Salvatore had never loved me.

I had given him everything.

I put him above my own future, above my own pride.

For him, I even defied my father, the Don of the Valente Family.

And in return...

He couldn't even give me a wedding that belonged to me alone.

As I watched him wrap one arm around Bianca's waist while his other hand rested protectively over her swollen belly, the tenderness in his eyes made it hard to breathe.

That look...

It had never once been meant for me.

My love meant nothing to him.

He discarded it without hesitation and trampled over it as though it had never existed.

I was tired.

So unbearably tired.

I couldn't love him anymore.

Just as my parents and the other Families prepared to leave the ballroom, Celia Barone hurried forward and caught my mother's arm.

"Celia," she pleaded, "today is our children's wedding. Surely you don't want every Family here laughing at us."

Vera Barone nodded in agreement.

"Salvatore made a mistake, yes. But that can be dealt with afterward."

"This is a matter between the young people."

"We elders should stay out of it."

My mother gave a quiet, mocking laugh.

"Stay out of it?"

"You expect us to remain here and suffer even greater humiliation?"

"The Valente Family has already lost enough face tonight."

My father remained silent.

He simply looked at me.

The decision was mine.

His expression was calm, but I knew that look.

Once he made up his mind, nothing could change it.

Salvatore walked over with Bianca at his side.

His gaze was as cold as ever.

"Have you finished causing trouble?"

"Or are you determined to disgrace both Families before you'll stop?"

I let out a quiet laugh.

Me?

I was the one disgracing our Families?

Bianca stepped forward with reddened eyes.

"Adriana... I'm so sorry."

"I came here today intending only to congratulate you."

She lowered her eyes before gently stroking her stomach.

"I never imagined I'd be carrying Salvatore's child."

"I know I've done something unforgivable."

"I'm willing to accept any punishment."

"But this baby has done nothing wrong."

Her voice trembled as she looked at me.

"I can't let my child grow up without a father."

"Adriana... you've always been kind."

"You wouldn't want to see an innocent child suffer... would you?"

Before I could answer, my mother's voice rang across the room.

"Kind?"

She pointed directly at Bianca.

"You seduced my daughter's fiancé, got yourself pregnant, and now you're standing here pretending to be the victim."

"I've met plenty of shameless people in my life."

"But someone as utterly without dignity as you?"

"That's a first."

Celia Barone immediately reached for my mother's arm again.

"Oh, Celia..."

"Please calm down."

"No matter what happened, the child is innocent."

Then she turned to me with a gentle smile.

"Adriana... don't you agree?"

My mother shook her hand away.

Her voice was sharp enough to cut steel.

"Who are you calling family?"

"My daughter has nothing to do with your son anymore."

She took my hand.

"Adriana."

"We're leaving."

"This marriage is over."

"Let the three of them spend the rest of their lives together."

Celia's smile instantly stiffened.

"The Commission is watching tonight."

"We can't act impulsively."

Then she softened her tone again.

"Adriana..."

"You've always been the sensible one."

"Talk to your mother."

"Don't let every Family here make fools of us."

Salvatore finally spoke.

His voice carried no warmth.

"If you truly love me, then you should accept everything that comes with me."

He glanced toward Bianca's stomach.

"She's carrying my child."

"You should love that child just as much as you love me."

He loosened his collar as though he were the one feeling suffocated.

I stared at him in disbelief.

He actually believed it was my responsibility...

To raise another woman's child.

Vera Barone let out a slow sigh.

"Adriana."

"Celia and I watched you grow up."

"We know what kind of woman you are."

"What's done is done."

"Making a bigger issue out of it won't solve anything."

"The important thing now is finding a way forward."

I met his eyes calmly.

"And what exactly is your solution?"

Without the slightest hesitation, he answered,

"First, you complete the alliance ceremony and become Salvatore's lawful wife."

"The child Bianca carries is Barone blood."

"It must be born."

He smiled as though he were offering me a generous compromise.

"As for the child..."

"You'll raise it yourself."

"You'll be its real mother."

"Bianca will receive a generous settlement."

"After that, she'll disappear from your lives."

The moment Vera Barone finished speaking, Celia Barone nodded eagerly.

"Exactly."

"That settles everything."

Bianca lowered her eyes and gently rested a hand over her stomach.

"I don't object."

She looked at me with practiced guilt.

"Adriana... I'm truly sorry."

"When the baby is born, I'll hand the child over to you."

"I'll leave."

"I'll never appear before you, Don Barone, or the child again."

For a moment, I was so furious that I laughed.

Of course she had no objections.

She would walk away with a generous settlement, free of responsibility, while I was expected to raise the child she had conceived with my fiancé.

Everything worked in her favor.

Who would refuse a bargain like that?

Salvatore's patience finally snapped.

His jaw tightened as he yanked at his collar.

"My parents have already offered a solution."

"Why are you still making this difficult?"

He looked at me with complete indifference.

"If I didn't know how much you loved me..."

"I wouldn't have bothered marrying you."

My heart went completely still.

I met his eyes.

"Then you won't have to."

"There won't be a wedding."

For the first time that night, disbelief appeared on Salvatore's face.

My mother immediately clapped her hands once.

"That's my daughter."

"I support your decision."

The Barones' expressions changed instantly.

"Adriana, you can't simply cancel an alliance ceremony," Celia said anxiously.

"Please think carefully."

Vera Barone shot Salvatore a furious glare.

"Enough."

"Stand aside."

Salvatore frowned but silently guided Bianca back a few steps.

His parents stepped forward again, clearly unwilling to let me go.

I looked at them quietly.

For years, I had respected them as if they were my own family.

Yet from beginning to end, not one of them had considered my feelings.

The only thing they cared about was securing the alliance...

And making sure Bianca's child entered the Barone bloodline.

Realizing they couldn't persuade me, Celia turned toward my parents instead.

"Don Valente... Signora Valente..."

"Please convince Adriana."

"If not for our Family, then at least for her future."

"If she walks away now, every Family will laugh at her."

Vera Barone nodded immediately.

"We're only trying to protect Adriana's reputation."

I let out a cold laugh.

"So now you're threatening me with my own reputation?"

Both of them hesitated for a brief moment before forcing smiles back onto their faces.

"Adriana, you've misunderstood."

"We're thinking about you too."

Celia's fingers rolled rapidly over the rosary in her hand.

"Exactly."

"Everything we're doing is for your own good."

I couldn't help laughing.

"For my own good?"

"Your son betrayed me."

"You hid it from me."

"And now you're pretending you're the victims?"

"You're every bit as shameless as he is."

My mother had had enough.

She reached for my hand, ready to leave.

I gently stopped her.

"Mamma."

"Don't worry."

"I'm not finished yet."

Then I looked back at the Barones.

"You both knew about Salvatore and Bianca long before today."

"You kept it from me."

"You rushed the alliance paperwork through before the ceremony."

"Because once everything was official..."

"Bianca's child could enter the Barone Family without anyone stopping you."

Everything suddenly made perfect sense.

"No wonder you insisted the blood-pact be completed before the wedding."

"You had planned every step."

A flicker of panic crossed the Barones' faces.

It disappeared almost instantly.

Vera Barone smiled calmly.

"Adriana."

"You love Salvatore."

"You still become his wife."

"We gain our grandson."

"Everyone wins."

"What a perfect arrangement."

I smiled back.

"A perfect arrangement?"

"What a ridiculous joke."

My mother's entire body trembled with anger.

"You deceived my daughter."

"Have you no shame left at all?"

The last trace of politeness vanished from Celia's face.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"The alliance has already been approved."

"The papers are signed."

"Unless you want Adriana branded as a discarded bride, she'll stay exactly where she belongs."

Vera Barone smiled coldly.

"Think carefully, Adriana."

"Do you really want every Family in the territory remembering you as the bride who was abandoned at her own wedding?"

Bianca, who had remained silent until now, suddenly smiled.

"It's only one child."

"It won't be difficult for you to raise."

She sighed dramatically.

"Such a small matter..."

"And you've turned it into a feud between two Families."

"Was it really worth it?"

"Enough!"

My mother's face flushed crimson as she lunged toward Bianca.

I caught her before she could strike.

Then I looked at the Barones, whose smug expressions had finally returned.

I smiled.

"I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed."

Their smiles faltered.

"What do you mean?" Vera Barone asked.

Without the slightest hurry, I folded my arms.

Then I slowly twisted the old signet ring on my right hand.

Only then did I answer.

"Salvatore and I never signed the blood-pact."

"So tell me..."

"How could the Commission have approved a union that never existed?"