I'm married to Don Antonio Gallo for ten years.

My hands, which are originally meant to play the piano, have learned to assemble guns and take apart bombs for him.

I was there with Antonio when he was just a lowly criminal, and I witnessed his entire journey to the summit, where he claimed the throne as the king of the underground casino.

But right after Antonio becomes successful in life, he gets infatuated with a pure and innocent maiden from the slums.

That maiden is Silvia Bianchi. She was delivered to Antonio's bed like cargo. A maiden like her is as pure as an angel, yet so delicate like porcelain.

For the first time ever, Antonio, who's already used to bloodshed and violence, gets a taste of addiction.

He's really good at hiding her presence. I only find out about it when I accidentally come across him and Silvia attending a prenatal checkup together.

When I break down and demand an explanation from Antonio, he just hands over a divorce agreement nonchalantly.

"Silvia doesn't have anyone to rely on, nor does she have a home to go back to. Once she has a proper title, she and her baby won't get bullied anymore.

"If you sign this document, I'll give you 20% of my shares. Once Silvia gives birth to her baby, I'll make sure that the baby acknowledges you as their mother as well. Consider this my compensation to you."

Of course, I can't accept it at all. I end up slapping Silvia on the face during her baby's first party.

That night, my younger brother, Paolo Romano, gets crippled and strapped to the front of an armored truck.

"This is the lesson you shall learn for hurting Silvia, Valentina!"

I kneel on the ground and beg Antonio to stop. But the moment the engine starts, I feel Paolo's blood being sprayed all over my face.

Sharp pain flares from my abdomen immediately. I can only clutch it while screaming hysterically before passing out.

When I open my eyes again, I've returned to the day Antonio and Silvia are attending a prenatal checkup together.

This time, I no longer ask Antonio any questions. Instead, I secretly sell all of the jewelry I've secretly kept and buy myself two plane tickets.

Now, I just want to escape from Antonio with Paolo by my side.

Antonio Gallo was assuring Silvia Bianchi in the hospital corridor. He said, "Once the baby is stable, we'll have our wedding. The child will be my only heir."

When I heard his low voice, I knew then that everything from my past life had been real.

I hid in the shadow of a pillar, clamping a hand over my mouth as I trembled uncontrollably.

The brutal image of my brother, Paolo Romano, in his final moments was still etched in my mind. So, this time, I didn't lose control and rush forward to confront Antonio.

In my past life, he had feared Silvia would discover that she was nothing more than a kept lover. When I snapped and demanded answers, he had shattered my jaw with the rear end of his gun.

With that in mind, I shrank further into the shadows.

Antonio wrapped an arm around Silvia as they turned and walked away.

Once I was sure they wouldn't return, I stepped into the examination room, clutching the medical report.

The doctor frowned at the ultrasound screen, then said, "Ms. Romano, your uterine lining is very thin. That's why you haven't been able to conceive over the past ten years. If you were to lose this pregnancy, you might never be able to have another child."

I stared in silence at the report confirming I was three months pregnant. Yet, my mind was filled with the image of Antonio pressing his ear to Silvia's belly, the tenderness and care unmistakable in his eyes.

Ten years earlier, I had been lost in that same look and had given up my dreams of becoming a pianist for him. I used the hands meant for piano keys to assemble guns and dismantle bombs.

I had followed Antonio through life-and-death missions. But Silvia's arrival turned everything I had done into a cruel joke.

When I didn't respond, the doctor went on, "Ms. Romano, your situation is unusual. Does your husband know?"

"I'm divorced. I don't want my child to be born without a father," I replied, a bitter smile tugging at my lips.

…

As the cold fluid coursed through my veins, my consciousness began to fade.

Through my haze, I saw the man Antonio used to be. He would lean close to my belly, smiling as he said he'd teach our child how to modify guns.

Then, I watched him call an astrologer, insisting on choosing the luckiest possible name for our baby.

I even saw him holding me close and promising that once he found a successor, he would take our child and me away from the underground casino. After that, we would travel the world as a family of three.

In the end, every shred of warmth I had felt was shattered the moment he told Silvia, "Only you deserve to carry my heir."

…

When I came to, I staggered into Paolo's ward. Every inch of me felt hollow.

Thankfully, this time, he had only suffered minor injuries while on a business trip and would recover quickly.

In my past life, Paolo had died horribly right in front of me. This time, I wasn't going to make the same mistakes again.

To avoid tipping Antonio off, I contacted someone in the black market and paid a high price for two tickets to Summitia. Our flight was in three days.

Next, I called my only trusted aide, Luca Gallo, and told him to secretly move Paolo to another hospital.

After setting everything in motion, I left the hospital. For the first time, I felt a sense of relief.

Just as I was about to keep walking, a man grabbed me from behind. In an instant, he clamped a hand over my mouth and dragged me backward.

I struggled with all my might and broke free from the man's grip. But I had barely taken a few steps when someone else slashed my back.

The pain made me stagger, and I fell to my knees. In an instant, my clothes were drenched in warm blood.

I knew it was one of Antonio's enemies. The underground casinos in Oldshore had claimed so much territory that the list of people who wanted him or anyone else close to him dead could stretch for miles.

I tried reaching for the knife in my bag, but my arm was wrenched back. They then snatched my phone and smashed it into pieces.

"You wretched woman! Behave!" a man snarled, yanking my hair as he dragged me toward a black SUV parked by the curb.

Just as I was about to give up, a familiar black Bentley turned the corner. It was Antonio's car.

"Antonio!" I screamed hoarsely.

I summoned the last of my strength and thrashed desperately, trying to get the attention of whoever was inside.

Then, the car slowed. He must have seen me!

But the next second, the Bentley accelerated, vanishing from the intersection.

Through the window, I saw Antonio raise a hand to shield Silvia's eyes. Almost immediately, every fight and shred of hope drained from me.

Of course. Since Silvia was in the car, there was no way Antonio would let someone so pure and delicate witness such a gruesome scene.

Pain and cold washed over me. My vision darkened, and the metallic tang of blood clouded my mind as I drifted toward unconsciousness.

…

When I came to, I found myself in a private hospital room.

The door was slightly ajar, and a low voice slipped into the room. "Boss, Mrs. Gallo's badly hurt this time. If she finds out about Ms. Bianchi…"

It was Antonio's personal doctor.

But before he could finish, Antonio cut him off coldly, "Watch your mouth! Your job is to treat Valentina. Don't interfere where it's none of your business!

"Besides, Valentina has been running the streets for years. She has seen every ruthless trick imaginable. But Silvia is different. She's pure and innocent. She can't handle Valentina."

Antonio stubbed out his cigar before lowering his voice even further. "If she makes a fuss when she wakes, bring her brother here. He's her only weakness. There's no way she'd ignore him."

I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms, the metallic tang of blood spreading in my mouth.

On the night I helped Antonio take down Oldshore's largest casino, he dropped to one knee and promised me, "Valentina, as long as I'm around, no one in Oldshore's underworld will touch you."

It was the same promise and the same protection. Yet now, they were meant for Silvia.

Meanwhile, I, the one he had once cherished above all else, had become the danger he needed to guard against.

Just then, footsteps approached. I quickly closed my eyes, pretending I had just woken.

"You're awake," said Antonio. "I sent someone to check. It was the Montezaran you crippled at the casino last time."

He came to the bedside, dropped a folder onto the bed, and added, "If you sign this settlement, they'll give up control of the east side."

Our eyes met, but I couldn't speak. As it turned out, all my injuries were nothing more than bargaining chips in his business dealings.

"Antonio, when did you make this deal?" I croaked.

Was it when they were dragging me along the street? Or when he learned the Montezaran was going to strike me?

Antonio frowned in response. Clearly, he was displeased by my question.

Seeing that, I let out a self-deprecating chuckle and stopped asking. After all, the answer no longer mattered.

…

Perhaps to comfort me, Antonio stayed with me for the next two days, handling business as best he could.

He was never without his phone. Still, he would look at it and smile in a way I had never seen before.

As I stared at Antonio's profile, memories of our first meeting ten years ago came flooding back.

Back then, he had been caught cheating and was being hunted. His body was covered in blood as he hid under an abandoned iron bridge.

I had been on my way to practice piano, but when our eyes met, I felt a surge of pity and turned toward him. Little did I know I was stepping into an abyss.

Later, my father had accumulated massive gambling debts and was driven to his death by a drug lord.

I, on the other hand, was taken to pay off his debts.

A poisoned syringe hovered over my vein, and at the very last moment, Antonio arrived with reinforcements and saved me. He even took a bullet to the chest protecting me.

Standing outside the operating room, I realized for the first time that in his world, innocence and kindness were useless.

From then on, I was no longer a celebrated pianist. Instead, I had become a feared gunwoman in the underworld.

I assembled guns for Antonio, dismantled bombs, and seized one casino after another.

I knew my hands were stained with blood and dirt, marks that would never wash away. But no matter how much the world deemed me tainted, he had no right to.

After I was discharged, Antonio claimed he was tied up with casino operations and never showed up again.

As for me, I went to a church and asked a priest to say a Mass for the child I had lost. I wasn't religious, but I still hoped my baby was at peace.

When I pushed the door open, I saw Silvia at the piano, accompanying the children's choir.

The last chord rang out, but it hit a wrong note, jarring against the melody.

Before I knew what I was doing, I stepped forward, pressed the right key, and said, "It should be played like this."

Silvia didn't know who I was. When she looked at me, her eyes were bright with innocence.

"You play the piano?" she asked. "No wonder… I always mess up at this part."

A faint smile touched my lips, and Silvia fell into easy conversation with me.

As soon as she learned that I had come for the child I had lost, tears welled up in her eyes. Then, she dropped to her knees at the altar and prayed with all her heart.

"Please, let this child's soul find peace. Watch over this mother who has suffered. Keep her safe and healthy."

I stood rooted to the spot. Suddenly, a thought surfaced in my mind.

I wanted to warn Silvia to stay away from Antonio. After all, he was a heartless man. His gentleness was nothing but poison beneath a layer of sweetness.

But when my gaze fell on her pregnant stomach, the words caught in my throat.

If Silvia learned who I really was, she would break things off with Antonio without hesitation. And when that happened, he'd come after me like a madman.

The memory of Paolo's brutal death in my past life came rushing back, and I shuddered violently. There was only one day left. I couldn't gamble with my life or his.

Using confession as an excuse, I slipped into the confessional booth.

After I had collected myself, I stepped back out, only to feel a cold gun barrel pressed against my temple.

I turned around and saw that Silvia had already slumped to the floor.

Just as I was about to make my move, someone slammed their gun into the back of my neck, and everything went dark.

…

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in an abandoned warehouse. Both Silvia and I were tied to a pillar.

"Who are you? Why did you abduct us?" Silvia asked, sobbing softly.

In the next instant, someone struck her hard across the face.

The leader, a man with a scar on his face, grabbed Silvia by the hair and forced her to look up. He snarled, "It's all because of your fiance, Antonio! He took over my turf on the east side and killed my income! Aren't you the one he cares about? I'm going to make you suffer, little by little!"

So, they were from a gang on the east side. Antonio had only recently acquired that territory using my settlement agreement.

Fortunately, they didn't recognize me. But Silvia, who had been at his side lately, became their target.

I subtly flexed my wrists, using the tiny blade hidden beneath my nail to cut through the ropes. Having lived for years on the edge of danger, I always made sure to leave myself a way out.

When he saw that I was awake, Scarface spat at me. "You picked the wrong woman to be around. Call your family and tell them to bring 800 thousand Artherian dollars. If not, they can come collect your body."

Tears streamed down Silvia's face as she choked out, "I-I'm so sorry, Ms. Romano. I got you involved. But don't be afraid. My fiance will come and save us soon!"

Her eyes shone with trust, as if Antonio were her savior.

I didn't respond. Instead, I quickened my pace and cut the ropes faster.

Out of nowhere, Scarface lashed out. He kicked over an oil drum and bellowed, "Antonio doesn't believe me? Fine! I'll send him something he won't forget!"

As he spoke, he drew a knife, his cold and vicious gaze lingering on Silvia's belly.

"Get over here!" Scarface barked. "Cut that bastard out of her and send it to Antonio! Let him see it for himself."

My heart sank at once. If Silvia died here today, Antonio would make sure I paid for it.

Silvia shrank back in terror, pleading, "N-No… Please, don't hurt my child!"