Everyone knows that Tania Giordano is the principessa of the Giordano family, whom they mustn't piss off at all costs.

Ever since she lost her mother at the tender age of six, she has grown into an independent, radiant, and bold woman on her own abroad.

She initially thought that she wouldn't rely on anyone else anymore. But when she was 20 years old, a certain man rescued her from the pistol aimed at her by her father's enemy.

Since then, Simone Lanzi has stayed by her side and protects her at all times. That's how Tania finds herself falling for him.

But one night, she witnesses him panting slightly while staring at a photo featuring Noemi Giordano, her half-sister…

The study in the Giordano residence was thick with smoke.

Tania Giordano pushed the door open.

Her father—the Don of the Giordano family, once a feared and respected figure—sat hunched over a pile of documents. The reports showed their cash flow had completely collapsed. He didn't even notice the cigar in his fingers had burned down to the nub.

"Papa, I'll accept the marriage to Don Garretti," Tania said calmly.

Rino Giordano snapped his head up. The worry on his face instantly flipped to joy. "Tania? You're here? You're really willing to marry that vegetable Don?"

Then, his expression shifted back to concern. "Tania, I owe you and Noemi an apology. But the Garretti family is huge and powerful. This engagement was settled long ago. There's no calling it off now."

Tania didn't answer. She walked over to the conference table and tapped it lightly with her fingers. "But if I am to marry that Don who might not even wake up in Noemi's place, I expect to be compensated."

Rino's smile faded. "What do you want? As long as we can still afford it—"

"Give me those Kashmir sapphires," Tania cut in. "And I'm not bringing Simone with me. He's staying here as Noemi's bodyguard."

Rino went pale and shook his head. "No way! Those sapphires are your mamma's legacy, worth tens of billions of dollars. They're our last trump card! And you care so much for Simone. How can you just give him to Noemi?"

"I want something I can cash out right away. I don't care about the famiglia's fate," Tania said with a sneer. "As for Simone, it doesn't matter who he protects. It's never been me anyway."

Her words stabbed deep. Rino opened his mouth but had no rebuttal. He knew he owed Tania too much.

Years ago, his mistress showed up claiming Noemi Giordano was his child. His wife fell into depression and died.

But he favored Noemi, leaving Tania to fend for herself abroad while promising Noemi to the Garretti family.

Later, the Don, Callen Garretti, was attacked and left in a vegetative state.

Rino hated the thought of sending Noemi into that family.

But in recent years, the Giordano rings were crushed by the police. Desperate for a partnership with the Garretti family, he brought Tania back.

Tania's gaze was icy. "So? Sì o no?"

Rino was silent for a long moment, then sighed heavily. "Fine. I'll agree. The sapphires are locked in a Sevaris bank vault. I'll sign Simone's transfer orders now."

He had no choice. The Garretti family was their last hope, even if it meant sacrificing Tania and handing over the Giordano family's final secret weapon.

Tania said nothing more and turned to leave.

As she reached the door, Rino's voice stopped her. "Tania, Simone's been with you for two years. Are you really okay with leaving him to Noemi?"

Tania's steps faltered, and a faint red glossed her eyes.

How could she be okay? That man who had always watched her back was the only light in her dark world.

But a moment she'd accidentally seen had shattered her illusions.

Without looking back, she walked out. "It doesn't matter. We're just taking what we need."

The elevator doors slid shut, cutting her off from everything behind.

Tania leaned against the cold metal wall and closed her eyes. A single tear slipped down silently.

With this marriage, she could cut ties with everything here.

…

When Tania got back to her villa, it was nearly dawn. The house was completely silent.

She'd just stepped onto the second floor when she heard suppressed breathing from the far end of the hallway.

The muffled sounds cut sharply through the silence. They were coming from Simone's room.

The door was slightly ajar, leaving a narrow crack. Inside, someone was clearly struggling to hold back their desire.

Tania stopped instinctively and peered through the gap. What she saw would haunt her forever.

Simone stood with his back to the door, just outside the bathroom. He had a black robe hung loose on his shoulders, revealing the smooth lines of his back.

With his head arched back, his Adam's apple bobbed violently. A low, muffled groan escaped his throat, trailing off into a whispered, "Noemi…"

In his hand, he clutched a pale yellow silk scarf. His fingers obsessively stroked the fabric while the other side pressed firmly against his lower abdomen.

His gesture held a fixation that was almost devout.

Tania recognized the scarf instantly. It belonged to Noemi.

Her blood seemed to freeze, and her fingernails dug deep into her palms until they went numb with pain.

Her mind flashed back to a night about a month ago.

Tania had accidentally caught Simone speaking quietly with two men in black suits by a black sedan.

Hiding behind a pillar, she overheard their conversation.

"Don Lanzi, please come back to lead. The famiglia can't go on without you," one man said respectfully.

Simone's tone was cold, yet beneath it lay an uncompromising stubbornness. "Not yet."

"But you've been undercover in the Giordano family for two years!" another urged. "Taking them down should be easy. Why humiliate yourself as a bodyguard? If you like Ms. Noemi, just take her with you. There's no need to complicate things."

"Noemi lacks a sense of security."

Simone's tone softened. "I can't scare her off. I have to win her trust slowly to truly protect her. As for Tania, she's just a convenient cover for me to stay close to the Giordanos."

That hit Tania like a thunderbolt.

The man who'd been her bodyguard for two years was actually the Don of the Lanzi family, undercover all along just for Noemi.

Two years ago, when the Giordano family was ambushed by enemies, Tania nearly died on the streets of Mythran. Simone had suddenly appeared, shielding her and pulling her to safety.

After she woke, she found herself helplessly drawn to him.

He had a face that was as handsome as it was hostile. His features were profound and sharp, and his slightly upturned eyes lent him an air of nonchalant ruthlessness.

When his lips were pressed thin, he radiated a cold, unapproachable vibe, but when he smiled, it was wickedly charming.

His physique was equally striking—tall and lean, with broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist.

Simone claimed to be a retired mercenary seeking refuge with the Giordano family. Tania believed him and made him her personal bodyguard.

Throughout these two years, he had stood by her through countless life-or-death moments. He'd taken bullets for her in Ravania, rescued her from kidnappers in Valoria, and even stayed up all night guarding her when some wealthy heir tried to drug her.

Tania had feelings for him.

She had deliberately gotten drunk at parties to fall into his arms, but he only steadied her waist politely, never crossing the line.

When she knocked on his door in the middle of the night in a silk nightgown, claiming a fear of the dark, he merely escorted her back to her room and stood guard outside.

She had faked a cramp in the pool, and he had dove in to save her with clinical efficiency, yet he carefully avoided any lingering contact with her skin.

Tania thought Simone was naturally cold. She believed if she tried harder, she could thaw that icy exterior.

But now she realized he wasn't cold. His warmth and gentleness were simply never meant for her.

Tania thought of her mother, Gisella Raspa, in her final moments.

At that time, Rino had brought his pregnant mistress into the house.

Gisella, already weak, couldn't take the shock. Betrayed by her husband, she fell ill and succumbed to despair.

During all those years alone abroad, Simone's presence was her only comfort. But now, even that fragile solace had turned into a cruel joke.

Suddenly, Simone's phone vibrated inside the room.

He stopped what he was doing and answered in a soft tone, "What's wrong, Ms. Noemi?"

Noemi's sweet voice came from the other end. "Simone, when are you coming back? I'm scared to be home alone, and you promised to take me to the art exhibit in Florinthia."

"I'll be back soon," Simone replied gently. "Just finishing up here, then I'll come find you."

"Don't lie to me, okay?" Noemi pouted. "By the way, is Tania making you stay with her?"

Simone remained silent for a few seconds before replying, "I'm just doing my job as a bodyguard. No one means more to me than you."

That line cut into Tania's heart like a knife.

Unable to hold back any longer, she burst through the door.

Simone stiffened and whipped around, his face still flushed with the afterglow. The scarf slipped from his hand onto the floor.

The air froze, leaving only their breathing mingling in the tension of the room.

The desire lingering in Simone's eyes quickly faded, replaced by his usual cold arrogance.

It was as if the tender moment with the scarf had been nothing but an illusion.

He calmly tightened his bathrobe. The collar slumped loosely, sliding down to reveal the smooth line of his back.

At his feet, the pale yellow scarf was gently hooked behind him and tucked under the carpet.

Tania stepped forward slowly.

She bent to pick up the scarf, then raised her hand to trace his face. "You care this much about a scarf? If Noemi knew, she'd probably cry tears of joy."

Simone's Adam's apple bobbed. He reached for the scarf, but she pressed down on his wrist.

Her chest almost touched his arm, and her warm breath brushed his neck. "Your heart's racing. That felt good, huh? What's wrong? Do you only let your guard down when you're alone with her private belongings?"

Simone took a half step back but found his retreat blocked by a glass partition.

"Come with me to Valoria's underground casino tomorrow. The prize is the 'Falling Star' wedding dress—the final masterpiece of that top designer."

Simone frowned. "Why do you want a wedding dress?"

"No reason." Tania traced his jaw. Her voice was laced with amusement, but her gaze stayed icy. "I just got word that Noemi's going too."

Simone retreated another half step, distancing himself. "I'll go with you, Ms. Giordano. But you're too close. That's against protocol."

Tania scoffed, pulling her hand back and deliberately leaving the scarf on his shoulder. "Here, keep it. Sweet dreams."

The next evening, Tania stepped into the casino wearing a black mermaid dress that hugged her figure. She instantly drew countless eyes.

Simone followed behind without any expression, blocking off anyone who tried to crowd them.

Not far off, Noemi appeared in a white dress. A flicker of derision flashed across her face the moment she saw them. "Tania, you're here too? I thought you only enjoyed going to bars, surrounded by a swarm of men!"

Tania just smirked coldly. Ignoring the provocation, she walked straight to the center table.

Seeing Noemi, Simone moved to stand by her, completely forgetting whose bodyguard he was.

But Tania didn't care. Tonight, she only wanted to win.

Her luck seemed unstoppable. Chips were piled high before her.

Soon, only she and Noemi remained at the table.

As the dealer dealt, Tania sensed something was off.

Through the first few rounds, her sharp instincts led to two wins, and Noemi's expression darkened.

When it came to the crucial hand, the men gathered around Noemi exchanged knowing glances. They were clearly planning something.

Tania was dealt a pair of Aces. Just as she was about to raise, Noemi boldly pushed all her chips into the center. "All in!"

Her own cards had started as a pair of Kings, but at the exact moment Simone appeared to adjust his tie, she suddenly switched hands, revealing a royal flush.

Noemi raised an eyebrow smugly. "Tania, luck's part of the game. Looks like the dress is mine."

Tania sneered silently. She actually saw Simone signaling the dealer to swap the cards earlier.

But she said nothing. After all, this was someone else's territory. Both she and Noemi were from the Giordano family. They rose and fell together.

Besides, dealing with Noemi was child's play. Tania believed that even if Simone went all out for her, she wouldn't need to give it her all to defeat Noemi.

In the following rounds, whenever Noemi fell behind, Simone's subtle signals helped her turn the tide.

Finally, in the last hand, Tania had a straight, while Noemi held three of a kind—she was losing ground fast.

Simone raised his hand to signal, but Tania looked up at him with a captivating glance.

A jolt of alarm shot through him. He jerked his hand back, and his eyes flickered with something complicated.

When the cards were revealed, Noemi's face drained of color. Her three of a kind lost to Tania's straight.

Tania stood, about to signal the auctioneer to start the bidding, when whispers spread through the crowd.

"So what if she won? Getting the wedding dress won't help. With her wild past, which man would marry her for real?"

"Exactly, giving her a designer gown is just a waste."

The taunts grew louder.

Noemi burst into tears, burying her face in her hands before looking up at Tania with a wounded expression. "Tania, I really want that wedding dress…"

At that moment, the side door to the casino burst open. A group of men in black suits flanked a sharply dressed man who strode to the auction stage.

The man flashed a black badge at the auctioneer and announced in a deep voice, "I'm Don Lanzi's Underboss. By order of the Don, the 'Falling Star' wedding dress is now officially reserved for Ms. Noemi. No matter the bids, the final ownership belongs to her."