"I'm fine. Give her the special tonic," I said.

Lucio froze. I understood why. If this had happened in my past life, I would have been clinging to him, making a scene.

He looked at me suspiciously. "Why are you acting so strange today?"

I pursed my lips and said nothing.

Lucio scoffed. "Suit yourself. I honestly don't care about this."

I nodded, keeping my gaze lowered to avoid his eyes.

A heavy silence settled between us on the drive. He seemed restless in it, and finally, he broke the quiet. "There's a new show at Luminara Opera House tonight. Once I wrap up my work, I'll take you there."

I felt a flicker of surprise. In my previous life, it had always been me pleading for him to accompany me to the opera house. Back then, he had been impatient. "The opera house? I have no time for romance. I married you only because my parents insisted."

In this life, I chose not to bring it up again.

He mistook my silence for a denial.

"Fine, then," he said with a hint of irritation, tossing one of the tickets onto my lap.

I glanced at the lone ticket resting on my lap. It brought back memories of how I had begged so desperately before, making this small, almost charitable act feel bitterly ironic.

"I will go," I said.

"Wait for me at the opera house after dinner—"

Before he could finish, someone from the famiglia darted over, blocking the car.

"Don Ferrari, wait! Something's happened to Ms. Bianchi!"

The brakes squealed as the car came to a sudden stop. I glanced over just in time to see Lucio's expression harden. He held the door handle tightly, poised to jump out.

"I'll manage the printing shop on my own. You should go check on Bella," I said thoughtfully.

Lucio went completely still, holding the car door as if rooted to the spot.

Disbelief was etched across his face as he stared at me, as though my quiet compliance had struck him harder than the threat to Bella.

I met his eyes. His expression was complicated. "Since when did you become so generous?"

A pang of bitterness rose in my chest, and my throat tightened. Whether I was generous or petty made no difference to him. In his eyes, I was nothing more than someone insignificant.

My lips trembled, but I swallowed my words.

At last, he broke the silence. "I don't know what you have in mind, but you'd better stay in line."

With that, he slammed the car door. The engine growled, and the car sped away. He didn't look back.

When I reached the printing shop, the owner, Simone Russo, was already outside, greeting me with his usual warm smile.

"Where's Lucio? He didn't come along?"

He was Lucio's uncle and a high-ranking member of the Alberti famiglia. In my previous life, he had wholeheartedly backed my marriage to Lucio.

I managed a smile. "He had an unexpected matter to attend to, so it's just me here."

Simone's smile dimmed. "Lucio has no sense of romance. The wedding is nearly upon us, and yet he's entirely absorbed in famiglia matters…"

I felt tears prick my eyes. I handed him the invitation. "It's okay. He's always put the famiglia first."

I wanted to announce to all the senior members that I would not marry Lucio, but I couldn't bring myself to say it.

I swallowed the bitterness rising in my chest and said softly, "I have received so much care and consideration from you and the elders during my time in the famiglia. I will always carry that kindness with me. If the famiglia ever needs me, I will do everything I can."

Simone smiled. "What are you talking about? After the wedding, all we want is for the two of you to live happily together and then have a healthy, beautiful child. That would be our greatest wish."

I said nothing.

In this life, I had already let go of my former obsession. I no longer clung to the idea of becoming Lucio's wife.

That way, he could freely pursue the one he truly loved and spend a happy, fulfilled lifetime with her.

After leaving Simone, I headed to Luminara Opera House, where Lucio and I had agreed to meet.

My phone rang.

"Viola, you should go in and watch the opera yourself. I might not make it," Lucio said. "Bella had a sudden heart attack. I need to stay with her."

His voice came through the receiver, and beneath it, I could faintly hear Bella's weak, trembling sobs in the background.

"But—"

"That's it. I'll make it up to you next time," he added.

Before I could say another word, the call ended with a cold, final beep.

Just as I put my phone away and took a step forward, a thick cloth clamped down over my mouth and nose from behind. A sharp, pungent odor rushed into my lungs.

There was a sedative on it. I struggled for less than half a minute before darkness swallowed my vision.

When I came to, the drug hadn't fully worn off. My head felt unbearably heavy, as though it had been filled with molten lead.

My hands were tightly bound behind the chair, and the tape over my mouth had been ripped off roughly, leaving my skin raw and burning.

A rough, chilling male voice spoke near my ear, "Don Ferrari, your fiancee is in our hands. If you want her back alive, be ready to pay the price. We'll be waiting at the old warehouse in the South Pier."

As his words ended, a masked man crouched beside me and pressed a phone to my ear.

"Listen. This is the voice of your beautiful fiancee."

Before I could utter a sound, a sharp, icy blade pierced my wrist, tearing a scream of pain from my throat.

"Viola!" Lucio's panicked voice rang out on the other end, but it was quickly drowned out by Bella's weak, deliberately pitiful moans.

"Lucio, my heart hurts so much. Am I going to die? I don't want to die…"

"Bella, don't be afraid. I'm here," Lucio said softly.

Then, his voice returned through the phone. "Viola, hold on a little longer. With your abilities, you can handle this, right? I'll stabilize Bella here first, and then I'll come find you. Va bene. That's decided."

Before I could say anything, Lucio ended the call.

I couldn't tell if it was shock or numbness, but I found myself completely speechless.

The flat tone from the disconnected line pierced straight through my chest. His words, "With your abilities, you can handle this", echoed in my ears again and again.

It almost felt absurd. In his eyes, my strength had become a justification for my sacrifice.

I met the abductors' eyes with a hollow, cold smile that held no warmth. "Do as you please."

…

After the call ended, Lucio paced outside the operating room, repeatedly checking his watch.

During the brief wait, he called Underboss Marco Russo and gave quick orders. "Send a small, trusted team to the old warehouse in the South Pier. Make contact, negotiate, and buy time. Don't let them harm Viola. I'm coming. Make sure she's safe."

About 20 minutes later, the doors of the operating room opened. Lucio stepped forward at once. "Is Bella alright?"

The doctor frowned in confusion. "Are you certain this is the right patient? According to our checks, everything appears completely normal."

Lucio froze. "There's nothing wrong with her heart?"

The doctor shook his head. "No, Mr. Ferrari. All her indicators are normal."

Just as Lucio was about to ask more, the phone in his pocket rang.

It was Marco, the one he had sent to the old warehouse in the South Pier.

He answered immediately, and Marco's hoarse, strained voice came through, "Mr. Ferrari, there's been an explosion at the warehouse. After we extinguished the fire, we found only one female body."

A photo was sent immediately afterward.

In it, the body was burned beyond recognition. Around its neck hung the emerald necklace he had once carefully placed on me.

As soon as Lucio saw it, the phone slipped from his grasp and hit the floor.