On our tenth anniversary, I ran my car into my husband, Dante Falcone, and killed him.

It all started years ago, when Dante and I were caught in the act.

In the ten years of marriage that followed, we became the most notorious, cursed couple in the North American underworld.

On the day of my mother’s burial, he brought his beloved Cameron to me and announced that she was pregnant.

“Your mother is dead, Elara,” he sneered. “Perfect timing. You can be a ready-made Mamma.”

“Her child,” he added, “will have to call you stepmom.”

That night, I killed their child. In return, he dug up my mother’s grave and scattered her ashes to the wind.

Reborn, I fled the continent on the very night that was meant to bind us in marriage.

Seven years later, I came back.

At a Falcone charity auction, I came face-to-face with him again.

He was still the Falcone heir, as powerful and untouchable as ever.

But he cornered me, his eyes bloodshot as he roared...

“Elara, didn’t you dream of marrying me? Why did you run seven years ago?”

In this life, it turned out I was his obsession—the one he loved but could never have.

————————

1

“I was foolish back then. Now I know better, and I don’t want to marry you.”

“Of course I had to run.”

I tilted my head up, a derisive smile tugging at my lips.

Dante’s hand shot out and clamped around my neck. I choked, fighting for air, and drove my knee hard into his groin.

He grunted, his crimson eyes widening as his grip loosened. I lunged forward and sank my teeth into the fleshy web of his hand.

I didn’t let go until the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

Dante gritted his teeth and pressed his body against mine, pinning me to the wall with terrifying force.

“Elara, you’re insane.”

“You’ve always known I was insane, haven’t you, Dante?” I shot back, never one to back down.

The truth is, we are both insane.

In our past life, we had an agreement: we could do whatever we wanted, as long as it didn't end with a body bag.

At first, we stayed out of each other’s way, each building our own notorious reputation.

But then Cameron came back, and he started trying to force me out.

He used every trick in the book, stopping just short of cutting off my hand to make me sign the divorce papers.

That’s when our war was at its fiercest.

Everyone said we were a match made in hell. Not even a direct order from the Don himself could make us feign peace.

Back then, I truly believed he wouldn't actually try to kill me.

It wasn't until he drove my mother to her death and stood before me with a pregnant Cameron that I knew he really wanted me dead.

“Dante?”

A clear, gentle voice cut through my memories. In that instant, Dante let go of me.

Down the long, dim hallway, I saw Cameron.

In my past life, she was the pristine memory he cherished—his one true love.

“The auction is about to start,” she said.

“I heard Julian is here today. You need his support for that project of yours.”

“You should go in.”

Cameron effortlessly straightened Dante’s suit collar and tie, then smoothed his hair.

When she was done, she turned and smiled at me.

“Are you a friend of Dante’s?”

“Would you like to join us?”

I had only met her a few times in my past life, but my hatred for her burned constantly.

This life, it was our first meeting.

I shook my head and turned to walk back to the auction hall.

The event was about to begin, but my VIP entry pass hadn't arrived yet.

I had no choice but to take a blank card and find a seat.

As I pushed the door open, I realized the room was full of familiar faces.

“Well, well, isn’t it the little Principessa of the Moretti family?”

“I thought after you ran away, you’d never come back!”

“How could she? She may have fled, but didn’t she leave her old Madre to cry and beg at the Falcone’s door?”

“I almost forgot. Don’t you and your mother both like to pave your way with your bodies?”

“Who’s the man that got you in this time? How did you get into an event like this?”

“What could she possibly bid on? Is she here to sell herself?”

…

A chorus of mocking laughter and jeers stung my ears.

I casually knocked over the champagne tower next to me.

Glass shattered, and a few timid women shrieked as they hid in their men’s arms.

“Elara, aren’t they telling the truth?”

“Hitting a little too close to home?”

Dante stepped around the broken glass, strolled before me, and smirked down at me.

“Weren’t you the one who threw yourself at me back then? How is that any different from selling yourself?”

“I’ve never seen a woman as wild in bed as you. If your mother became a madam, she’d be rolling in it.”

Every word out of Dante’s mouth was meant to humiliate me and my mother.

Years ago, Dante had been drugged, and I became the only antidote.

With the Moretti family on the verge of collapse, my mother used the incident to force the Falcone family into marrying me, securing their protection.

The rumor was that my mother had drugged him, a lie I believed myself.

The day Dante was forced to marry me, his cherished Cameron left the country in a rage.

And so began our ten years of mutual torment.

It wasn't until much later that I learned someone else was behind the drugging.

Amid the roaring laughter, I glanced at Cameron, standing beside Dante.

“It’s been seven years, Dante. You still can’t forget our night together?”

“Or has your beloved Cameron been unable to satisfy you in bed all these years?”

Cameron’s pale skin instantly flushed red.

The laughter around us died abruptly.

He'd never won a war of words with me in our last life. He wasn't about to start now.

Dante was furious.

A sharp slap landed on my cheek.

“Elara, you watch your damn mouth!”

Hearing that, I laughed out loud.

Classic Dante.

When it came to Cameron, he lost all reason.

“Dante, don’t cause a scene over me,” Cameron murmured.

“They’re just words. I don’t mind.”

With just a few words, Cameron soothed the raging lion.

She stood before me, looking completely unfazed.

I had to hand it to her; Cameron was crafty.

From the daughter of a fallen noble family to the woman at Dante Falcone’s side.

No one was more calculating on that climb than she was.

But I couldn't stomach her saintly act.

“Miss Cameron, after all these years by his side, you still haven’t become the mistress of the Falcone family?”

“But then again, you only have yourself to blame.”

I paused, letting the words hang in the air.

Dante frowned at me, his eyes filled with warning and suspicion.

And a flash of panic crossed Cameron's face.

“Miss Cameron, next time, perhaps you should avoid buying drugs from a street corner.”

“That stuff was so potent, Dante couldn’t even tell who he was with.”

“Otherwise, you would have been Mrs. Falcone long ago.”

My few sentences ignited a firestorm in the hall.

A wave of murmurs swept through the room, growing louder by the second.

After all, back then, the gossip about his affair with the fallen noble, Miss Cameron, had been just as wild as the scandal of him being drugged.

At that time, Cameron had taken money from the Falcone family and broken up with Dante.

Dante, madly in love, nearly became the laughingstock of the underworld.

And then, the incident between me and Dante happened.

The strange thing was, Cameron didn't leave. She stayed by Dante’s side for seven years.

“Miss Elara, you must be mistaken.” Cameron denied it with a placid smile, then, as if nothing had happened, called for someone to clean up the mess.

Dante snorted, speaking to me with contempt.

“Elara, are you trying to blame others for what you and your mother did?”

“Back then, all Cameron had to do was say the word, and I would have married her. Why would we need to pull such stunts?”

What Dante said was true.

Originally, the marriage alliance with the Falcone family was for my half-sister.

But she jumped into the sea on her eighteenth birthday. Rumor had it my mother killed her to clear the way for me.

Whether that was true, I never knew.

But the Falcone family certainly looked down on me, an illegitimate daughter, and broke the engagement.

Later, when the Moretti family had completely crumbled, my mother repeatedly brought up the marriage contract.

At that time, the eighteen-year-old Dante was indeed crazy about Cameron.

So, the culprits had to be me and my mother.

“You said ‘back then.’ Why can’t you marry her now?”

I turned to Cameron, taunting her. “Is it because the Falcone family won’t have you either?”

My words hit their mark. I saw the slight tremor in her hands.

“My Papa is very fond of Cameron,” Dante interjected.

“Marriage is just a matter of time.”

Cameron’s eyes lit up at that, shimmering with emotion.

I sneered, raised an eyebrow, and nodded.

“Then I wish you a son, and soon.”

When Dante heard this, his body tensed. He looked at me with an emotion I couldn't decipher.

“Thank you, Miss Elara,” Cameron said, her tone polite and poised, calling me “Miss” again.

But all I saw was the act.

A few of Dante’s cronies also came forward to congratulate them.

“Dante, when are you planning to propose?”

Dante glanced at me. “Tonight.”

“As soon as I win that ‘Bloody Rose’ ruby necklace, I will propose to Cameron!”

My head snapped toward Dante.

The “Bloody Rose” belonged to my mother.

When I fled that night seven years ago, my mother tried desperately to stop me.

She wanted me to stay and protect the Moretti family legacy for my Papa, but I didn't listen.

The lessons of my past life were etched into my soul. Whether the Moretti family survived or perished was no longer my concern.

“I’m an illegitimate daughter. Why should I guard an empty shell?”

We had a terrible fight.

For seven years, we were an ocean apart, without a single phone call.

In this life, my mother died of lung cancer.

She smoked herself to death.

By the time I got the news and returned from Europe, she was already in the morgue.

She left a will, stating that the “Bloody Rose” was to be left to me.

But I arrived too late. Everything of value on her had been stolen.

I had asked Julian to help me find it, but he'd come up with nothing.

Until I saw it on the auction block tonight.

I came here myself without waiting for Julian to get back.

Only when I arrived did I realize it was a Falcone event. It was too late to leave.

I didn’t raise my paddle once during the first half of the auction.

“Got a blank card just to come in for free food and drinks?” Dante’s voice cut in beside me. “Elara, how did you fall so low?”

I glanced at him, annoyed.

In our past life, his hatred was fueled by our forced marriage. But this time, I had willingly stepped aside. The title of Mrs. Falcone was his to give.

I really didn’t understand why this Dante was so fixated on me.

Just then, the “Bloody Rose” was brought onto the stage.

Before I could even raise my paddle, Dante opened with a high bid of one million dollars.

“Bloody Rose” wasn’t a top-tier gem. It was only on the auction block because it once belonged to an Italian princess.

“Elara, are you going to bid or not?” he said. “If you don’t have the money, I can lend you some.”

I had a blank card, which meant I could only raise the bid by a hundred thousand at a time.

Dante played with me, drawing out the torture, waiting for me to break.

“Dante, this necklace belonged to my mother. Please, let me have it.”

Perhaps my pleading tone seemed only to fuel his cruelty.

He ultimately won it for three million dollars.

I knew Dante did it on purpose.

In our past life, we had also battled fiercely at auctions.

He was trying to buy a rosary blessed by an archbishop for Cameron to ensure a safe pregnancy, and I fought him for it.

I drove him crazy that time.

When I flaunted the rosary in front of Cameron, she suddenly miscarried.

“Elara, if anything happens to her and the baby, I swear to God I’ll never let you go, even as a ghost!”

Dante looked like he wanted to tear me to pieces as he carried Cameron away.

After Cameron’s miscarriage, Dante dug up my mother’s grave and scattered her ashes in the pouring rain right in front of me.

Now, the “Bloody Rose” was in Dante’s hands.

All eyes turned to Cameron, since just a few minutes ago Dante had declared he would use it to propose.

I watched Cameron stand up, smoothing her hair and dress.

With a soft scoff, I stood up, ready to leave the hall.

I came for the necklace. Without it, there was no reason to stay.

But I hadn’t taken more than a few steps before Dante grabbed my wrist.

“What?” he purred, a strange excitement in his voice.

“Don’t you want to see me propose to Cameron?”

I shook his hand off.

“Who you propose to has nothing to do with me.”

“I’m leaving because I have to go put my son to bed.”

The light in Dante’s eyes instantly dimmed. He tightened his grip on my arm, his voice filled with disbelief.

“You have a child?”

Cameron stepped forward and took his arm, trying to reason with him.

But Dante pushed her away without even listening.

“Elara!”

“You’re lying to me, right? How can you have a child?”

I had heard a similar line in my past life.

From Cameron.

After Cameron’s miscarriage in our past life, Dante locked me in the house.

He forced me to serve her, making me a slave to atone for the death of their child.

“Let’s get a divorce, Dante.”

“I don’t want to fight anymore.”

That was the first time I had ever surrendered to him.

But he threatened me with my father, who was rotting in jail, and that night, he forced himself on me.

Later, when I became pregnant, Cameron engineered my miscarriage and said:

“Elara, a person like you, how can you have a child?”

Dante also said, “Elara, a life for a life. Now you’re even.”

In that moment, something inside me shattered for good.

The next day, I anonymously reported Dante for embezzling from the family, and I packaged the Falcone’s core secrets and sold them to their mortal enemies.

The Falcone family was thrown into chaos overnight.

And while Dante was under internal investigation, I ran him over with my car.

After ten years of resentment, I couldn't tell if it was love or hate anymore.

Hate had simply become my reason to live.

But after losing my child, I suddenly couldn’t hate anymore.

Before he died, Dante grabbed me and asked, “If we hadn’t been forced to marry, would we have ended up like this?”

“Elara, if there’s a next life, will you love me properly?”

Before he closed his eyes, I told him no.

There would be no next life for us.

But I never expected that while we didn't have a next life, we got a second chance.

In these seven years, I married, had a child, and chose a different life.

Only this reunion with Dante was not part of the plan.

“I’m married. Of course I would have a child.”

Hearing this, Dante went berserk.

He ordered his Soldati to block my way, demanding I bring the child for a paternity test.

I looked at the unfolding farce, a bitter laugh threatening to escape.

So this was it. In this life, I was the obsession he couldn't have, and it was driving him mad.

“Looks like he doesn’t love you anymore, Cameron,” I said lightly.

Cameron’s expression turned hideous.

She bit her lip and shoved me hard. I stumbled back toward the marble steps, but just as I was about to fall, she collapsed first.

“Ah!”

“Blood!”

Someone in the crowd screamed.

I stared at the bright red blood spreading on the floor, my mind going blank.

This scene was identical to the one from my past life. The words echoing in my ears were the same too.

“Elara, if anything happens to her and the baby, I swear to God I’ll never let you go, even as a ghost!”

All the Falcones rushed over. The moment they saw me, they froze.

Dante's parents' furious voices filled the air.

“If anything happens to Cameron’s child, you can get out of the Falcone family too!”

“Who told you to find Elara again? It’s been seven years, and you still haven’t forgotten her?”

“What is it about a woman like that, that you love so much!”

…

Just like last time, Dante’s parents despised me.

Their accusations were endless.

At the hospital, I paid Cameron’s bill.

I contacted Julian’s assistant and had him rush to the hospital to handle things.

By the time Dante thought to look for me, I was long gone.

I didn’t even know what happened after that.

Because for the next three days, I was delirious with a high fever.

Julian finally found out that I had gone to see Dante.

But he didn't say a word about it. He just announced he was throwing a sixth birthday party for our son, Leo.

“We’ve just returned to the country. It’s a good chance to introduce you to the family.”

“It’s time they officially met you.”

Julian tapped my nose and affectionately stroked my head.

Julian and I got married and had our son in Europe, and we never once returned.

Virtually no one even knew he had a wife and child.

Julian smiled and said this was to give me my proper title.

But only I knew he was afraid I would go back to Dante.

The day of the party arrived quickly.

The celebration was held at Julian’s family estate. By the time I arrived, a large crowd had already gathered.

The butler led me upstairs to change into my gown. As I walked through the throngs of people, I immediately spotted Dante and Cameron.

To my surprise, their gift was the “Bloody Rose” necklace.

“Elara, what are you doing here?” Dante demanded.

I bent down, picked up the necklace from the pile of gift boxes, and wrapped it around my wrist.

“The necklace is beautiful. I love it.”

Dante tried to lunge forward and snatch it back, but the butler blocked him.

“That gift is from me to Julian’s family! What right does she have to take it?”