia Oath Ceremony finally arrived. It was one of the biggest events inside the Golden Lion Empire.

Every major mafia family attended. The heads of syndicates. International partners. Politicians secretly tied to the underworld.

It was tradition for Xander and his wife to stand together during the ceremony as the king and queen of the empire.

Anna helped me dress slowly because my shoulder still hurt badly.

When I finally arrived at the grand hall, my footsteps stopped cold.

Claudia was already standing beside Xander.

Wearing the black diamond dress reserved for me.

My place.

One of the older mafia advisors immediately looked horrified. “Boss... this breaks tradition,” he said carefully. “Mrs. Moretti is supposed to stand beside you during the oath.”

Xander didn’t even look bothered.

His cold eyes swept toward the man. “Since when do I need permission for who stands beside me?”

The entire hall instantly fell silent. Nobody dared speak again because everyone knew Xander Moretti could destroy entire bloodlines with one order.

“Xander,” Claudia said excitedly while looking around the massive hall, “can I light more candles? This place looks kinda dark.”

Xander looked down at her with that soft expression I hated seeing now. “Do whatever you want, baby.”

She laughed happily and grabbed several long ceremonial candles from the altar table. The older mafia bosses looked uncomfortable but nobody dared speak.

Then suddenly Claudia bumped one of the giant oil lamps by accident.

Crash!

Fire exploded onto the black curtains instantly.

People started shouting.

“Fire!”

“Move!”

The flames spread across the wall terrifyingly fast while guards rushed in with extinguishers. Thankfully the fire got controlled quickly, but part of the ceremonial hall was already burned black.

Smoke still filled the air while everyone stared in horror.

One of the senior mafia advisors immediately stepped forward angrily. “Boss, this hall represents the entire Golden Lion Empire. Somebody has to answer for this.”

Another leader nodded. “This can’t go unpunished.”

The pressure in the room shifted immediately.

Everyone knew Claudia caused the fire. Everyone saw it but nobody dared say her name.

Xander stayed silent for a long moment then slowly, his cold eyes turned toward me. Suddenly I understood everything.

No.

No way!

“Lorraine caused the accident,” Xander said calmly. “She’ll take responsibility for it.”

My entire body went cold. I stared at him in disbelief. “What...?”

The room became dead silent.

Xander walked toward me and grabbed my wrist tightly before lowering his voice enough that only I could hear. “Claudia can’t handle punishment like this,” he muttered. “She’s emotional already and if I blame her now, she’ll pull away from me again.”

I actually felt my heart crack hearing those words.

He continued quietly, almost patiently. “Lory, just help me this once more, alright?”

Once more.

How many times had I already sacrificed myself for him?

My voice shook violently. “Aren’t you scared I’ll completely give up on you someday?”

Xander smiled faintly like my words meant nothing. “You won’t.” The confidence in his voice hurt worse than screaming would’ve. “We grew up together,” he said softly. “You love me too much to leave me. You won't even last a day. Just wait a little longer until I’m done with Claudia and everything’ll go back to normal.”

Normal?

What part of this was normal anymore?

I looked at the man standing in front of me and suddenly felt exhausted.

...

That night, Xander publicly announced my punishment.

Three days.

I was chained outside the Golden Lion headquarters as a warning to everyone.

And nobody dared object. The heavy chains wrapped tightly around my wrists and body, locking me against the massive front gates of Golden Lion headquarters while icy wind hit me nonstop.

A giant black sign hung above my head.

I DESERVE PUNISHMENT.

People gathered constantly outside the gates staring at me like I was some criminal.

“Isn’t that Mrs. Moretti?”

“I heard she almost burned down the oath hall.”

“Boss Moretti personally ordered the punishment.”

The humiliation was unbearable and it only got worse. Some people started throwing trash at me.

Rotten fruit, alcohol bottles, food scraps and even human pee.

One man threw a rock so hard it slammed against my forehead. The pain exploded instantly and warm blood ran down my face. I bit my lip hard to stop myself from crying out.

By the third night, my body finally gave up. My vision blurred heavily while voices echoed around me.

Then I heard Anna screaming desperately. “Mrs. Moretti!”