"Don't flatter yourself. I didn't dye my hair for you," I replied flatly.

I had wanted to dye my hair red for a long time, so it wasn't exactly a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Stefano's eyes then fell on my short skirt. "Is this also part of your new strategy?"

I ignored him and turned to leave.

My legs were naturally long and slender, and I had been praised for them since I was young. Short skirts suited me the best, but I never wore them before simply because Stefano preferred understated elegance.

Behind me, Stefano watched me leave, his gaze still indifferent. But the hand clutching his phone tightened again and again.

Anna approached and gently took his arm.

"Stefano, Anita has become so rebellious lately that she doesn't even listen to me anymore. Do you think she's still upset about our marriage?"

Stefano lowered his eyes. "Let her be. No matter what tactics she uses to seek attention, she can't do anything to us as long as we ignore her."

I neither knew about their conversation nor cared to find out.

I went out in the afternoon because Dad had arranged a blind date for me.

It was my first time meeting him, and just as Dad had said, he was someone whose qualities were in no way inferior to Stefano's.

We shared many common interests and topics of conversation. For a first meeting, we got along surprisingly well.

When I returned that evening, I saw Stefano sitting in the living room with his head bowed.

Having loved him for years in my previous life and spent several more in marriage, no one understood him better than I did.

Just one glance at his posture told me that his migraine had flared up again.

Stefano had always been one to care deeply about his pride. He had to be sitting here now because he didn't want Anna or anyone else to notice his condition.

Originally, I had no intention of getting involved. But after taking a few steps, I remembered how when I once had a fever in my previous life, it was Stefano who got the medicine for me and called a doctor.

Fine. I would just treat him as a guest in this house and offer the hospitality expected of a host.

Turning around, I took out a box of medicine and handed it to him.

When he looked up, our eyes met.

He probably never expected that I would know about his migraines, let alone bring him medicine. But after a moment, he took the medicine and said mockingly, "Are you trying to make me owe you?"

I ignored his sarcasm and went straight back to my room.

And so, I didn't notice the growing intensity in Stefano's gaze as he watched me leave.

…

Two days later, Stefano suddenly stormed in angrily and threw a pair of lacy underwear at my face.

"Anita! You really are a shameless woman!"

I was utterly confused, but the underwear was indeed mine. Yet, how on earth did it end up in Stefano's hands?

Baffled and burning with shame, I asked, "How did you get this?"

Stefano sneered coldly. "Is this another one of your tricks? Playing hard to get, are we? Pretending you don't love me anymore, yet scheming behind my back to sleep with me? Anita, you're truly despicable."

I instinctively tried to explain, "There must be some misunderstanding. I didn't put this in your room. If I—"

Stefano cut me off before I could finish, his voice dripping with mockery.

"Anita, did you really think these petty tricks of yours would make me see you differently? My heart belongs to Anna alone."

His gaze grew colder with each word, as if I were some kind of criminal.

As he turned to leave, he added, "The next time you see Anna, I expect you to address her as Donna Marino."

…

The next day, Stefano and Anna officially set their wedding date.

After informing me, Anna even came to me in tears. She said she didn't have many friends and asked me to be her bridesmaid, appealing to our blood ties.

I wanted to refuse, but Dad called me into his study and insisted I accept. In the end, I had no choice but to agree.

Once I had accepted, he immediately followed up by asking when I planned to start considering my own marriage.

Remembering my last encounter with the man from the blind date, I instinctively touched the necklace he had given me and replied shyly, "I've already met someone I like."

Dad glanced at the necklace around my neck and then asked in a puzzled tone, "Who is it?"

My cheeks flushed slightly as I answered, "The one you introduced me to last time."

Dad looked taken aback. "But didn't you end up not going to see him?"

I froze. "What?"

No, that couldn't be right. I definitely went, and we had a pleasant conversation. We even exchanged contact information and agreed to meet again.

Hearing me say this, Stefano sneered coldly from the side. "Principessa Anita must've met him in her dreams."

He didn't believe me, let alone believe that I went to meet another man.

"Dad, I really did go. In fact, this necklace was a gift from him," I insisted firmly.

I placed the necklace in front of Dad, and Stefano's expression stiffened slightly.

After leaving the study, Stefano suddenly pulled me into a corner and said, "If you behave and stop scheming, I can treat you like a sister. I'll even have meals with you and spend time with you."

I let out a light laugh and replied seriously, "Stefano, I don't love you anymore. In fact, I'm interested in someone else now."

After hearing this, Stefano pressed closer step by step. "Then, tell me. If you don't love me anymore, why are you still wearing a necklace with elements of my family?"

I took a step back and snapped loudly, "This necklace has nothing to do with you! It's late—you should get some rest."

In the shadows, Anna was staring intently at my back, her face cold and grim.

…

The wedding ceremony was set to take place in seven days. Just when everything seemed perfectly prepared, chaos erupted right before it began.

Anna's wedding gown had been sabotaged. When she opened her wardrobe, she found it replaced with a nun's habit, with a crude skull drawn on the inside.

She wept pitifully, and everyone crowded around to comfort her.

I walked over to take a closer look at the details of the wardrobe, but Anna suddenly grabbed my hand.

"Anita, I know you've liked Stefano since we were young, but he's your future brother-in-law. We're family, so how could you let your obsession drive you to curse me?

"That day in Dad's study, you even said yourself that you no longer had feelings for Stefano. Why go back on your word on the day of our wedding?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room fell silent and fixed their eyes on me.

My feelings for Stefano were once so openly and unabashedly worn that they were practically a public secret.

And now, with Anna's wedding dress sabotaged like this, it was only natural that I, as the bridesmaid, would be the prime suspect.

I was left speechless for a moment, unsure where to even begin explaining.

But just as I was about to speak, I saw Stefano—dressed in a tailored suit—walk in and immediately pull Anna into his arms.

Taking the cue, Anna tearfully pleaded, "Stefano, maybe you should just marry Anita instead. I'm so frightened that I'll be jinxed."

As soon as she finished speaking, Stefano kicked me hard, sending me crashing into the closet.

My body slammed against the solid wood, and for a moment, the pain was so intense I could hardly breathe.

This wasn't the first time Stefano had rejected me. But it was the first time he had laid hands on me in front of everyone.

Shame and pain washed over me, deepening my disappointment in him once again.

Lowering my head, I mustered what little strength I had left and asked hoarsely, "Stefano, have you ever truly believed me?"

Stefano stood still, his gaze utterly indifferent as he looked at me. "Never. Anita, since you've repeatedly hurt Anna without regard, don't blame me for being merciless."

With that, he gave a cold wave of his hand.

Several bodyguards stepped forward and restrained me firmly. As I lay there unable to move, they stripped my clothes and used a knife to carve a skull on my arm.

Stefano said this was only a fraction of the pain Anna had suffered.

When the blade cut through my skin, the sharp pain brought tears streaming down my face. I wanted to beg for mercy, but my mouth was covered, leaving me unable to utter a word through the agony.

Just as I was on the verge of passing out, a figure dressed in black suddenly appeared.

"Stop!"

The newcomer swiftly kicked away the bodyguard restraining me and pulled me into his protective embrace.

I heard Stefano furiously shouting, "Who are you? How dare you interfere with the affairs of the Marino family? Do you have a death wish or something?"